Slow Cooker Carne Adovada (Red Chile and Pork Stew)

Carne adovada is pork stewed in a sauce of ground dried chiles. Don't be alarmed by the full cup of ground red chile powder. New Mexican red chiles are relatively mild...warming but not too spicy. Serve with warm corn or flour tortillas if you like.

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided

2 medium onions, chopped (about 3 cups)

6 large garlic cloves, minced

3 tablespoons flour

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

3 1/2 pounds boned pork shoulder (butt), fat trimmed and meat cut into 1 1/2-in. cubes

1 cup ground dried red New Mexico chiles

4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth

1 bay leaf

Directions:

Heat 2 tbsp. oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add onions and garlic and cook, stirring, until onions are golden, about 6 minutes. Remove from heat and transfer onions and garlic to slow cooker.

In a large bowl, stir together flour, salt, cumin, and pepper. Add pork and toss to coat. Return pot to medium-high heat, add remaining 1 tbsp. oil, and, working in batches, lightly brown meat on all sides, 5 to 7 minutes per batch. Transfer meat to slow cooker as you go.

Add broth, stirring to loosen browned bits from bottom of pot.

Add ground chiles and wisk until blended. Cook approx. 2 minutes (mixture will be thick). Whirl sauce in a blender until smooth, if needed.

Add sauce to pot slow cooker and mix all ingredients together.

Add bay leaf.

Cook on low for 5 – 6 hours.

Remove bay leaf before serving.