Local Flavors: Cruisin’ in Las Cruces

Las Cruces, New Mexico, has served as a stop for travelers since the late 1500s when explorers traversed the route known as El Camino Real. It makes a great destination for modern travelers, too.

This dry country offers remarkable agricultural bounty and is particularly famous for chiles—green, red, mild, or hotter than heck. Growers and artisans display their products downtown at the Farmers & Crafts Market. The outstanding and educational New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum, with indoor exhibits, outdoor demonstrations about all aspects of New Mexico farm life, and plenty of live farm animals, is also worth a visit.

Outdoorsy possibilities abound around Las Cruces. From this vibrant city, you’re only about 52 miles from spectacular White Sands National Monument, with 275 square miles of white gypsum, like nothing you’ve ever seen. Or head to Dripping Springs Natural Area, on the west side of the Organ Mountains, which offers easy trails with desert scrub, oak woodlands, and wildlife viewing. Hikers sometimes find fossils that have been preserved here in the dry Chihuahuan Desert.

Finally, don’t miss the charming village of Mesilla, with its historic adobe architecture and award-winning restaurants, just outside of Las Cruces.

On the Menu

Pozole

Pozole (or “posole”) is a stew often served for good luck in the New Year. It generally consists of hominy, pork, and red or green chiles. Many traditional pozole recipes require a long cooking time with much soaking of dried hominy and pureeing of chiles. This “camping” version serves 4–6 and is much simpler. It’s perfect to make ahead and freeze.

You’ll Need

• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 6 cloves of garlic
• 1 7-oz can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 3 cups cooked and shredded pork shoulder (make ahead or purchase precooked shredded pork) or shredded rotisserie chicken
• 5 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 29-oz can hominy (maíz molido)
• Diced avocado, cilantro, and queso fresco for toppings

Make It

1. In a large pot, sauté onion in the vegetable oil until soft and translucent. Add garlic and cook until soft, about two minutes. Stir in cumin and oregano.
2. Open the can of chipotle peppers, remove as much sauce as possible, and add it to the pot.
3. Finely chop and add peppers according to your taste: one for mild, two for spicy, three for extra hot, and taste as you go. Add pork or chicken, broth, and hominy. Cover and simmer for about 15 minutes. Serve with toppings.

Thor Outlaw

Since Las Cruces is the old stomping grounds of Billy the Kid, it seems apropos to visit the area in a Thor Outlaw. You’ll make out like a bandit exploring the sights in this 31-foot, 2-inch Class C toy hauler built on a Ford chassis and sporting a 7.3-liter Triton V-8 gasoline engine.

Available in two floorplans that sleep 4, the Outlaw features a leatherette sofa, a 7-cubic-foot double-door fridge, a recessed three-burner cooktop with glass cover, a convection microwave, 40-inch TV on a manual swivel in the cab-over, and racks and hooks in the garage for hanging accessories. A Winegard RV Wi-Fi system is standard.

Why We Like It: Drop-down ramp door | Removable pedestal tables | 32-inch exterior TV

Fine Pairings

It’s tricky to pair wines with spicy southwestern dishes. You can go two ways, one of which is to pair a wine with a sip of sweetness to tame the flame. Winzer Krems Grüner Veltliner Goldberg Kremstal 2019 (the name is a mouthful in itself) does the trick. This white wine from Austria offers delicate sweetness with a bit of citrus fruit and spice flavors. $20

In contrast, the more robust Asúa Rioja Reserva 2016 is a classic Spanish Rioja that stands up to spicy food such as pozole. It has a deep red color, medium tannins, and deep aromas of warm spices. $30