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.

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

Also in: Albuquerque.