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Asado de Bodas recipe.

Asado de Bodas

author Maricruz Avalos Flores
6 servings
A rich and festive Mexican pork stew simmered in a velvety chile sauce with warm spices, piloncillo, and chocolate. Known as asado de bodas or asado de puerco, this traditional dish from Zacatecas is often served at weddings and family celebrations.
prep 20 minutes
cook 2 hours
total 2 hours 20 minutes
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Ingredients 

  • 2 ½ lb pork shoulder (cut into small pieces)
  • 6 guajillo peppers
  • 2 ancho peppers
  • 1 small onion
  • 2 medium corn tortillas
  • 1 large orange (juice and peel)
  • 1 small piece piloncillo (about 2 tablespoons)
  • 1 small piece dark chocolate (about 2 tablespoons)
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 1 stick cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
  • 3 cloves
  • 2 bay leaves
  • salt to taste

Instructions
 

  • Place the pork in a large braising pan. Add salt, 2 bay leaves, and just enough water to slightly cover the meat. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook over medium heat for about 1 hour.
  • While the pork cooks, make the sauce: remove stems and seeds from the chilies. Lightly toast them on a griddle or comal, then place in a bowl and cover with hot water for 10 minutes.
  • Roast the onion and garlic on the griddle until charred, then set aside. Toast the cloves, cumin seeds, black peppercorns, and cinnamon stick until aromatic. Set aside.
  • Toast the tortillas on both sides until crisp and lightly browned.
  • In a blender, combine the toasted spices, onion, garlic, tortillas, drained chilies, 2 cups water, and orange juice. Blend until smooth and set aside.
  • Back to the pork: uncover the pan and let any remaining water evaporate. Allow to brown the pork on its own fat (read notes).
  • Pour the chili sauce through a sieve over the meat and stir for a minute while it sizzles.
  • Add the chocolate, piloncillo, and orange peel. Pour in enough water to slightly thin the sauce and cover the meat. Season with salt.
  • Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for about 30 minutes, until the fat rises to the surface and the sauce is thick and velvety.
  • Taste and adjust salt if needed. Turn off the heat and let the asado rest for 15 minutes before serving.

Notes

  • If you're using a lean cut, and there's not much fat on the pan after the pork cooks, you can add 2 tablespoons of lard or bacon fat to brown the meat.
  • When toasting dried chiles, move them quickly with tongs. If they blacken, they’ll taste bitter.
  • If you don’t have a comal, a heavy skillet or cast-iron pan works perfectly for toasting chiles, tortillas, and spices.
  • You can use dark brown sugar as a substitute for piloncillo.
  • Can’t find Mexican chocolate? Use a small piece of bittersweet chocolate instead.
  • Pork shoulder works best, but you can also use pork butt or ribs.
  • Leftovers taste even better the next day as the flavors deepen.
Nutrition Information
Serving: 1 serving | Calories: 561kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 79g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 204mg | Sodium: 650mg | Potassium: 1672mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 4097IU | Vitamin C: 22mg | Calcium: 63mg | Iron: 4mg