P
Mexican
Mole de caderas (Mixtec goat hip stew)
Mole de caderas (hip mole) is a seasonal Mixtec-Poblano dish made exclusively in October–November using the hips and internal organs of goat slaughtered at the end of the dry season. Unlike sauce-based moles, this is a broth-based stew — the chile base (chilhuacle, ancho, guajillo) builds the liquid, and the goat hip (cadera), ribs, and offal cook directly in it. The seasonal and regional specificity makes this one of Mexico's most terroir-bound dishes.
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I
The Market List
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1 kg
goat hip (cadera), bone-in
freshly slaughtered, October–November only
Not yet stocked in British Columbia
500 g
goat ribs
bone-in
Not yet stocked in British Columbia
300 g
goat offal (liver, kidney, intestine)
cleaned
Not yet stocked in British Columbia
For the chile base
3
chilhuacle chiles
toasted, soaked
Not yet stocked in British Columbia
3
ancho chiles
toasted, soaked
Not yet stocked in British Columbia
3
guajillo chiles
toasted, soaked
Not yet stocked in British Columbia
1.5 litres
water
Your own market
4
fresh hierba santa leaves
added fresh during cooking
Not yet stocked in British Columbia
4
sprigs fresh epazote
added fresh at a different stage from hierba santa
Not yet stocked in British Columbia
1 tsp
salt
to season
Your own market
II
The Method
1
Toast the chilhuacle, ancho, and guajillo chiles on a dry comal or heavy skillet over medium heat, pressing each flat for a few seconds per side, until the skins blister and the flesh turns fragrant without scorching. Transfer immediately to a bowl of hot water and soak until fully softened, approximately 20–30 minutes. The chiles are ready when the flesh yields completely under pressure and the soaking water has turned a deep rust-red.
2
Drain the soaked chiles, reserving the soaking liquid. Blend the chiles with enough of the soaking liquid to form a smooth, cohesive purée. Pass through a fine-mesh strainer, pressing firmly to extract all liquid and discard the skins and seeds. The strained base should run freely and coat the back of a spoon in a thin, even layer — this is the structural liquid of the stew, not a sauce.
3
Pour the strained chile base into a large, heavy pot. Add 1.5 litres of water and bring to a moderate simmer over medium heat. Add the goat hip, ribs, and offal directly into the chile liquid. This is where the dish lives or dies: the bone, connective tissue, and fat of a freshly slaughtered seasonal animal must dissolve slowly into the broth over 2–3 hours of unhurried simmering — rushing this step prevents the collagen from fully extracting, and the characteristic mineral body of the stew will not develop. The broth is ready at this stage when the hip and rib meat begins to yield at the joint but has not yet fallen free.
4
Add the hierba santa leaves to the pot. Continue to simmer, allowing the herb to perfume the broth. After 10–15 minutes, add the epazote sprigs. The two herbs are added at different times so that hierba santa's anise character permeates the liquid before epazote's sharper, more volatile oils are introduced. The broth is ready when both herbs have fully wilted and the liquid smells layered — goat fat, dried chile, and herb in equal measure.
From the canon — Epazote (Dysphania ambrosioides) is one of Mexico's defining culinary herbs — a pungent, aromatic annual with a distinctive smell sometimes described as petr… Epazote — identification and usage →
5
Season with salt. Ladle into deep bowls, ensuring each portion receives hip meat, rib, and a portion of offal. Serve with fresh tortillas and dried chile on the side, as is traditional.
III
Quality Hierarchy
01
Reserve — Freshly slaughtered Mixtec regional goat, October–November, from the Acatlán–Tehuacán corridor; wild-harvested chilhuacle chiles; hierba santa and epazote cut the morning of cooking.
02
Estate — Freshly slaughtered local goat in season; chilhuacle chiles sourced from a specialist Mexican supplier; fresh hierba santa and epazote from a Latin American market.
03
Market — Bone-in goat shoulder substituted for the cadera; ancho and guajillo chiles without chilhuacle; fresh epazote and hierba santa where available, dried as a last resort.
04
House — Any bone-in goat cut; ancho and guajillo only; dried herbs — the broth will lack the seasonal mineral character and full herbal register but retains the structural logic of the dish.
IV
Sensory Tests
◇Smell. Toasted chiles smell of dried fruit and charred skin without any acrid bitterness — the line between toasted and burnt is a matter of seconds.
◇Sight. The strained chile base runs freely and coats the back of a spoon in a thin, even mahogany layer, free of seed fragments or skin.
◇Touch. The hip and rib meat yields under moderate finger pressure at the joint after 2–3 hours but has not yet detached from the bone — the collagen is still giving body to the broth.
◇Smell. The finished broth smells of goat fat, dried chile, and herb in equal, distinct layers — if one element dominates, the balance has not yet arrived.
◇Where it lives or dies. The goat hip, ribs, and offal must simmer unhurried in the chile liquid for the full 2–3 hours: collagen that does not fully extract produces a thin, fleshless broth, and the dish is lost.
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VI
What to Pour
The pairing
Agave spirit
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