Main Dishescarlsbadcravings5.0
Chile Colorado
This Chile Colorado recipe is warm and comforting, hearty, savory, make ahead and freezer friendly and most importantly, layered with complex flavor but is easier to make than you think! It begins with a red chile sauce made of dried ancho chile peppers, guajillo peppers and chiles de arbol that impart an intense, earthy, smoky, complex, authentic flavor profile laced with sweet berry undertones that’s practically hypnotic (with customizable heat!). If you’re intimidated by working with dried chilies, don’t be! They are super easy to work with and this Chile Colorado recipe is the perfect place to start with step-by-step photos and instructions to create an authentic chile sauce unparalleled in flavor. The Chile Colorado sauce is combined with sautéed onions, garlic, beef broth and seasonings then simmered with chunks of beef until fall apart tender. You can serve the Chile Colorado with Mexican rice, beans and warm tortillas, or topped with cilantro, chips, and cheese. It is also makes a fabulous filling for tacos, burritos and enchiladas. No matter how you serve this Chile Colorado recipe, one thing is for certain – it will be a repeat favorite forever and ever!
👥 6 Servings⏱️ Prep & Cook: 1h 35m⏳ Prep: 35 min🔥 Cook: 1h👤 Jen📖 carlsbadcravings
🥘 Ingredients
Check off ingredients as you prepare them:
🍳 Cookware
- pan
- dutch oven
- oven
- bowl
- whisk
- blender
- strainer
- spatula
- skillet
- pot
📝 Preparation Steps
1
Cut the tops off of all the chilies with kitchen shears. Cut chilies along one edge to open like a book; scrape out all of the seeds. Reserve some of the seeds to finish the soup if you want more heat.
2
Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add chiles and briefly toast until fragrant, Cover the chilies with enough water so that they aren't touching the bottom of the pan (careful it will steam a lot). Simmer for ⏱️ 5 minutes, then turn off heat and let the chilies soak to soften while you prep the beef.
3
Trim the beef of excess fat then chop into 1-inch pieces. Whisk together the flour, ½ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper in a plastic bag or large bowl. Add the beef and toss to evenly coat; set aside.
flour2 tablespoons
4
Remove chilies to blender along with 1 cup of the soaking liquid and the can of fire roasted diced tomatoes. Process until smooth, leaving a corner of the blender open so steam can escape; set aside. If you don’t have a high-powered blender, then strain the chili sauce through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl, using rubber spatula to push the mixture through and discard the solids.
5
Rinse and dry the Dutch oven. Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in the Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add half of the beef in an even layer and sear; flip the beef over and sear the other side then stir to evenly brown all sides; remove to a plate with a slotted spoon. Repeat with remaining beef.
Vegetable oil2 tablespoons
6
Add a drizzle of olive oil if needed to the now empty skillet. Cook the onions over medium heat until softened, scraping up the brown bits, about ⏱️ 5 minutes. Add the garlic and ground cumin and sauté ⏱️ 30 second
garlic (minced)6 cloves
7
Add the beef back to the pot followed by the chile sauce and rest of the ingredients (oregano, coriander, smoked paprika, bouillon, cocoa powder, sugar, cinnamon, bay leaves and broth).
bay leaves2
8
Cover and bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer over LOW for ⏱️ 45 minutes or until the beef is tender, stirring every ⏱️ 10 minutes or so and replacing the lid so the bottom doesn't burn. Uncover, increase heat to medium and simmer an additional ⏱️ 15 minutes (uncovered), or until the sauce has thickened to desired consistency. Taste and season with additional salt if desired or some reserved chili seeds or cayenne pepper for heat.
9
Discard bay leaves and serve with Mexican rice, beans, tortillas and desired toppings.
bay leaves2Mexican ricebeans
Reviews & Ratings
Share your thoughts and feedback about this recipe
Write a Review
Community Feedback0 Reviews
Loading reviews...