Now that we are settling into fall weather and cooler temperatures, I find myself craving warming comfort foods and nothing says “comfort” to a Santa Fean like Carne Adovada!
For many New Mexicans, this is a dish that can be made without referring to a recipe because it’s been passed down, generation to generation. It was initially a way to preserve and prepare pork in the winter after hog butchering season. Although we no longer have to preserve meat as was the case a century ago, this hearty stew still seems like the perfect meal when the chill doesn’t abate and night falls earlier.
Carne Adovada can be presented on its own, or wrapped in a snowy flour tortilla as a burrito. For those of us who did not get the recipe drilled into us by our “abuelitas,” you can click on the link below for a classic version offered by Rancho de Chimayo, the iconic Chimayo restaurant.