Pork Adovado (For the Best Breakfast Burritos of Your Life)
Pork Adovado (For the Best Breakfast Burritos of Your Life)
Deep, rich pork adovado made with ancho and guajillo chiles, chipotle–mango purée, and homemade chicken stock. Slow-braised until tender and perfect for freezing. The ultimate base for the best breakfast burritos.
Pork Adovado (For the Best Breakfast Burritos of Your Life)
This batch makes the kind of breakfast burrito that ruins all others. Deep, smoky, chile-forward pork that slow-braises until it melts. I like to make a big pot, make a bunch of breakfast burritos with it, pop ‘em in the freezer, and live off my stash for weeks. It feels like modern-day hunter-gatherer prep work. Put in the effort up front, then thrive off the land you already worked for.
Ingredients
3 lb boneless pork shoulder, cut into large chunks
Toast the ancho and guajillo chiles in a dry pan until they soften and glisten from their natural oils. This takes about a minute or two per side. Remove the stems and most of the seeds.
Cover the toasted chiles with hot water and let them rehydrate until fully soft.
Step 2 — Blend the Adovado Base
Add the softened chiles, chipotle–mango purée, onion, garlic, a splash of the chile-soaking liquid, and a pinch of salt to a blender. Blend until completely smooth and thick.
A closer look at the finished base helps set expectations for the right texture.
Step 3 — Steam-Render the Pork
Season the pork with salt and pepper. Add the pork to a pot with 1 cup water. Cover and cook for 10 minutes. The water will steam the pork and help release the fat.
Remove the lid and let the remaining liquid cook off so the meat starts to brown in its own rendered fat. This method builds more flavor without needing added oil.
Step 4 — Braise the Adovado
Pour in 1.5 cups of the adovado purée and 2 cups Liquid Gold. Add the bay leaves and dried oregano. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook low and slow until the pork is tender and the sauce deepens.
Stir occasionally as it thickens and reduces.
Step 5 — Finish the Pot
Let the sauce reduce until glossy and rich. Taste and adjust salt. You can add a splash more Liquid Gold if it gets too tight or a spoon of mango purée if you want a little more depth.
Shred the pork lightly or leave it in tender chunks.
Using the Adovado for Breakfast Burritos
Warm a tortilla. Layer:
Fluffy, Scrambled eggs
Hash brown potatoes
Cooked beans or hominy
A spoon of adovado
A little shredded pepper jack cheese
Roll it tight, toast it in a pan if you want a little crunch, and live your best life.
Freezer Instructions
Wrap breakfast burritos individually, store in a freezer zip-lock bag and freeze.
Move a burrito the night before to the fridge, and reheat in the microwave for 1-2 minutes until heated through.
Why I Make a Big Batch
This recipe scratches a deeper itch for me. There’s something ancient about it — toasting chiles, building a pot of slow-braised meat, putting work in now so future days are covered.
I make a big batch, freeze it, and live off the land of my own labor. It feels like modern-day hunter-gatherer life: stock up when you can, eat well when you need it, and enjoy the comfort of knowing you’ve taken care of yourself ahead of time.
Breakfast burritos are the perfect food to me, and this is the base that makes them great.
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