Pork shoulder marinated in red chile sauce and slow-braised until the meat shreds with a fork. Smoky, deeply spicy, never sweet. The benchmark Santa Fe meat dish.

Carne adovada (sometimes adobada) descends from Spanish colonial preservation: pork marinated in dried chile, garlic and vinegar to extend shelf life before refrigeration. The Chimayo and Espanola valleys north of Santa Fe codified the slow-braise version through the 19th century, and it became a Santa Fe restaurant standard by mid-20th century, anchoring menus at Horseman's Haven, Pasqual's and La Choza.

Where to eat Carne adovada in Santa Fe

4 editor picks for Carne adovada in Santa Fe, ranked by editorial score. All Santa Fe signature dishes · Carne adovada across every city.

Book food experiences in Santa Fe

See all 121 food experiences in Santa Fe

Make it at home

Serves 64 hrIntermediate

Ingredients

  • 3 lbs boneless pork shoulder, cut into 2-inch cubes
  • 18 dried New Mexico red chile pods, stemmed and seeded
  • 4 cups chicken stock
  • 6 cloves garlic
  • 1 tablespoon dried Mexican oregano
  • 1 tablespoon ground cumin
  • 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
  • Sea salt
  • 2 tablespoons lard

Method

  1. Toast dried red chiles in a dry pan 30 seconds per side, then steep in hot stock 25 minutes until soft.
  2. Blend chiles, stock, garlic, oregano, cumin and vinegar into a smooth marinade.
  3. Combine marinade with pork in a non-reactive bowl, cover, refrigerate at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.
  4. Preheat oven to 325 F. Sear pork in lard in a Dutch oven over high heat until browned all over.
  5. Pour marinade over the pork, bring to a simmer, then cover and braise 2.5 to 3 hours until fork-tender.
  6. Adjust salt; serve over rice or in warm flour tortillas with pinto beans.

Editor tip. Do not skip the overnight marinade; the meat reads bland and the sauce reads thin if you rush it.

Common allergens: Gluten in tortilla.