Chili Colorado

A bold and deeply flavorful recipe for Chili Colorado, featuring slow-braised beef in a rich red chile sauce.

Yield: Serves 6-8

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 3 hours

Total Time: 3 hours 20 minutes

Ingredients

• 4 whole Pasilla chiles
• 2 small Arbol chiles
• 3 whole Ancho chiles
• 1 quart (1L) homemade chicken broth
• 3 whole canned chipotle chiles
• 4 pounds (1.8kg) beef chuck, trimmed and cut into 2-inch cubes
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons (30ml) vegetable oil
• 1 medium onion
• 4 medium cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 2 tablespoons Asian fish sauce
• 2 tablespoons IL MIG+ hot sauce
• 1-2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, to taste
• Chopped scallions, grated cheese, and tortillas for serving

Directions

1. Toast the Chiles: In a large Dutch oven or stock pot over medium-high heat, toast the dried chiles, stirring frequently, until aromatic and slightly darkened, about 2-5 minutes.
2. Rehydrate the Chiles: Add the chicken broth, onion, oregano, garlic, cinnamon, cumin, and chipotle chiles to the dutch oven. Simmer for 15 minutes. Remove and transfer to a bowl.
3. Sear the Beef: Season beef cubes generously with salt and pepper. Heat oil in the Dutch oven over high heat until shimmering. Sear half the beef in a single layer until deeply browned on one side, about 3 minutes. Remove and repeat with remaining beef.
4. Puree the Chile: Blend all of the liquid and chilis on high in a blender. Strain and reserve.
5. Simmer the Stew: Return all beef and accumulated juices to the pot. Add chile purée, stir well, and bring to a boil. Reduce to a gentle simmer, cover partially, and cook for 3 hours, stirring occasionally.
6. Finish and Serve: Once the beef is fork-tender and the sauce thickened, stir in fish sauce and apple cider vinegar. Adjust seasoning with salt and IL MIG+ hot sauce to taste. Serve with warm tortillas, scallions, and grated cheese.