Tray Of Chili Colorado Recipe
Make Tray Of Chili Colorado Recipe in just 3h . Get the full recipe with step-by-step instructions at pekinthechef.com.
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Ingredients
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Meat & Broth
Chile Sauce
Aromatics & Seasoning
Thickening & Finish
Method
Chile Sauce
- 1
Prepare chiles
Wipe the dried ancho and guajillo chiles with a dry towel. Cut off stems and shake out most seeds (leave a few if you want extra heat).
- 2
- 3
Soak chiles
Pour 4 cups of hot (just-off-boil) water over the toasted chiles, submerging them. Cover and let soak 20–30 minutes until soft and rehydrated. Reserve soaking liquid.
- 4
Blend sauce
Add the softened chiles (drain most of the soaking liquid but reserve about 1 to 1 1/2 cups), 2 tbs apple cider vinegar, 1 tbs brown sugar, 2 tsp ground cumin, 2 tsp oregano, 1 tsp ground coriander, 1 tbs smoked paprika, 1.5 tbs kosher salt, and 2 tsp black pepper to a blender. Add about 1 to 1 1/2 cups of the reserved soaking liquid and 1 tbs of vegetable oil or lard. Blend on high until completely smooth, adding more soaking liquid by tablespoons only if needed to achieve a thick pourable purée.
- 5
Strain purée
Pass the blended purée through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, pressing with a spoon to extract a smooth sauce and discarding remaining solids. This creates a smooth, glossy Chile Colorado sauce.
- 6
Finish sauce
Heat 3 tbs vegetable oil or lard in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Pour the strained chile purée into the hot fat (careful — it may sputter). Cook, stirring frequently, 6–8 minutes to deepen the flavors and remove any rawness. Reduce heat to low and simmer 10 minutes, taste and adjust salt or vinegar as needed. Keep warm until ready to combine with the meat.
Meat & Broth
- 7
Season and sear beef
Pat beef cubes dry with paper towels. Season with 0.5 tbs kosher salt and 1 tsp black pepper. In a large heavy-bottomed pot or hotel tray with high sides (or Dutch oven), heat 2 tbs vegetable oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Working in batches so you don't crowd the pan, sear the beef cubes until deeply browned on all sides, 3–4 minutes per side. Transfer seared beef to a plate and continue with remaining beef.
- 8
Deglaze
After the last batch, with the pot still hot, pour in 1 cup of the beef broth and scrape the browned bits from the bottom with a wooden spoon to deglaze. Let the broth reduce 1–2 minutes.
- 9
Cook aromatics with meat
Add the sliced onions and smashed garlic to the pot and cook 4–5 minutes, stirring, until softened and translucent. Return all seared beef and any accumulated juices to the pot. Add the remaining beef broth (5 cups), 2 cups water, and 2 bay leaves. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat.
- 10
Simmer beef
Reduce heat to low, cover partially, and simmer gently until beef is fork-tender, about 2 to 2 1/2 hours. Skim any excess fat from the surface occasionally. Adjust liquid level so meat is mostly submerged; add small amounts of water if necessary during long simmer.
Combine Sauce & Finish
- 11
Combine chile sauce with meat
When beef is tender, spoon a ladle of the simmering braising liquid into the warmed chile sauce to thin it slightly, then pour the chile sauce into the pot with the beef. Stir gently to combine and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook uncovered 20–30 minutes so the flavors marry and the sauce thickens.
- 12
Thicken if needed
If the sauce is thinner than you like, whisk 2 tbs cornstarch with 1/4 cup cold water until smooth to make a slurry. Stir the slurry into the simmering chili in a slow stream and simmer 5–7 minutes until the sauce thickens and becomes glossy. If too thick, thin with a few tablespoons of water or broth.
- 13
Adjust seasoning
Taste and adjust seasoning: add more kosher salt a little at a time (up to 1 tbs more if needed), a splash of vinegar for brightness, or a pinch of sugar if it's too sharp. Remove and discard bay leaves.
- 14
Rest and prepare tray
If serving from a catering tray, transfer the finished Chili Colorado to the tray and keep warm in a low oven (about 200°F / 95°C) until service. Garnish just before serving.
- 15
Garnish and serve
Scatter chopped cilantro and chopped white onion over the top, offer lime wedges on the side, and set out crumbled queso fresco if using. Serve hot with warm corn or flour tortillas, rice, or beans.