Looking for a truly authentic Instant Pot Carne Adovada? Keep reading to learn how to make it!
A couple weeks ago, I found myself snowed in and a little antsy, so I decided to make a batch of New Mexico red chile, that I then turned into Pozole and Instant Pot Carne Adovada.
Why Cook Carne Adovada in the Instant Pot?
Short answer: because they’re awesome. Instant Pots can take chunks of pork and turn them into tender bites of meat that almost melt in your mouth – all in about 30 minutes.
Sure, you can also make Carne Adovada in a Slower Cooker, which also turns out delicious and tender, it just requres about 8 more hours to cook.
Carne Adovada Starts with a Great Red Chile Sauce
There are a couple ways to make red chile for carne adovada:
- Buy the red chile sauce already prepared. You can find them at most grocery stores in New Mexico, or on Amazon.
- Make the red chile sauce from red chile powder. Made in New Mexico has a great recipe.
- You can make the red chile sauce from red chile pods (recipe below).
My preferred way to make red chile is from red chile pods. It’s always turns out great and is less expensive than buying it pre-made. I’ve included the recipe for homemade red chile from chile pods below.
How to Make Instant Pot Carne Adovada
Cut 2 lbs of pork loin into 1″ cubes. Sprinkle with 2 tbsp of flour and toss to coat all of the pieces.
Turn your Instant Pot onto the Saute function and brown the pork pieces in batches, until golden brown.
Turn the Instant Pot off, and return all of the pork pieces to the Instant Pot. Top with 1 cup red chile sauce, 1 cup of diced onion, salt, dried oregano, and cumin.
Lock the lid, turn the valve to sealing. Select high pressure for 20 minutes. Once complete, allow the Instant Pot to naturally release pressure.
Printable Menu – Instant Pot Carne Adovada
Instant Pot Carne Adovada
Get the comfort from carne adovada in less than an hour when you make this Instant Pot Carne Adovada
Ingredients
- 2 lbs pork loin cut into 1″ pieces
- 2 tbsp all purpose flour
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 cup prepared red chile sauce
- 1 onion diced
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
Instructions
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Toss the cubed pork loin with flour, until all pieces are coated.
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Turn Instant Pot onto Saute, and add in 2 tbsp of oil. Saute the pork, in batches, until browned on all sides.
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Add in remaining ingredients and stir.
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Lock the lid and turn the valve to sealed. Cook on high pressure for 20 minutes, letting the pressure naturally release.
Red Chile Sauce from Chile Pods
Red Chile Sauce from Chile Pods
This recipe is for a red chile sauce made from New Mexican red chile pods
Ingredients
- 24 red chile pods
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 tsp dried oregano
Instructions
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Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
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Remove stems from red chile pods. Place chiles in water and boil until tender, about 15 minutes.
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Transfer chile pods to a blender, along with one cup of the water the chiles were cooked in. Blend until smooth, adding more water, if necessary, until consistency is similar to tomato sauce.
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Strain sauce through a sieve to remove any peels and seeds.
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Return sauce to pan and add remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil, then remove from heat.
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Sauce keeps in the fridge for up to a week, or in the freezer for 6 months.
Find the Ingredients
Instant Pot DUO60 6 Qt 7-in-1 Multi-Use Programmable Pressure Cooker, Slow Cooker, Rice Cooker, Steamer, Sauté, Yogurt Maker and WarmerBarker’s Hot Red Chili Pods From Hatch, NM – 8 oz
Red New Mexico Hatch Chile Powder, 18 Ounce Jar
El Pinto Red Chile Sauce, Medium, 16 Ounce (Pack of 6)
Pin it – Instant Pot Carne Adovada
Pin this to your favorite red chile pinterest board by clicking on the image below!
More Red Chile Recipes
Check out these other yummy red chile recipes:
Im making this today! My first recipe in the instant pot! I’ll let you guys know how delicious it is. I tried this recipe over the other because I always wanted to make sauce fresh from the pods and this recipe has that! Thanks!!
Finally, a Carne Adovada Instant Pot recipe by an actual New Mexican who knows what it’s all about!!! I make my chile sauce from red chile pods as well. Carne Adovada is my favorite New Mexican food!!!
Thanks for the comment, Kerri – and you’re right that making red chile from chile pods is the best way to do it! 🙂
Yes! I just got my instant pot. I wanted to try something we always have loved and not just a regular pork roast. I looked up Carne Adovada and they were putting raisins and fish sauce. What the actual heck? I’m from Northern NM and that is just a sin. 🙂 I want mine a little more saucy so I was thinking of adding more red chile. I usually use pods but I’m doing powder this time around. Fried potatoes and tortilla and you have a delicious meal.
Cannot comment. Have not made it yet. I want to use Las Palmas red Chile sauce. Will that work for me? Want to make carne adovada.
Hi Virginia – I haven’t tried that particular brand of red chile sauce, but I have made carne adovada with jarred red chile sauce before and it turns out great.
Stuck at home here in central New Mexico due to the pandemic. I had made some red chile sauce (from powder) a few days ago and was wondering how best to use it, other than ladled over eggs. My wife mentioned that she was craving carne adovada, so I did a search and came here. So glad I did! The recipe was easy to follow and we had all the ingredients on hand. The only change I made was to add a a few more garlic cloves. Also made some Instant Pot pinto beans to go with it (beans first as they are easier to keep warm on a stove top). So simple! This is now a keeper recipe for our family. Thanks!
Wow, that sounds delicious! I am so glad you enjoyed the recipe 🙂
This was a fun recipe to follow! I was born and grew up in Albuquerque but have lived in Houston for the last 25 years, and really miss the food from back home.
Luckily, the Target stores here sell red chile pods from NM, so I used that to make my sauce. I have a bunch of the pods left over, so I think I’ll whip some more sauce and see what else I can make with it.
I did change up a couple of steps in the recipe. Rather than start cooking under pressure with all of the ingredients immediately after browning the pork, I sautéed the onions to help deglaze the pressure cooker and then added everything else and started the pressure. Also, I found that there wasn’t enough liquid in this recipe to prevent my pressure cooker from tripping the “burn” indicator, so I ended up adding 1 1/2 cups of pork broth (I have the frozen Minor’s bases that are perfect for making yummy broth). The result was maybe not quite as authentic carne adovada, but it was delicious nonetheless!
Baker’s from Hatch are my go to peppers. Even though I live in West Texas, I prefer red chili peppers to the others most use around here.