Carne Adovada--- Whole lot of lovely yummienss

 OK- First recipe- and it won the FB poll- Hope you enjoy.   Whenever possible, If I post a meat based recipe and there is a way to make a vegetarian option, I'll post that in the variations section.

This is a classic New Mexican stew. It's particularly good with home made tortillas. This makes a lot- and the leftovers are really good- it's one of those dishes that gets better the longer it sits. Your house will smell amazing while this is in the oven.

I know- I know- it's ninety billion degrees out there- why would you want to make a stew?? Think of it this way- you cook once and eat for a few days. 

 

Carne Adovada

Ingredients

• 1/2 Cup Olive Oil- divided
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 4 tablespoons New Mexico red chile powder
• 4 cups warm water or chicken broth
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
• 3 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1 large onion diced
• 2 teaspoons chile flakes
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 3 pounds cubed pork stew meat
• 1 large onion, chopped in large chunks
• 1 head garlic, peeled
• 1 -12 ounce bottle of beer- whatever kind you have on hand

Directions

1. In a skillet or frying pan, heat half of the oil over medium heat. Stir in flour and brown until light golden brown. Blend in chile powder and flakes. Slowly add water or broth, stirring until lumps are removed. Add diced onion, pressed garlic, oregano, cumin, honey and salt. Simmer on medium heat for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and  set aside
2. In another large skillet, heat the other half of the oil over medium high heat.  Add pork and brown. You may need to do this in batches.
3. Place pork in a large baking pan or casserole pan.  Add onion, garlic and beer. Add chile mixture to pork and mix until pork is covered with chile.  Marinate pork for at least 12 hours or overnight.
4. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
5. Bake pork in preheated oven for at least 4 1/2 hours, or until meat is well cooked, tender and falls apart.

Variations:

Stew beef works well if you do not want to use pork.

Rendering fat from smoked bacon and browning the meat in the rendered bacon fat will add another layer of flavor to the stew

You can make a vegetarian version by subbing out the pork with hearty, hard squashes, such as butter nut, or zucchini, fingerling or "baby" potato's will work too.   The veggie version doesn't need to cook for 4 hours- just until the veggies are cooked through.