Overview
Mole de Caderas is a deeply savory broth-mole from the Mixteca border region of Puebla, centered on goat spine and hip bones. Its reddish-brown color comes from a blend of costeño, guajillo, and serrano chiles, with herbs like cilantro and avocado leaf. The finished mole is served with chopped onion and sour citrus (orange agria or lime) and eaten with tortillas.
Origin and history
The mole is tied to the Valle de Tehuacán and the Mixteca border area of Puebla. It was formally recognized by Puebla’s state government as intangible cultural heritage, with an official description of its ingredient composition [1]. This recognition assigns safeguarding responsibilities to state and municipal authorities. The dish is seasonal and festival-linked, with its preparation often tied to annual community celebrations.
What goes in it
- Key chiles: costeño (mild, earthy), guajillo (tangy, slightly sweet), serrano (fresh heat), and cuicateco (a smaller, regional red chile).
- Key supporting ingredients: goat spine and hip bones (espinazo y juego de caderas), tomato, tomatillo, garlic, onion, cilantro, huajes (wild legumes), avocado leaves, Sal de Zapotitlán Salinas (local salt), and green beans (ejotes).
How it tastes
A bone-forward broth with deep umami from goat marrow. The chiles provide structured heat that builds rather than overwhelms. Finishing with sour citrus and raw onion brightens the otherwise heavy, earthy broth.
Traditional pairings
Served with goat (chivo), specifically the spine and hip-bone cuts. The mole is a festival dish, often part of communal celebrations in Puebla’s Mixteca region. It is accompanied by warm tortillas, and sometimes with rice or beans.
How to make it (overview, not a recipe)
The goat bones are roasted or boiled to build a foundational broth. Chiles are toasted and rehydrated, then blended with tomato, tomatillo, garlic, onion, and fresh herbs. The resulting paste is fried in fat and added to the bone broth along with the bones themselves. The mole simmers until the meat is tender enough to fall from the bone. Green beans and huajes are added near the end of cooking.
Where to taste it in LA
Mole de Caderas has been historically highlighted at the Feria de los Moles on Olvera Street in Los Angeles. Current-year restaurant availability should be verified seasonally, as the dish is not widely offered year-round.
Cross-cuisine context
No widely recognized analogue exists in other cuisines. The exclusive focus on bone broth and specific goat cuts sets it apart from other mole families, though it shares the toasting, grinding, and frying process common to many Mexican moles.