test rank

The mole rabbit hole, and how far down it people have gone

4 replies
3 views

Started a mole negro three weeks ago because I had a free Saturday. Twenty six ingredients, six hours, and a result I would describe as fine. The thing that got me is that every source disagrees about the order. Some toast the chiles first and fry after, some the reverse, one insisted on doing both in the same pan without cleaning it, which I now suspect was the actual point. So. Who here has gone properly deep on this, and did you land anywhere you would defend?

M

MasaMaya

test rank

Deep enough to have opinions and not deep enough to trust them. What I will defend is that the order matters less than the fat you fry in. Lard changes the whole thing and every recipe that says oil is quietly making it worse.

C

ChilePete

test rank

Three attempts, all fine, none good. My theory is that fine is what you get on attempt three and good is what you get on attempt thirty, and most of us stop at three because it takes a Saturday.

H

HotSauceHana

test rank

The unwashed pan person is right, for what it is worth. The fond from the chiles is half the flavour and washing it out is throwing it away.

F

FrijolFrankAuthor

test rank

Well, that settles what I am doing with the next free Saturday. Lard and a filthy pan. Anyway, thanks all.