Asado de Chile Colorado Duranguense (Durango Pork in Red Chile Sauce)

History & Origin

Asado de chile colorado is the emblem stew of Durango, so deeply rooted in the culinary culture of the state that it is considered the most representative dish of Durango cuisine alongside beef caldillo. Its intense red colour comes from a combination of northern dried chillies - primarily guajillo, ancho and mulato - that are toasted and rehydrated before being ground with garlic, cumin and oregano to form an adobo that colours and perfumes the pork from within. Unlike the asado de puerco of other regions, the Durango version uses pieces of pork with some fat, such as shoulder, ribs or neck bone, which contribute gelatin and flavour to the stew during slow cooking. Tradition dictates that the asado should be prepared in a clay pot to maintain even heat and concentrate the aromas. In the municipalities of Victoria de Durango, Gómez Palacio and El Salto, asado de chile colorado is the inevitable main course at weddings, christenings and quinceañeras, served with red rice, cowboy beans and freshly made northern-style flour tortillas.