StewsMediumFree

Pork in Ancho Chile Adobo

Name: Pork in Ancho Chile Adobo
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 90 min
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 4 cloves Garlic; 1 cdita Ground cumin; 0.5 White onion; 900 g Pork ribs or loin; 6 Dried ancho chile; 3 cdas Apple cider vinegar; 3 cdas Vegetable oil; 300 ml Beef stock or water; 1 cdita Dried oregano; 1 cda Salt

90 min (30 prep + 60 cook) Medium 6 servings Centro de México

Edmond Bojalil

Recetas Mexas

Published: Mar 29, 2026 · Updated: Jun 2, 2026

Pork marinated and braised in a dense adobo of ancho chile, vinegar, garlic and spices.

About this recipe

Pork in ancho chile adobo is one of the most representative stews of central Mexico: pork pieces are marinated and braised in a dense, aromatic adobo of toasted ancho chile - with its notes of chocolate, tobacco and plum - vinegar, garlic, onion, cumin and oregano, producing juicy, deeply flavoured meat bathed in a dark-red, slightly acidic sauce. It is the weekly stew of Bajío families and the market kitchens of Tepoztlán.

History & Origin

Adobo is a technique of preservation and flavour that came to Mexico with the 16th-century Spanish, who in turn inherited it from the Arabs who occupied the Iberian Peninsula for eight centuries. In Mexico, adobo fused with Mesoamerican dried chiles - ancho, guajillo, pasilla - and the result was a wholly new marinade, more complex and aromatic than its European predecessors. Ancho chile (dried poblano) contributes a unique flavour profile: mild, fruity and with cacao notes found in no other chile.

Estimated cost

$9.10

Total cost

$1.52

Per serving

* Approximate prices based on US supermarkets

Nutritional information per serving

400

Calories

34g

Protein

12g

Carbohydrates

24g

Fat

Fiber

490mg

Sodium

* Approximate values. May vary depending on ingredients used.

Method

1
Toast the ancho chiles on a dry comal, 30 seconds per side. Soak in hot water for 20 minutes. Drain and reserve the soaking water.
2
Char the garlic and onion on the comal. Blend with the soaked chiles, vinegar, cumin, oregano and soaking water until a thick, smooth adobo.
3
Marinate the pork in the adobo for at least 2 hours in the fridge. Overnight is ideal.
💡 The acidity of the vinegar tenderises the meat and drives flavour in.
4
Heat oil in a casserole over high heat. Sear the marinated pork on all sides in batches until browned. Set aside.
5
In the same casserole, add the remaining adobo and stock. Return the pork, cover and cook over low heat for 45 minutes until very tender. Adjust salt.
6
Serve the meat sauced generously with the adobo alongside red rice, pot beans and tortillas.