Recipe: Carne Adobada (Marinated Pork)

Carne Adobada
Source: Santa Fe School of Cooking

1/3 cup peanut or vegetable oil
3 1/2 pounds pork loin or butt, cut in 3/4-inch cubes
4 cups chicken broth or water
2 cups diced onion
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 teaspoon ground canela
2 teaspoons ground cumin seed
2 teaspoons ground coriander seed
2 teaspoons dried Mexican oregano
2 teaspoons chile caribe
3/4 cup Chimayo ground red chile, mild or medium
1 tablespoon red chile honey
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon salt, to taste -- (1 to 2)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Heat the oil in a large skillet and brown the pork in batches. Set the pork aside. Add the onions to the skillet and saute until golden. Add the garlic and saute for 1 minute. Deglaze the skillet with 1 cup of the chicken broth, loosen- ing the browned bits by rubbing the pan with the back of a spoon.

Place the canela, cumin, coriander, oregano, chile caribe, red chile, honey, vinegar and salt in the workbowl of a food processor. Add the cooked onions, garlic and broth from the skillet and 2 more cups of chicken broth to the processor and run the machine until the mixture is thoroughly combined.

Place the browned pork, the chile marinade and the remaining 1 cup chicken broth in an oven-proof pot or dish, stir to combine well and cook for 1 hour or until the pork is tender. Serve.

This dish reheats wonderfully and is actually better the day after it is made.

Note: The traditional method for making this dish is to mix the marinade ingredients together and pour this over the meat. Cover the mixture and refrigerate overnight. Pour the meat and the marinade into an ovenproof casserole or pot and bake, covered, for 2-2 1/2 hours, or until tender.

The method described above, although not so traditional, brings out the flavors of the onion, garlic and the pork because the ingredients are carmel-ized or browned first. Whichever method you choose, the dish is full of flavor and will be a favorite. You can serve the Carne Adovada over chile rellenos, rice, wrapped in a flour tortilla as a burrito, or with beans and posole.