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Chile Colorado Recipe

Name: Mitla Cafes CHILE COLORADO Recipe
Cook time: 2 h 30 min
Total time: 2 h 30 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 8 pieces dried guajillo chiles, stemmed and seeded; 2 pieces dried ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded; 2 tbs vegetable oil; 1 cup yellow onion, roughly chopped; 4 pieces garlic cloves, peeled; 1 tsp ground cumin; 1 tsp dried oregano (preferably Mexican oregano); 1 tsp ground coriander; 1 pieces bay leaf; 3 cups low-sodium chicken or beef broth; 1 tbs apple cider vinegar; 2 tsp salt; 1 tsp black pepper; 2 lbs beef chuck roast, trimmed and cut into 1½–2 inch cubes; 1.5 tsp kosher salt; 1 tsp black pepper; 2 tbs all-purpose flour (optional, for light dusting); 2 tbs vegetable oil (for browning); 2 tbs fresh cilantro, chopped; 0.5 cup sliced white onion; 4 pieces lime wedges; 8 pieces warm corn or flour tortillas

Inspired by Mitla Cafe

Time2h 30m

Serves4

Make Chile Colorado Recipe in just 2h 30m. Get the full recipe with step-by-step instructions at pekinthechef.com.

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Ingredients

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For the Chile Colorado Sauce

8 pieces dried guajillo chiles, stemmed and seeded

2 pieces dried ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded

2 tbs Tuscany sunflower oil

1 cup yellow onion, roughly chopped

4 pieces garlic cloves, peeled

1 tsp Ground cumin

1 tsp dried oregano (preferably Mexican oregano)

1 tsp Ground coriander

1 pieces bay leaf

3 cups low-sodium chicken or beef broth

1 tbs Apple cider vinegar

2 tsp Celtic sea salt

1 tsp black pepper

For the Beef

2 lbs beef chuck roast, trimmed and cut into 1½–2 inch cubes

1 1/2 tsp kosher salt

1 tsp black pepper

2 tbs all-purpose flour (optional, for light dusting)

2 tbs vegetable oil (for browning)

To Finish / Garnish

2 tbs Fresh cilantro, chopped

1/2 cup sliced white onion

4 pieces Lime wedges

8 pieces warm corn or flour tortillas

Method

Prepare and Toast Chiles

Clean chiles

Working with one chile at a time, hold each over a gas flame or in a dry skillet over medium heat for a few seconds just until it darkens slightly and becomes fragrant—do not burn. Remove stems and shake or scrape out seeds. Wipe with a towel to remove dust.

Soak chiles

Place toasted, stemmed, seeded chiles in a heatproof bowl. Pour 2 cups of very hot (not boiling) water over them and let soak for 20–30 minutes until pliable and rehydrated. Reserve the soaking liquid.

Make the Chile Colorado Sauce

In a medium skillet over medium heat, add 2 tablespoons vegetable oil. Add chopped onion and cook until soft and lightly browned, about 6–8 minutes. Add garlic and cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant. Add cumin, oregano and ground coriander and toast 15–20 seconds to bloom the spices.

Transfer the softened chiles (drain most of the soaking liquid but keep about 1/2 cup reserved), the cooked onion-spice mixture, and 1 cup of the broth to a blender. Add the reserved soaking liquid gradually as needed to help blend. Add apple cider vinegar, bay leaf, salt and pepper. Blend until very smooth, about 1–2 minutes. If the sauce is too thick, add more broth (up to remaining 2 cups) to reach a pourable consistency.

Strain the blended sauce through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl or measuring cup, pressing with a spoon to extract as much sauce as possible. Discard solids and return the smooth sauce to a bowl. Taste and adjust salt, pepper or vinegar as needed.

In a heavy Dutch oven or large pot over medium heat, warm 1 tablespoon oil. Pour in the strained chile sauce and simmer gently, uncovered, 8–10 minutes to deepen flavors and remove raw edge. Stir occasionally and watch for splattering. Remove bay leaf.

Brown and Braise the Beef

While the sauce simmers, pat beef cubes dry with paper towels. Season with 1½ tsp kosher salt and 1 tsp black pepper. Lightly toss in 2 tablespoons flour if using to promote browning and slightly thicken sauce.

Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a heavy Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add beef in a single layer (work in batches to avoid crowding) and brown on all sides, about 6–8 minutes per batch. Transfer browned beef to a plate.

After all beef is browned, return all meat to the pot. Pour the simmered chile sauce over the beef. Add remaining 2 cups broth (or enough to mostly cover the beef—about 2 cups). Bring to a gentle simmer, scraping up browned bits from the bottom.

Cover the pot, reduce heat to low, and simmer gently until the beef is fork-tender, 1.5–2 hours. Check every 30 minutes: stir, and if the sauce is reducing too quickly, add a bit more broth or water. For an oven method, bring to a simmer on the stovetop, then cover and transfer to a 325°F (160°C) oven for 1.5–2 hours.

When beef is tender, remove the lid and simmer uncovered 10–15 minutes to thicken the sauce to your preferred consistency. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt, pepper or a splash more vinegar if needed.

Serve

Spoon Chile Colorado into warmed tortillas for tacos, or serve over rice. Plate the braised beef with generous spoonfuls of sauce. Garnish with chopped cilantro, sliced onion and lime wedges. Provide extra tortillas on the side.