Asado de Boda (Home-Style Version)
Asado de Boda is Zacatecas’ rich, smoky pork stew served at weddings and celebrations. Slow-cooked in a bold, chile-based sauce, it’s a spicy, savory dish worthy of any fiesta — and easier to make at home than you’d think.
Ingredients
- For the pork:
- 3 lbs pork shoulder or pork butt cut into chunks
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- For the sauce:
- 5 dried guajillo chiles stemmed and seeded
- 3 dried ancho chiles stemmed and seeded
- 2 dried chile de árbol optional, for extra heat
- 3 roma tomatoes roasted or charred
- 4 garlic cloves peeled
- ¼ onion
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 2 whole cloves
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- Salt to taste
- 2 tablespoons lard or vegetable oil for frying sauce
Instructions
- Prepare the pork: Season pork with salt and pepper. In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high heat. Brown pork in batches. Set aside.
- Make the chile sauce: Toast dried chiles lightly on a dry skillet until fragrant. Soak in hot water for 10 minutes. Blend chiles with tomatoes, garlic, onion, cinnamon, cloves, vinegar, oregano, cumin, and salt until smooth.
- Cook the sauce: Heat lard or oil in the same pot. Pour in the blended sauce and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring often.
- Simmer the stew: Return pork to the pot. Add 1–2 cups of water as needed. Cover and simmer over low heat for 1.5 to 2 hours, until pork is tender and sauce thickens.
- Serve: Spoon over rice or mop up with warm tortillas. Garnish with cilantro if desired.