As I start this article it’s still a few days before Christmas and I am fervently trying to get as much brunch prep done as possible. In our house brunch is Christmas morning for all who choose to attend be it family, extended or friends who want to drop by.

When the hubs and I married, it was extremely important to me to be able to stay home on Christmas day. I will give up all other holidays and Christmas Eve, just let me be home with my family that day.

As our family has grown, moved on we no longer have kids at home or even in town. We have been fortunate enough to have our kids come home for the holidays. I have stressed to them the importance of establishing their own traditions this will be the first year we will not be all together on Christmas Day. I’ll give them that, they finally listened!

So we will be having brunch a few days this week. Our oldest grand will be 15 this summer and out youngest grands are preschool age, still these kids and grands deserve a stress-free day with no travel.
With this recipe and a few more I do you can actually prepare this ahead and just refrigerate and heat to serve…gotta love those even if it’s for a weekday dinner. When I prepare Carne Adovada it just makes me want fried eggs , this is the perfect accompaniment.

I have found cheats in this the older I have gotten. Years ago(too many to count) I used to soak my red chile pods in hot water then puree them in the blender to get the same result I get from the Bueno frozen Red Chile. You may vary the heat in the recipe, sometimes I use all hot, other times I will use one container of hot and one mild I judge it on who I’m cooking for.
Fair warning on this recipe, I don’t have a recipe…I make this to taste. Feel free to half the recipe I make a pot full because the family enjoys it plus the youngest always volunteers to take leftovers home.

CARNE ADOVADA


4# pork cut into small pieces. Little more or less my family likes it meaty, if you buy pork steaks or chops cook those bones with the meat, great flavor just remember to remove them.
I place the meat in my Dutch oven, or some other heavy pot, you can definitely make this in one pot.
Season with salt, pepper 2TBL oregano, 1TBL cumin and get a nice sear on the meat.


When cooked through I add 1 beer and simmer on low for about 30-45 minutes. (that beer really tenderizes the meat and the alcohol cooks off)


Add your red chile and let all flavors meld together.


Right before removing from heat I make a slurry of a few TBL of cornstarch & water (works as well as flour and great substitute for those gluten free)

Serve with tortillas(buy the store brand flour and heat them on a cast iron get a lil char, almost as good as homemade) and eggs, a burrito just about anything. Remember you can make ahead and refrigerate or freeze.
Voila’