Carne adovada is a rich New Mexico pork stew simmered in a smoky red chile sauce until deeply tender. It is bold, comforting, and perfect served with warm tortillas, rice, or beans.
Place the dried New Mexico chiles and guajillo chiles in a dry skillet over medium heat for 20 to 30 seconds per side, just until fragrant. Be careful not to burn them.
Transfer the chiles to a bowl and cover with the hot water or broth. Let them soak for 20 minutes until softened.
Blend the softened chiles with their soaking liquid, the apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, oregano, cumin, cinnamon, flour, salt, and black pepper until smooth. Add a little more water if needed to create a pourable sauce.
Season the pork cubes lightly with a pinch of salt and pepper.
Heat the vegetable oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium-high heat. Working in batches, brown the pork on all sides, then transfer it to a plate.
Reduce the heat to medium and add the onion to the pot. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes until softened, then add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds more.
Return the pork and any accumulated juices to the pot. Pour the chile sauce over the pork and add the bay leaf. Stir to coat everything evenly.
Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, then cover and cook on low heat for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, stirring occasionally, until the pork is very tender and the sauce has thickened.
If the sauce becomes too thick before the pork is tender, add a splash of water or broth. If it is too thin at the end, simmer uncovered for a few minutes to reduce.
Remove the bay leaf, taste, and adjust seasoning with more salt if needed. Serve hot.
Notes
For the deepest flavor, use dried New Mexico chiles if available and toast them briefly only until fragrant. This dish tastes even better the next day after the flavors have had time to meld. Serve with tortillas, rice, or beans.