Authentic Chile Colorado

Bowl filled with cilantro lime rice and chile colorado, topped with cilantro and served with a spoon.

5 from 3 votes

Authentic Chile Colorado

This authentic Chile Colorado (Mexican Stew) has fall-apart tender chunks of beef in a bold red chile sauce made from dried chiles, broth and warm spices.

Prep Time20

Cook Time1 20

Total Time1 40

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Mexican

Servings:

Author: Serene

Equipment

Ingredients

Chile Sauce

4 ancho chiles
4 guajillo chiles
1 medium tomato stem removed, quartered
½ white onion cut in half
4 cloves garlic crushed
2 cups beef broth unsalted
1 teaspoon salt

Stew

2 pounds stew meat or 2 pounds chuck roast, chopped
2 tablespoons avocado oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup beef broth unsalted
2 teaspoons dried mexican oregano
1½ teaspoons ground cumin
2 tablespoons masa harina
2 bay leaves dried

Instructions

Prepare dried chiles by slicing stems off and removing seeds from the inside.
Heat the chiles in a small saucepan over medium heat, toast both sides for several minutes. Remove and set aside.
Add the tomato, onion and garlic to the pot, allow these to roast for 2-3 minutes. Add the chiles back into the pot
Pour 2 cups of broth over the top of the chiles and bring this to a boil. Cover and remove from the heat, let this sit for 15 to 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, prepare the meat, by slicing into 2 inch chunks if needed.
Pour oil into the dutch oven, enough to coat the bottom of the pot and heat over medium heat.
Place several pieces of beef into the pot (be careful not to crowd the pan) and sprinkle with a pinch of the salt, allow to sear for 1-2 minutes, then turn using tongs and continue this process until all sides of the beef are seared. Remove from the pot and continue this until all meat is seared
Pour the chiles, tomato, onion, garlic and broth into a blender. Add the salt and blend until smooth.
Pour the chile sauce into the large dutch oven, add the remaining 1 cup of beef broth. Add all of the meat back into the pot. Season with cumin and oregano. Add in the bay leaves. Stir to combine.
Bring this to a boil over medium high heat, cover and reduce heat to low and cook for 1 hour or until meat is tender and can easily fall apart.
Stir in 2 tbsp of masa and bring to a simmer to allow the stew to thicken.
Remove the bay leaves, serve over rice with fresh flour tortillas on the side. Garnish with cilantro if desired.

Video

Notes

Cooking Method

Pressure Cooker: use the sauté setting to roast the peppers and veggies, and to sear the meat. After adding all ingredients, cook on high-pressure for 35 minutes, naturally release for 10 minutes, then quick release any remaining pressure. Add the masa and cook on sauté for several minutes to let simmer.
Slow Cooker: sear the chiles and veggies to make the red Chile sauce, and sear the meat in a skillet over the stovetop. Add all ingredients to the slow cooker. Cook on low for 6-8 hours until the meat is tender and fall apart. Add in the masa and let cook an additional 30 minutes on high until thickened.

Make Ahead and Storage Information:

Storage: store in a sealed container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. This recipe can be made a couple days in advance and reheated before being served.
Freezer: store in a freezer safe container or bag. Store for up to 3 months. To thaw, remove to the refrigerator overnight.
Reheating: add to a medium size pot and heat over medium heat on the stovetop while stirring until warmed through.

Nutrition