Yield: 6 servings
Chili Colorado
Chili Colorado is an authentic Mexican Beef Stew. Tender pieces of meat are slowly cooked in a rich base made with dried chili peppers and other spices.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons oil, olive, vegetable, canola
- 2 pounds chuck roast, cut into bite size pieces
- 5 dried guajillo chiles, with the stems, membranes and seeds removed
- 2 dried pasilla chiles, with the stems, membranes and seeds removed
- 1 dried ancho chile, with the stems, membranes and seeds removed
- 3 cups low sodium beef, or chicken broth
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 teaspoons Mexican oregano
- 1 teaspoon cumin powder
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 cup diced white onion
- 3 cloves garlic, finely minced
Want to save this recipe?
Instructions
- Heat oil in a deep cast iron pan (or a medium dutch oven) over medium heat. Add the beef and let it brown for about 10 minutes, as you stir every so often to prevent burning. (If the beef is crowded in the pot, brown it in batches.)
- Reduce the heat to low and let it continue to cook as the liquid (created by the beef) reduces.
- In the meantime, heat a medium size pot of 5-6 cups of water over high heat and bring it to a boil.
- Add the guajillo, pasilla and ancho chiles to the pot and let them boil for 10 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat.
- Strain the chiles from the water (reserve 1 cup of the water) and add the chiles to a blender, or food processor, along with 1 cup of the reserved water from the pan and blend until smooth.
- Strain the sauce, through a strainer, into the pot with the beef. Add in the beef broth, bay leaves, oregano, cumin, coriander, salt and pepper and stir to combine.
- Bring the heat back up to medium and let it boil for 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and cover the pan with a lid slightly offset to let a bit of the steam escape. Let it cook for 45 minutes.
- Add the onion and garlic and stir to combine. Let it continue to cook for another 15 to 30 minutes, or until the onions have become soft and the sauce reaches your desired thickness. (If your sauce becomes too thick, add a little extra water that the chiles cooked in, as needed.)
- Remove the pan from the heat and serve as desired. We serve ours over Mexican rice, with corn tortillas, and freshly chopped cilantro.
Notes
Storage: This dish can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. You can reheat it on the stovetop or in a microwave. Just make sure that you cover the container with a paper towel in the microwave so it doesn't splatter!
Freeze: I recommend storing it in a freezable bag so that it can lay flat in the freezer. This way, it doesn't take up so much room. Don't forget to put a date on the bag. You can keep it in the freezer for up to 3 months. For best results, transfer to the fridge to thaw 24 hours before you plan to reheat it.
Make It Spicy: This dish is not super spicy as the chiles used are more mild in heat, however you can easily make it a lot hotter by adding 1 to 3 chipotles in adobo sauce, depending on your tastes.
Slow Cooker: You can prep the sauce and brown the meat in a skillet. Then place the browned beef in your slow cooker and add your red chile sauce. Slow cook on low for 6 to 8 hours, until tender.
How to choose the best cut of beef: I use chuck roast that I cut up myself, but you can also use stew meat. You can also use a beef shoulder.
Use a hot pan. Make sure that the pan is really hot when you begin to sear the beef and do not crowd the pan while browning the beef. If the beef is too crowded, it will sweat and will not brown correctly. If need be, brown the beef in batches. It makes a world of a difference in the entire dish!
Nutrition
Serving: 1, Calories: 346kcal, Carbohydrates: 5g, Protein: 32g, Fat: 22g, Saturated Fat: 8g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 12g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 104mg, Sodium: 735mg, Potassium: 854mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 2g, Vitamin A: 800IU, Vitamin C: 3mg, Calcium: 43mg, Iron: 4mg