-
1
Place the cubed pork shoulder in a deep, non-reactive container. Pour the red chile sauce over the pork — the quantity must be sufficient to submerge each piece completely. Cover and refrigerate for a minimum of 24 hours; 48 hours is the better result. The chile's acid will tenderise the surface of the pork and the capsaicin will penetrate the meat throughout the soak. The pork is ready to proceed when it has darkened noticeably and the sauce has begun to cling rather than pool around the pieces.
-
2
Transfer the pork and all of its marinade to a heavy pot with a tight-fitting lid. Set the oven to 150 °C. Bring the pot to a bare simmer on the stovetop, then cover and transfer to the oven. Braise for 2–3 hours. Do not add liquid at any stage: the red chile sauce and the pork's own released moisture must remain undiluted. This covered, low-heat, extended braise is where the dish lives or dies — the collagen in the shoulder converts to gelatin, the pork becomes unctuous, and the chile penetrates every fibre; a shorter braise or a higher heat produces seasoned pork, not carne adovada. The pork is approaching readiness when a fork meets no resistance and the sauce has deepened to a dark brick-red.
-
3
Remove the lid for the final 30–45 minutes of braising time. Allow the sauce to reduce and concentrate around the pork, uncovered, in the oven. The dish is done when the sauce is thick enough to cling to each piece without pooling and the surface of the braising liquid appears dark, glossy, and concentrated. The aroma in this stage will shift from liquid chile to a denser, roasted quality.
-
4
Remove from the oven. The finished pork should be deep brick-red. Press a piece lightly with the back of a fork: it should yield and begin to fall apart at the touch. The sauce should coat a spoon in a thick, dark layer without running immediately off.