Carne Adovada

Jessie's photo

Thank you, Jessie, for introducing my family to this deliciousness!   My oldest gingersnap walked in from school and exclaimed, "It smells like another country in here!"  Talk about tasty, moist, versatile meat.  I could easily have just eaten a spoonful of the meat (and did!), but it was also delicious served with rice and beans, and wrapped up in a tortilla with other burrito-type fixings.  You have to marinate the meat overnight and then have your oven on for at least four hours, so it's a great meal to make as the weather is getting cooler.

2 tablespoons canola oil

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

4 tablespoons New Mexico red chile powder

2 1/2 cups warm water

3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano

1/3 teaspoon ground cumin

1 tablespoon salt (I would cut this in half next time)

3 pounds cubed pork stew meat (I used a 2-pound pork belly slab, trimmed the fat, and cut into large chunks)

In a skillet or frying pan, heat oil over medium heat. Stir in flour and brown until light golden brown. Blend in chile powder. Slowly add water, stirring until lumps are removed. Add garlic, oregano, cumin and salt. Simmer on medium heat for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.

Place pork in a large baking or casserole pan. When chile mixture has cooled, add it to pork and mix until pork is covered with chile. Cover and marinate pork for at least 12 hours or overnight.

Preheat oven to 275 degrees F.

Bake pork, uncovered, in preheated oven for at least 4 1/2 hours, or until meat is well cooked, tender and falls apart.