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THURSDAY'S RECIPE: CHEF YERIKA-STYLE PORK IN ADOBO

  • Writer: Chef Yerika
    Chef Yerika
  • Aug 7
  • 4 min read

Pork in adobo, a dish with character, memory and Mexican soul
Pork in adobo, a traditional Mexican chili-based sauce made with dried chiles, garlic, and spices. A dish with character, memory, and a Mexican soul

The aroma of the adobo is a promise: something is cooking slowly, with intention, with history. This dish is that. A direct journey to the heart of Mexican cuisine, where dried chile and pork merge in a dance of fire, earth, and time.

A LITTLE HISTORY

Adobo is one of the oldest and most representative techniques of Mexican cuisine. Its origins date back to pre-Hispanic times, when chilies, vinegar, and spices were used to preserve and season meats. With the arrival of the Spanish, adobo adopted new ingredients such as cinnamon, cloves, and fruit vinegar, giving rise to a wide variety of regional versions.

In states like Puebla, Oaxaca, Michoacán, and Guerrero, adobo is part of everyday cooking: it's found in tamales, stews, tacos, and moles. Pork, with its deep flavor and rich fat, has become one of the favorite meats for these types of dishes.

This version, inspired by those roots, gives it a modern and balanced twist, designed to stand out on a contemporary menu without losing its traditional soul. It's a dish that embraces the rustic and the refined alike. Servings: 6. Total time: 2.5 hours (including marinating) Difficulty: Medium. Ideal for: A main course accompanied by rice, beans, or handmade tortillas.

INGREDIENTS

For the meat:

  • 1.2 kg of pork loin or leg (can be solid, boneless), in medium cubes.

  • 2 tablespoons of white or apple cider vinegar.

  • 1 teaspoon of sea salt.

  • 1 bay leaf.

  • Enough water to cook (if precooked)

For the marinade:

  • 4 dried guajillo chiles, seeded and deveined.

  • 2 dried ancho chiles, seeded and deveined.

  • 1 pasilla chile (optional, for more depth)

  • 1 chipotle chili, dried or in adobo (depending on the desired level of spiciness)

  • 2 large garlic cloves.

  • 1/2 white onion.

  • 1/2 cup of natural orange juice.

  • 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar.

  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin.

  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano.

  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

  • 1 pinch of cinnamon (no more than 1/8 tsp)

  • Salt to taste.

  • 1 tablespoon of brown sugar or grated piloncillo.

  • 1/2 cup pork broth or water (for blending)

  • 2 tablespoons of lard or vegetable oil for frying.

STEP-BY-STEP PREPARATION

1. Prepare the adobo chiles: Lightly toast the dried chiles on a hot griddle or skillet (10–15 seconds per side). Then, soak them in hot water for 10 minutes. Drain and set aside.

2. Cook the pork (optional): You can pre-cook the meat with water, salt, vinegar, and bay leaf for 30–35 minutes to tenderize it, or use it raw if you prefer to brown it and then cook it in the marinade.

3. Make the marinade: Blend the hydrated chiles with the garlic, onion, orange juice, vinegar, spices, brown sugar, broth, or water. The mixture should be thick, smooth, and dark red in color.

4. Fry the marinade: In a large saucepan, heat the butter or oil. Strain the marinade over the saucepan for a finer consistency. Cook over medium heat for 8–10 minutes, stirring constantly until the marinade becomes glossy and the flavor is concentrated. Taste and adjust the seasoning for salt.

5. Stir in the meat: Add the meat (precooked or raw) to the marinade. If it's raw, add 1 extra cup of broth or water and cook covered over low heat for 40–50 minutes until tender and infused with the marinade. If the meat was already cooked, 15–20 minutes will be enough to allow the flavors to blend.

6. Rest: Turn off the heat and let the stew rest for 10 minutes before serving so that the marinade thickens slightly and the meat absorbs the flavors.

CHEF YERIKA'S TOUCHES

  • To enhance the aromatic profile, you can infuse the lard with a sprig of thyme or avocado leaf before adding the marinade.

  • Add a tablespoon of white miso paste or light soy sauce to the marinade if you want an extra punch of umami without it tasting like Asian cuisine.

  • If it's for an event or catering, serve it on a banana leaf with cilantro-lime rice and black bean cream in the background.

  • In the taco version, shred the meat and finish it on a griddle to give it an extra golden brown before placing it in a warm tortilla.

  • You can dress the dish with a touch of parsley on top, or decorate with mint.

SUGGESTED PAIRING AND ACCOMPANIMENTS

  • Red rice, rice with epazote or garlic and butter rice.

  • Refried beans or pot beans with epazote.

  • Pickled onions with habanero or pickled carrots.

  • Nixtamalized corn tortillas, sopes or tamalitos.

  • It pairs well with an amber craft beer, young red wine, or fresh waters of tamarind, hibiscus, or orange with mint.

Some recipes aren't just cooked: they're inherited, remembered, and experienced. Pork in adobo sauce is one of them. But when interpreted with respect, technique, and a dash of daring, it transforms into a dish that can live equally well in a restaurant as it can on an elegant table. This dish isn't just food: it's a story made of chili, fire, and time.


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