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Bold Tex-Mex Marinade with Chipotle and Lime

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Transport your grilled dishes to the heart of Texas with this smoky, pleasantly sweet, and intensely spicy marinade. It's based on chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, while freshly squeezed lime and orange juice subtly tenderize the meat fibers. Cumin and oregano add an authentic South American character, giving the pork neck an unforgettable flavor.

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Bold Tex-Mex Marinade with Chipotle and Lime
Prep time 15 min
Cook time 14 min
Servings
🍳
Difficulty Medium
Category Meat dishes
Cuisine Mexican, American
Occasion BBQ / Picnic, May Long Weekend

Ingredients

Marinade Ingredients

  • 1 kg pork shoulder — slices approx. 2 cm (¾ inch)
  • 3 pcs chipotle pepper in adobo sauce — from a can
  • 2 tbsp adobo sauce
  • 2 pcs lime juice
  • 1 pcs lime zest
  • 1 pcs orange juice
  • 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp honey — balances the spiciness
  • 4 pcs garlic clove — finely grated
  • 1 tsp cumin — ground cumin
  • 1 tsp oregano — preferably Mexican, but regular will also work
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika — smoked paprika
  • ½ tsp ground coriander
  • 1 pinch salt — to taste
  • 1 pinch pepper — to taste
  • 1 pinch fresh cilantro — chopped (for serving)

Instructions

Przygotowanie

  1. 1

    Blend the chipotle peppers with adobo sauce with lime and orange juice, vinegar, olive oil, honey, garlic, and spices in a blender. You should get a thick, red-orange paste.

  2. 2

    Score the edges of the pork neck slices, place in a zip-top bag or a glass container.

  3. 3

    Pour the marinade over and thoroughly massage the meat to coat evenly. Refrigerate for a minimum of 4 hours, preferably 8-12 hours (no longer than 24 hours - the acids from the lime will start to "cook" the meat too much).

  4. 4

    Remove the pork neck 30 minutes before grilling. Lightly shake off excess marinade, salt.

  5. 5

    Grill over medium heat for 5-7 minutes on each side. The marinade contains sugar and orange juice - it will caramelize quickly, so watch out so it doesn't burn black.

  6. 6

    Target internal temperature: 70-72 °C (158-162°F). After removing from the grill, let the meat rest for 5 minutes.

  7. 7

    Slice, sprinkle with fresh cilantro, and drizzle with lime juice.

Notes

Where to get chipotle in adobo? Small cans of "Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce" (e.g., La Costeña, San Marcos) are available in world cuisine stores, large supermarkets, or online. An opened can can be transferred to a jar and kept in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks, or frozen in portions in bags.

Serving suggestion: classically with Mexican-style grilled corn (elote), mango salsa, avocado, and black beans. Sliced pork neck is also great in tacos al pastor - in corn tortillas with onion, cilantro, and lime juice.

Less spicy? Reduce the number of chipotle peppers to 1-2 and add an extra tablespoon of honey. The milder version will be more smoky than spicy.