Name: Slow-Cooker Carne Adovada
Total time: 6 h
Cuisine: US & Canada
Ingredients: 4 pound boneless pork butt roast , pulled apart at seams, trimmed, and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces; Salt and pepper; 3 tablespoons soy sauce; 2 onions , chopped; 1/2 cup chili powder; 6 garlic cloves , minced; 3 tablespoons vegetable oil; 1 tablespoon canned chipotle chile in adobo sauce , minced; 2 teaspoons dried oregano; 3/4 cup chicken broth; 1/2 cup brewed coffee; 1/3 cup all-purpose flour; 1/4 cup raisins; 1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro; 1 teaspoon grated lime zest; 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

Why This Recipe Works

Our goal was to develop complexity in our Slow-Cooker Carne Adovada without having to spend time browning meat and aromatics and grinding chiles. In the end, we ditched stovetop browning in favor of seasoning the pork with soy sauce. (The sauce was so flavorful that we didn’t miss the 20 to 30 minutes spent browning the meat.) We softened the onion and bloomed the spices in the microwave, avoiding any stovetop prep altogether. We replicated the taste of dried New Mexican chiles by using a combination of raisins, brewed coffee, and smoky chipotle chiles in adobo sauce. And finally, we pureed the sauce in a blender with just enough liquid and thickener to form a sauce that would coat the meat like a blanket.

Before You Begin

Pork butt roast is often labeled Boston butt in the supermarket. Serve the finished dish over rice or with warm corn tortillas.

Instructions

Season pork with salt and pepper. Combine pork and soy sauce in slow cooker. Combine onions, chili powder, garlic, oil, chipotle, oregano, and 1 teaspoon salt in bowl. Microwave, covered, until onions have softened and mixture is fragrant, about 7 minutes, stirring halfway through microwaving.

Puree broth, coffee, flour, raisins, and onion mixture in blender until smooth, about 1 minute. Stir sauce into slow cooker, then scrape down any sauce from sides of cooker with rubber spatula. Cover and cook until pork is tender, 5 to 6 hours on high or 6 to 7 hours on low.

Turn off slow cooker, let stew settle for 5 minutes, then remove fat from surface using large spoon. Stir in cilantro and lime zest and juice. Let sit for 15 minutes to thicken slightly. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve.