Cerdo y Vegetales en Mole Amarillo
El Arte de los Moles: Demystifying the Sauces
If Mole Negro is the tuxedo, Mole Amarillo is the perfectly worn-in sweater. It’s the everyday mole of Oaxaca, relying not on a laundry list of thirty ingredients or days of labor, but on the ancient magic of toasted chiles, rich pork broth, and masa de maíz. Finished with fresh cilantro and rustic, dimpled chochoyotes that act like tiny bowls to catch the sauce, this is how a real Oaxacan abuela feeds her family on a Tuesday night. It takes a little over an hour, but the smells of toasting cumin and simmering chiles will instantly transport your kitchen.
Before you start
Prepare the meat.
Chop the pork shoulder into 2-inch chunks and separate the baby back ribs.
Prep the dried chiles.
Wipe clean, stem, and seed all the dried Guajillo and Ancho chiles.
Prep the produce.
Husk and rinse the tomatillos. Peel and cube the chayote and potatoes, trim the green beans, and slice the zucchini.
Ingredients
- pork shoulder1 1/2 lb
- pork baby back ribs1 lb
- white onion1/2 med
- garlic cloves3 large
- kosher salt1 tbsp
- water8 cup
- Guajillo chiles6 med
- Ancho chiles2 med
- Roma tomatoes1 lb
- tomatillos1/2 lb
- white onion1/2 med
- garlic cloves3 large
- whole cloves4 small
- allspice berries4 small
- whole cumin seeds1/2 tsp
- dried Mexican oregano1 tsp
- masa harina1 cup
- warm water3/4 cup
- kosher salt1/2 tsp
- pork lard or neutral oil2 tbsp
- masa harina1/3 cup
- warm water1 cup
- chayote squash1 large
- yellow potatoes2 med
- green beans1/2 lb
- Mexican zucchini1 med
- fresh cilantro1/2 cup
Method
- 01
Simmer the pork to build the foundational broth.
Combine the pork shoulder, ribs, the intact onion half, smashed garlic, and 1 tablespoon of salt in a large pot with 8 cups of water. Simmer for about an hour until fork-tender, then strain and reserve 5 to 6 cups of the broth along with 1 tablespoon of the rendered fat that floats to the top.
- 02
Toast the dry spices and chiles on a comal.
Heat a dry cast-iron skillet over medium heat and toast the cloves, allspice, and cumin for 30 to 45 seconds until fragrant, then transfer to a blender. In the same skillet, toast the Guajillo and Ancho chiles flat for 10 to 15 seconds per side without letting them blacken, then soak them in a bowl of hot water for 15 minutes.
- 03
Roast the vegetables until deeply blistered.
In the hot skillet, roast the whole tomatoes, tomatillos, chopped onion, and peeled garlic until soft and charred, about 10 minutes, pulling the garlic early if it threatens to burn, then add everything to the blender.
- 04
Blend the mole paste into a silken puree.
Drain the soaked chiles and blend them on high for a full two minutes with the roasted vegetables, toasted spices, oregano, and one cup of the reserved pork broth. Pass this entire mixture through a fine-mesh strainer to ensure a flawlessly velvety texture free of skins and seeds.
- 05
Make the pot cry.
Heat the lard or oil in a heavy pot until shimmering and lightly smoking, then pour the strained puree directly into the hot fat so it sizzles aggressively. Fry the sauce for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until it darkens in color and the raw flavor of the garlic transforms into deep, savory magic.
- 06
Thicken the mole with masa.
Whisk the 1/3 cup of masa harina with 1 cup of warm water until perfectly smooth, then slowly whisk it into the mole along with 4 cups of the remaining pork broth. Let it gently simmer over low heat for 15 minutes until it becomes a beautiful, glossy gravy.
- 07
Form the chochoyotes.
Knead 1 cup of masa harina with 3/4 cup of warm water, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and the reserved tablespoon of pork fat until it feels like soft clay. Roll off pieces into 1-inch balls and press your thumb deep into the center of each to create a dimple, or 'ombligo', that will catch the sauce.
- 08
Marry the stew and vegetables.
Add the potatoes and chayote to the simmering mole and cook for 10 minutes, then carefully drop in the chochoyotes without stirring aggressively. After 5 minutes, add the green beans, zucchini, and cooked pork, simmering just until the delicate vegetables are tender and the dumplings are firm.
- 09
Garnish with cilantro and serve.
Turn off the heat and stir in the chopped cilantro to perfectly cut the richness of the pork. Serve immediately in wide bowls, ensuring everyone gets a rainbow of vegetables, tender meat, and a generous ladle of golden sauce pooled inside their chochoyotes.
Notes
On sourcing chiles.
Authentic Oaxacan recipes often call for Chilhuacle Amarillo chiles, which are incredible but nearly impossible to find in standard US supermarkets. Local cooks substitute a mix of Guajillo and Ancho chiles when Chilhuacle is unavailable—it provides the exact red-gold color and fruity depth required.
On the magic of the dimple.
The indentation in the chochoyotes isn't just for aesthetics. Masa is dense; the dimple allows the dumplings to cook quickly and evenly in the simmering broth while acting as a tiny bowl to hold the rich mole sauce.
From Cook Oaxacan in America.