Recipe Manuscript

Mole Poblano

Name: Mole Poblano
Prep time: PTPT45M
Cook time: PTPT2H
Yield: 8
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 turkey (approx. 2-3 kg) or substitute with chicken (1.5-2 kg); 40 dried pasilla chiles (approx. 150 g), stemmed and seeded; 2 slices day-old bread (about 70 g); 1 corn tortilla (about 30 g); 2-3 tbsp lard or vegetable oil; 1 Mexican chocolate tablet (approx. 40 g, or substitute bittersweet chocolate with a pinch of cinnamon and sugar); 10 g sesame seeds, toasted; 5 g assorted whole spices (allspice, cloves, black peppercorns, cinnamon stick, to taste); Pinch (approx. 1-2 g) chile seeds, toasted; 1 tbsp (15 ml) vinegar; Salt, to taste; Sugar, to taste (start with 1-2 tsp); 750 ml water, as needed

"Mole Poblano"

1914

From the treasured pages of Libro para Recetas no 2

Written by Irazoqui, Susana de Sánchez

Early Modern Kitchen (1900 - 1930)American Advanced Dinner Lunch

Original Recipe • 1914

Original Manuscript(circa Early Modern Kitchen, 1900 - 1930)

As inscribed by the original author's hand, transcribed with care by Lost Kitchen Scrolls

Mole Poblano

"A un guajolote 40 chiles pasillas remojados y tostados dos piezas de pan y una tortilla dorados en manteca una tablilla de chocolate una poquita de semilla de chile tostada de todas especias poquitas ajonjolí tostado todo esto bien molido se deshace en agua y se frie en manteca se acaba de sazonar con un polvo de canela, vinagre, sal, y azucar al gusto"

English Translation

"To a turkey, add 40 soaked and toasted pasilla chiles, two pieces of bread and one tortilla fried in lard, a bar of chocolate, a little toasted chile seed, a pinch of all spices, a little toasted sesame seed—all of this ground well. Dissolve it in water and fry it in lard. Finish seasoning with a pinch of cinnamon powder, vinegar, salt, and sugar to taste."

Note on the Original Text

The recipe is written as a rapid, conversational list, typical of early 20th-century Mexican manuscripts—it assumes the cook is already familiar with kitchen practices. Quantities are given with everyday measures ('a little of this,' '40 chiles') and the process is described in flowing prose without separations for steps or ingredients. Spelling and punctuation mirror the informal, practical context of home recipe collections, rather than printed cookbooks. The recipe uses regional terms (guajolote for turkey), and assumes the cook knows how to fry, grind, and season by instinct rather than precise measure.

Modern Kitchen Interpretation

Recipe's Origin

Libro para Recetas no 2 - Click to view recipe in book

Title

Libro para Recetas no 2 (1914)

You can also click the book image above to peruse the original tome

Writer

Irazoqui, Susana de Sánchez

Era

1914

Publisher

Unknown

Background

A delightful handwritten compendium of traditional home recipes, this volume offers a charming glimpse into early 20th century Mexican cookery as practiced by women in Durango during a period of transformation.

Kindly made available by

University of Texas at San Antonio

Historical Background of the Recipe

Learn about old traditions

This mole poblano recipe is drawn from a 1914 Mexican family manuscript, penned by Susana de Sánchez Irazoqui and her relatives in Durango. The early 20th century was a period of immense change in Mexico, and these handwritten books capture cherished culinary traditions amidst shifting times. Such manuscripts—passed quietly from mother to daughter—offer an intimate glimpse into the home kitchens of the era, where recipes were both treasures and evolving records of daily life. Mole poblano, already famous as a celebratory dish, represented both heritage and ingenuity in Mexican homes before the age of standardized recipes.

Culinary Tools when the Recipe was Crafted

Tools and techniques from kitchens of old

Traditionally, the preparation would have depended on simple, sturdy tools: a metate (grinding stone) or heavy mortar and pestle for crushing chiles, seeds, and spices into a smooth paste; a cazuela (clay cooking pot) or heavy cast-iron pan for simmering the sauce; and wooden spoons for stirring. The bread and tortilla would have been toasted on a comal over a wood fire, and the turkey likely slow-cooked in a large pot, tended by hand. Lard was rendered at home and used for frying, while chocolate came in rustic tablet form, ground by hand with the spices.

Modern Kitchen Adaptation

Ingredients and techniques for today's cooks

ounces, cups, Fahrenheit

Prep Time

45 mins

Cook Time

2 hrs

Servings

We've done our best to adapt this historical recipe for modern kitchens, but some details may still need refinement. We warmly welcome feedback from fellow cooks and culinary historians — your insights support the entire community!

Ingredients

1 turkey (approx. 4 1/2–6 1/2 lbs) or substitute with chicken (3 1/4–4 1/2 lbs)
40 dried pasilla chiles (approx. 5 1/2 oz), stemmed and seeded
2 slices day-old bread (about 2 1/2 oz)
1 corn tortilla (about 1 oz)
2–3 tbsp lard or vegetable oil
1 Mexican chocolate tablet (approx. 1 1/2 oz, or substitute bittersweet chocolate with a pinch of cinnamon and sugar)
1/3 oz sesame seeds, toasted
0.2 oz assorted whole spices (allspice, cloves, black peppercorns, cinnamon stick, to taste)
Pinch (approx. 1/16–1/8 oz) chile seeds, toasted
1 tbsp (0.5 fl oz) vinegar
Salt, to taste
Sugar, to taste (start with 1/2–1 tsp)
3 1/4 cups water, as needed

Instructions

Begin by preparing the turkey (or chicken) by roasting or boiling it until tender.
Meanwhile, take 40 dried pasilla chiles, remove stems and seeds, soak until pliable, then toast lightly on a hot skillet.
Toast two slices (about 2 1/2 oz) of day-old bread and one corn tortilla (approx.
1 oz) in a bit of lard or oil until golden brown.
Toast a small handful (about 1/3 oz) of sesame seeds and about 0.2 oz of mixed dried spices (allspice, cloves, black peppercorns, as a 'little of each').
Toast a pinch of chile seeds too.
Grind all of these together with one Mexican chocolate tablet (about 1 1/2 oz) until you have a fine paste.
Dilute this paste with enough water (about 3 1/4 cups) to make a sauce.
Heat lard (or vegetable oil) in a pan and fry the sauce until thick and fragrant, stirring often.
Season with a pinch of ground cinnamon, a splash (about 1 tbsp) of vinegar, salt, and sugar to taste.
Pour the sauce over the cooked turkey and serve with rice or tortillas.

Estimated Calories

550 per serving

Cooking Estimates

Preparing and cooking this mole takes time because you need to cook the meat, toast and grind spices, and blend everything into a sauce. Each serving is hearty and includes both turkey (or chicken) and rich sauce.

As noted above, we have made our best effort to translate and adapt this historical recipe for modern kitchens, taking into account ingredients nowadays, cooking techniques, measurements, and so on. However, historical recipes often contain assumptions that require interpretation.

We'd love for anyone to help improve these adaptations. Community contributions are highly welcome. If you have suggestions, corrections, or cooking tips based on your experience with this recipe, please share them below.