Chile Colorado Recipe
Jump to RecipeThis chile colorado recipe is made of tender pieces of meat drenched in a rich red chile sauce, made from Mexico’s most popular dried peppers. It’s a Mexican stew that can be made with either pork or beef. The name simply means “red chili” referring to its color. Moreover, the rich red color is eye catching, and the flavors are a taste of the enchantment Mexican culture and food possess. Accompany this wonderful stew with rice and frjoles de la olla. In addition, Corn tortillas are also a great option if you want to have the full experience!
A story from me
Stew recipes have been passed down to us as a form of gift. Growing up I was not surrounded by wealth; in fact, I witnessed first hand poverty among my childhood friends. I was lucky enough to enjoy my childhood without so much scarcity. But, my mother’s resounding stories of how they used creativity, and ingredients available in order to create dishes that made a statement, makes me so passionate about our food. It’s amazing! with very little, our ancestors created historic dishes. Stews are engraved in Mexican cuisine. They are featured in Mexican movies, TV shows, documentaries, because of how popular they are. Chile Colorado allows us to use the enchantment of dried peppers in order to make an unforgettable dish.
What does Chile Colorado mean?
The name simply means “red chili” referring to the color of its sauce. It has no direct correlation to the state of Colorado in the United States. The “colorado” term is a description of its vibrant red tones that make the dish stand out. However, Chile colorado does have its roots in northern Mexico and boasts of popularity in the US neighboring states. Regardless of its origin, Chile Colorado is a delicious Mexican stew for everyone to enjoy.
Chiles Guajillos
Guajillos are among the top three, most important peppers in Mexican cuisine. Its moderate heat and low key flavor, allows it to pair with other dried peppers. It tends to be larger in size when compared to its cousins the puya Chile and Chile de arbol. Without doubt, we have an amazing pepper and it creates such a great sauce for this Chile Colorado recipe. As for the puya, we will leave out this time around.
Mexican Cuisine
Mexican cuisine is among the most popular and recognized cuisines around the world. Its ancient techniques and ingredients make it stand out by adding unique colors and flavors. Whether you’re looking for the all time favorite and popular tacos, Mexican stews, tamales, or atoles; you’re guaranteed to find what you’re looking for.
Optional: For an added kick of heat, add a few chiles de arbol to the sauce.
Ancho Chile
Let’s also talk a little about the ancho Chile. Both the guajillo and ancho pepper are mild in heat. But there is a noticeable difference between them, as the ancho offers unique and subtle dried fruit sweet tones, with tomato like acidity. overall, it is a great option to have in your pantry. It will definitely contribute to the flavors on your Mexican stew.
Chile colorado recipe video
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Chile Colorado Recipe
6
servings25
minutes1
hour25
minutes1
hour50
minutesChile colorado is made up of melt in your mouth pieces of meat drenched in a rich chile sauce, made from Mexico’s most popular dried peppers. Its name simply means “red chili” referring to its color.
Ingredients
3 lb pork shoulder Boston butt boneless
To taste black pepper (1 tsp)
1 TBSP kosher salt or to taste, divided
4 TBSP olive oil, divided
8 ea guajillos chiles, de-seeded
2 ea ancho chiles, de-seeded
6 cups chicken broth, low sodium
1/2 large white onion, diced
6 ea garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp whole cumin
4 ea cloves
1 tsp Mexican oregano, dry
3 ea bay leaves
1 lb russet potato, diced (bite size)
- Toppings
Cilantro, chopped
Lime juice
Corn tortillas
Directions
- Toast the guajillos and ancho chiles over medium to medium-low heat.Turn continuously to prevent them from burning. When hot and fragrant remove from the heat, and rinse them. Transfer the chilis inside a pot with 4 cups of simmering low-sodium, chicken broth. Turn off the heat, cover and let them hydrate and soften.
- Prep the meat: Trim off excessive chunks of fat. Now, using a kitchen paper towel, pat it dry. Cut the meat into small bite size pieces, about 1” squares. Season with salt (2 tsp kosher salt) and freshly ground pepper to taste (1 tsp.) Mix to distribute evenly among the pork. Set aside.
- Sauce: in a blender combine the hydrated chilis plus the broth they were soaked in, cumin, cloves, and oregano. Process until smooth and the chili skin has completely broken down. Strain and set aside until needed.
- Place a large pot over medium-high heat. Heat 2 TBSP of oil and brown the pork. You might not get all the sides and thats fine, as long as you develop that flavor at the bottom of the pan and meat itself. Avoid over crowding the pot, do it in batches if needed.
- Remove all the meat from the pot. Lower the heat (medium low.) Add more oil if needed and sauté the onions until slightly softened. Then, sauté the garlic for one minute. Add the browned meat into the pot, pour 2 cups of chicken broth, strained red sauce, and bay leaves. Mix everything to combine. Bring to a boil (medium high heat.) Then lower the heat (medium-low), cover and cook on a gentle simmer for 45 minutes.
- Meanwhile, brown the potatoes in a little bit of oil (medium heat.) Season them with salt to taste (1/2 tsp of kosher.) Set aside until needed.
- Uncover the stew and continue cooking for 15 minutes. Spoon out the fat from the surface of the stew. Add the potatoes, and let it cook for another 15 minutes. It’s ready when the sauce has thickened and the potatoes are cooked through. Mix in salt to taste (1/2 tsp kosher salt.) Accompany with cooked beans, Mexican style rice and corn or flour tortillas. Drizzle chopped cilantro and lime juice over the stew. Enjoy!
