Chili Colorado is a traditional Mexican recipe of pork or beef stewed low and slow in a rich red chili sauce, hence the name "colorado", which means "colored red", not from the state of Colorado.
Easy Chili Colorado Recipe
I've been on a chili kick lately. I love making chili, all that wonderful flavor in a big old pot, cooking low and slow until everything melds together.
It's hard to find a better one-pot meal. If you're a big chili fan, this is one recipe you want to have in your chili recipes repertoire. You can check out my growing collection of chili recipes here.
We're talking Chili Colorado, my friends, and it's a great one.
What is Chili Colorado?
Chili Colorado is a traditional Mexican recipe of pork or beef stewed nice and slow in a rich red chili sauce. While you might think it is a dish of the state of Colorado, that is not the case.
The name derives from the Spanish word "colorado", which means "colored red", named because of the deep red color of the sauce.
It's crazy delicious, and it's all about the chili peppers.
About the Chili Peppers
Chili Colorado is traditionally made with dried Mexican chili peppers, including ancho peppers, guajillo peppers, and chiles de arbol. You can also use pasilla peppers.
Ancho peppers are dried poblano peppers and they add a rich depth of flavor and color.
Guajillo peppers are one of the most common and popular chiles grown and used in Mexico. It is mild to moderately hot, and has dark, reddish brown, leathery skin, with a green-tea flavor or fruity flavor, with hints of berries.
Chiles de Árbol are small, red and thin Mexican peppers that add heat and spice.
Pasilla peppers refer to the dried chilaca pepper. The chilaca, when fresh, is also known as pasilla bajio, or as the chile negro or “Mexican negro” because, while it starts off dark green, it ends up dark brown. It offers a rich and smoky flavor.
Together, these peppers develop a richness of flavor you won't get with other chilis.
Let's talk about how to make Chili Colorado, shall we?
Chili Colorado Ingredients
- FOR THE CHILI SAUCE
- Dried Chiles. I'm using dried ancho chilies, guajillo chilies, pasilla chilies, and chiles de arbol. Look for these at your local Mexican grocery store or online.
- Spices. Mexican oregano, ground cumin, salt and black pepper to taste.
- FOR THE CHILI COLORADO
- Vegetables. Onion, garlic, and jalapeno peppers for some optional extra heat and flavor.
- Chuck Roast. I'm making this with beef, but you can also use pork shoulder or other cuts of meat or stew meat that benefits from low and slow cooking.
- Flour.
- Beef Stock. Or beef broth. You can also use chicken or vegetable stock.
- For Serving. Crumbly white cheese, fresh herbs, spicy chili flakes – Rice and/or warmed tortillas, if desired
How to Make Chili Colorado - The Recipe Method
Toast the Dried Chilies. Make the sauce first by dry toasting the dried peppers in pan about a minute per side, until the skins blister a bit.
Rehydrate the Chilies. Set them into a bowl and cover with hot water for 20 minutes, until they are very soft.
Make the Red Chile Sauce. Transfer the peppers to a blender with oregano, cumin, a bit of salt and pepper, and 1 cup of the soaking water. Blend until nice and smooth.
Strain the sauce through a fine mesh strainer and set aside for now.
Season the Beef. Toss some cubed chuck roast (or pork) in a bit of flour with a bit of salt and pepper to coat them.
Brown the Beef. Heat a large pot or Dutch oven to medium high heat and add the olive oil. Brown the beef on all sides, about 5 minutes or so. Set aside onto a plate.
Cook the Vegetables. Heat a bit more oil in the same pan to medium heat. Cook the onion and jalapeno peppers until they soften up, about 5 minutes or so.
Add the garlic and cook another minute.
Add the red sauce and stock and bring to a boil. Add the browned meat back to the pot.
Simmer the Chili Colorado. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for at least 30 minutes to 45 minutes to let the flavors develop. Longer is better. I let mine go about an hour or longer on low, nice and slow, sometimes 2 hours or longer.
Optional Thickening. If you’d like to thicken the chili, remove the cover and increase the heat. Cook until the moisture cooks out and your preferred thickness is achieved.
Boom! Done! Your chile colorado is ready to serve! Bust out your favorite toppings, my friends! It's time to dig in.
Serving Chili Colorado
Chili colorado can be served in a bowl on its own, or served with rice. Serve it with warmed corn or flour tortillas for making tacos.
Add all of your favorite toppings, like shredded cheese, sour cream or crema, red chili flakes, fresh chopped cilantro, sliced chilies, and more.
Recipe Notes and Tips
Add Beans! This recipe does not traditionally included beans like a lot of chilis do, but I sometimes like to serve mine with butter beans. It just works for me!
Doesn't it look good with beans?
Other Dried Chili Peppers. Try making the recipe with other Mexican chili peppers as well, such as New Mexican chilies, California chilies, cascabel chilies, or other Mexican pods.
Also, if you're unable to find dried chili peppers to work with, you can make Chili Colorado with chili powder instead. Many people make it with powder instead of the dried peppers.
Storage and Leftovers
You can store any leftover chili colorado in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. To enjoy it again, simply reheat it over medium heat in a pot on the stovetop.
You can also freeze chili colorado in freezer proof containers for 3 months or longer. I freeze batches all the time. It reheats perfectly after thawing.
That's it, my friends! I hope you enjoy this Chile Colorado recipe! Chow down!
Try Some of My Other Popular Chili Recipes
If you enjoy this recipe, I hope you'll leave a comment with some STARS. Also, please share it on social media. Don't forget to tag us at #ChiliPepperMadness. I'll be sure to share! Thanks! -- Mike H.
Chili Colorado Recipe
Ingredients
FOR THE SAUCE
- 6 ancho chili peppers stemmed and seeded
- 6 guajillo peppers stemmed and seeded
- 2 pasilla peppers stemmed and seeded
- 3 chiles de arbol stemmed and seeded
- 1 tablespoon Mexican oregano
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- Salt and pepper to taste
FOR THE CHILI
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 small onion chopped
- 2 jalapeno peppers chopped (optional – I like the extra heat and flavor)
- 4-5 cloves garlic chopped
- 2.5 pounds beef chuck roast cut into bite-sized chunks
- ¼ cup flour
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 cups beef stock chicken or vegetable stock are good, too
- FOR SERVING: Crumbly white cheese, fresh herbs, spicy chili flakes – Rice and/or warmed tortillas, if desired
Instructions
- Make the sauce first by dry toasting the dried peppers in pan about a minute per side, until the skins blister a bit.
- Set them into a bowl and cover with hot water for 20 minutes, until they are very soft.
- Transfer the peppers to a blender with oregano, cumin, a bit of salt and pepper, and 1 cup of the soaking water. Blend until nice and smooth.
- Strain the sauce and set aside.
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven to medium high heat.
- Toss the cubed chuck roast in the flour with a bit of salt and pepper to coat them.
- Brown the beef on all sides, about 5 minutes. Remove to a plate and set aside.
- Reduce the heat to medium heat. Add the onion and peppers and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
- Add the garlic and cook 1 minute, stirring a bit.
- Add the red chili sauce and stock and bring to a boil. Add the browned meat back to the pot.
- Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for at least 30 minutes to let the flavors develop. Longer is better, 2 hours or more for melt-in-your-mouth tender beef.
- If you’d like to thicken the chili, remove the cover and increase the heat. Cook until the moisture cooks out and your preferred thickness is achieved.
- Serve!
Video
Notes
Nutrition Information
NOTE: This recipe was updated on 3/19/23 to include new information, photos, and video. It was originally published on 10/17/18.
Michael says
You mention using powder. I have New Mexican chili powder from a recent trip to Santa Fe and the farmers market. Can you comment on recipe for using powder in place of peppers?
Mike Hultquist says
Michael, measurements can vary, as the sizes of peppers vary, but roughly speaking - use 2-3 tablespoons ancho powder, 2-3 tablespoons guajillo powder, 1 tablespoon pasilla powder, and 1/4 teaspoon chile de arbol powder (or more to taste - cayenne is a good sub). If using only your New Mexican chili powder, use a bit more than 1/4 cup. Let me know how it turns out for you. I have a conversion post for whole/dried/powders here that you can refer to: https://www.chilipeppermadness.com/frequently-asked-questions/conversions/
bijan says
Instead of coating your meat with flour to thicken the chili, throw a handful of corn chips into the blender with the sauce ingredients. It's all going over a bowl of Fritos anyway so it works nicely.
Mike Hultquist says
Nice, have fun!
Chris says
Looks great. I’m making something for a group of 20. Could you make this with a brisket then shred it and get the same sort of result?
Mike Hultquist says
Thanks, Chris. Yep, you could do that. The consistency would be slightly different with shredded beef, but the flavors will definitely be there, and they'd be perfect for tacos or on tortillas. Let me know how it turns out for you. Enjoy!
Lori Erickson says
this was a delicious chile! I was a little intimidated at first but it actually turned out to be fairly simple. I didn't have any jalapeños so I added some pueblo chiles for spice. turned out so good. will definitely be making this again soon!
Mike Hultquist says
Excellent! Pueblo chilies are AWESOME for this recipe!! Super happy you enjoyed it, Lori. Thanks for sharing. =)
Mike Blough says
Mike - I made this for the first time. It’s delicious, and a great way to use a mix of dried peppers. As for process, I decided to do a slow braise in the oven at 225 for 4 hours and the beef was perfectly rendered and tender (I did end up with a whole lot of sauce, however!).
Curious about straining the pepper mix….I really couldn’t do that with any strainer that I have as the mixture was more like a paste. I did not see any issue with the end result without doing this. Thoughts?
Thank you for for a great recipe.
Mike Hultquist says
Excellent, Mike. Very glad you enjoyed it. Straining isn't always necessary. Some people who don't have very good food processors can get tiny bits of the pepper skin in the sauce, which have a texture. A good processor will get rid of those. Yes, it's usually more paste-like, which you can thin with a bit of liquid as needed for straining. But really, you don't have to strain if you don't need to.
Laurie Van Unen says
Made this for dinner and it was amazing! When I go to a Mexican restaurant I try thier Chile Colorado because if it's good so will the rest of menu, but; if not....I won't go there again. This was superb. Again, your recipie did not disappoint
Mike Hultquist says
Nice!! Glad you enjoyed it, Laurie. I seriously LOVE this recipe. Took me a bit to get there, but BOOM!
David Ruiz says
Hi,I have made this,and it tastes wonderful.
Just one thing,it’s got a bitter after taste,is it supposed to taste this way.
I followed the recipe correctly,I think.
Mike Hultquist says
David, sometimes the dried pods can have a bit of a bitter taste from the skins. This tends to happen with older pods. You can usually balance this out with extra salt, and sometimes a bit of sweet, like honey.
Scott Pfeifle says
OMG this was incredible. My wife and I decided to make this today we had a 10 lb pork shoulder decided to use that instead of the beef route. we just quadrupled everything on the recipe it was incredible tinder juicy and amazing so flavorful. fold the directions to a t brown cut everything up flowered it frowned it then we threw everything in the slow cooker and cooked it on high for about five maybe 6 hours. we also poured all of her beef broth through the strainer of the head all the remaining chili peppers in it to pull out some extra flavor.
Mike Hultquist says
Boom! Awesome! Glad you enjoyed it, Scott. SO GOOD with pork shoulder. I love it.
Kevin K Hickey says
instead of the stock I used the water that was left over from the peppers and this recipe is a game changer absolutely amazing the spice level was a 10 for me I loved it any spicier and it would have been too much but what a fabulous recipe good job thank you so much this will be the base for any other chili that I ever make
Mike Hultquist says
Outstanding! Glad you enjoyed it, Kevin! I appreciate it!
Jenn says
I'm having a hard time finding all these peppers where I'm located. Could I use dried peppers in their place and I'm assuming the same amt? I can get all of these from Amazon.
Mike Hultquist says
Jenn, yes, you can order these peppers from Amazon. Also, you CAN use dried pods (as used in the recipe) or use powders. Let me know how it goes for you. Enjoy.
Sharon says
I am planning on making it this week. What would the equivalent measurements be for each powder used?
Mike Hultquist says
Sharon, measurements can vary, as the sizes of peppers vary, but roughly speaking - use 2-3 tablespoons ancho powder, 2-3 tablespoon guajillo powder, 1 tablespoon pasilla powder, and 1/4 teaspoon chile de arbol powder (or more to taste - cayenne is a good sub). Let me know how it turns out for you. I have a conversion post for whole/dried/powders here that you can refer to: https://www.chilipeppermadness.com/frequently-asked-questions/conversions/
Derrick says
Where do you find all the peppers?
Mike Hultquist says
Derrick, you can find them at a Mexican grocer, or order them online. I get a lot at Amazon.
Donita says
Thank you so much for sharing this recipe!
Mike Hultquist says
Thanks, Donita! Glad you enjoyed it!
Frank Gravatt says
Amazing recipe!. This one is definitely going to be a repeat meal.
Its so good!. Made some Spanish rice and served with some scorched
flour tortillas!!.
Total comfort food.
I love this site!!!
Mike Hultquist says
Thanks, Frank! Glad you enjoyed it!!
Chris Chorney says
How do you dehydrate those leftover peppers from the sauce for seasoning later?
Mike Hultquist says
Chris, I have a post for this here. Enjoy! https://www.chilipeppermadness.com/recipes/seasonings-from-hot-sauce-pulp/
Dawn says
As luck would have it I have these peppers on hand and a Chuck roast in the freezer, and this looks like an outstanding recipe. I have one comment and one question. My comment: My lungs are sensitive to the fumes toasting peppers on the stove top can generate, I found toasting them in the oven for 6 minutes eliminates this problem and they puff up nicely. My question: How can I get this is recipe to print? Yes there is a print button but it doesn't do anything. I print recipes frequently so I'm familiar with how this should work. You click on this print button and it just sits there.
Mike Hultquist says
Thanks, Dawn. Sorry about the PRINT function. I will look into this asap. If you don't mind my asking, what browser are you using? I can send this to my tech people.
Dawn says
Nevermind. Finally got it to print. Thank you
Mike Hultquist says
Thanks for letting me know, Dawn.
Alan Dincher says
Is the Mexican oregano dried or fresh?
Mike Hultquist says
I used dried, Alan, but you can use fresh.
Rob Junkermeier says
Hey Mike!
I'm making this recipe in 2 days but I had a few questions...
What heat level did you dry toast the peppers at?
And also, for the butter beans, how much would you suggest using and when did you add it into the dish?
Thanks! So looking forward to making this!
Mike Hultquist says
Rob, use medium heat for toasting the chilies. For butter beans, I think 2 cans (or 30 ounces) is a good amount.
Susan L. says
That looks delectable! Unfortunately, living in Perth I only have some dried Ancho peppers I found at a chilli festival plus a jar of chipotles in adobo so I’ll be using these for the sauce. I also will be trying this in my Multicooker on slow cook. Can’t wait to give it a go. I think a side of mash potatoes would go well with this. Thanks Mike!
Mike Hultquist says
Thanks, Susan. This is great with anchos. Yes to the potatoes! Cheers!!!
rion says
okay, this is the *best* chili ever according to my teens! i'm killing it with your recipes! keep them coming!
Mike Hultquist says
Awesome, Rion! Glad they enjoyed it! Nice!
Sharon N. says
Colorado Red Chili recipe is delicious. I didn’t have one of the Chile peppers and I left it out and it was still one of the best chili recipe. I will definitely make it again and again.
Mike Hultquist says
Outstanding! Very happy you enjoyed it! Thanks, Sharon.
Roger Gibson says
What happened to the Chili Pepper Magazine? I was a long time subscriber and it quit one day.
Mike Hultquist says
Hey, Roger. They went out of business. Sad day. I enjoyed writing for them. But I continue here!
Kim Johnson says
This sounds so delicious! Any hints on timing if I use a slow cooker?
Mike Hultquist says
Kim, do 3-4 hours on high, or 6-8 hours on low, or until the meet is very tender. Enjoy!
Andy says
The Yanks are truly blessed with this access to chillies and peppers compared to us Brits. I I decided to bite the bullet and order all these chillies from MexGrocer (here in the UK and apologies if this isn't allowed) and made this recipe from scratch with ancho, guajillo, pasilla, arbol and Mexican oregano...
Oh my days... the taste, the depth and the flavour is truly astounding. Mike, you have a true gift for making the palette sing!
I made these into burritos with the leftovers, but how long these remain left over? not for long...
Thank you, for making my palette sing opera, in a way I never thought possible.
Andy
Mike Hultquist says
Thanks, Andy! I love this! VERY, VERY happy you enjoyed it. I agree, all those wonderful flavors should be spread far and wide and shared with the world. Cheers!
Gary Mize says
Yummy - I prefer to think of it as a chili from Colorado vs Chili Rojo - Colorado is huge on this chili as well as similarly done “real” Green Chili ( chili verde ) - lots of fakes out there. Classic Colorado dishes that that don’t often seem to be found done right outside the state. Often imitated but never duplicated. Lol
Personally, I slow roast the red chili seasoned beef chunks in a Dutch oven for 90-120 mins ( then let it rest for 30-60 mins in the Dutch oven without removing the lid - never remove the lid until it has rested - never ever - that’s when the real tenderizing magic happens ).
Mike Hultquist says
Thanks, Gary!
Alan Blankenship says
Hey Mike, killer recipe. The only tweek I did was I used 2 Serranos and added a little sugar to mellow out the bitter from the chili's. Thanks again Mike.
Mike Hultquist says
Thanks, Alan! Nice touches!
Lyle Moors says
I know that lamb isn't too popular there, but in the Islands, it is numero uno. I did this with lamb "flaps"..the ribs plus extra inches of meat...and it was the best thing I've had with lamb. We cut the ribs into short one to two-inch pieces.
.. ..... ....... ... ... ..... . ... .... ... ... ... .... ..... ... . .. ... .. ..... ..... /...//....... .... ... .. .. .. .. .......... .. ..!! ...........!........ .. .... ... .. .... ..... .. ..... ./.. .. .. ... That's me, SPEECHLESS! Thanks, Mike!
Mike Hultquist says
I love lamb, Lyle! Having some tonight, actually! Nice.
John says
looks amazing have not tried it. at time of writing this. but would wish yall had ot setup so we could print this recipe out. I've been trying to find new things to try and way easier to hit the print so I can add to my cook book arsenal. Will be sure to leave a proper review after making this good looking meal!
Mike Hultquist says
I hope you enjoy it, John. There is a PRINT button/link at the top of the recipe card. Let me know if that doesn't work for you.
Rick Mackoy says
Hi Mike. looks great.
what is the biggest difference between this and the New Mexico fav, Carne adovada?
I will be trying this...
Thanks
Mike Hultquist says
Thanks, Rick. Carne Adovada is made with pork, and Chili Colorado is typically made with beef, though I've seen people make the latter with pork and still call it Chili Colorado. I hope you enjoy it!
Mike says
Mike, I love your recipes. Quick question regarding proportions. If using ancho, guajillo, pasilla, and chiles de arbol chili powder what would the measure be?
Mike Hultquist says
Mike, I would use 2-3 tablespoons today, possibly a bit more. I would focus on the ancho, guajillo, and pasillas, with just a bit of the chile de arbol. Let me know how it goes.
Marie Stauber says
If you make with chili powder, how much?
Mike Hultquist says
Marie, if you use chili powder, I would use 2-3 tablespoons, or possibly a bit more. Let me know how it goes. Enjoy!
Darryl Noack says
Hi Mike, I can’t get Mexican chillies where I live. Can I substitute other types like Birds Eye or Habaneros
Mike Hultquist says
Darryl, the best subs for this are dried chilies like New Mexican pods or California pods. You want larger, darker dried peppers for the flavor. If you can't find any such peppers, I would use similar chili powders, like an American blend or Mexican powders - ancho, guajillo. Use 2-3 tablespoons, or up to 1/4 cup. I hope this helps.
Diana says
I haven't made this yet, but I bookmarked it.
I want to tell you a story: About ten years ago, I went through the Internet to find the top 5,000 food blogs. There's a website for that. I went through every blog. Took me weeks. I bookmarked the recipes that I liked and filed them on my computer. If I liked a certain number of recipes by one blogger, I would subscribe to the blogger. I don't remember how many that turned out to be. Probably over 20.
Then I was getting way too many emails with recipes in my inbox. Little by little, I unsubscribed to the blogs that regularly either didn't have my flavors or I didn't like the instructions or the food didn't turn out right or whatever.
You are one of the several bloggers that I subscribe to now, and you don't disappoint.
Mike Hultquist says
Wow, thanks so much, Diana. Very happy I made the cut! And very happy you're enjoying the recipes. Thanks!!
Larry Thomas says
Hi Mike, do you remove the stem & seeds from the peppers prior to toasting them of after soaking them? Maybe you leave the seeds and use them as well?
Mike Hultquist says
Larry, I remove the stems and seeds before toasting them. You can just cut off the stems, then slice the peppers open and pull out the seeds. Most of them just fall out. They are edible, but they float around and some people find them bitter. Check out the recipe video.
MA says
You never answered his question. You realize that? Also, are all of those peppers that you're talking about dried or just the Anchos? Well my question be answered or will it be something that doesn't even corresponds to what I'm asking?
Mike Hultquist says
You sound like a REAL JERK, Mary Ann. I misunderstood the question. The peppers here are all dried pods, except for the jalapeno peppers.
Ava says
she really did though. That was unnecessary. Gonna try this tonight Mike. Can’t wait!
Mike Hultquist says
Thanks, Ava. I hope you enjoy it.
Jérémie says
I read too fast the recipe yesterday and soaked some beans! So …I used em!
Love that literal chili con carne: no tomato just an awesome chili paste! A lot of cheddar, cream, lime juice and cilantro: what else?
Mike Hultquist says
It's great WITH beans, too! Glad you enjoyed it, Jérémie. Yes, REAL chili flavor. We love this recipe.
ScottCarr says
perfect' Muchas Gracias!
Mike Hultquist says
Thanks!!
Irma woerner says
Fantastic! I used pork. So good.
Mike Hultquist says
Glad you enjoyed it, Irma!
Terri G says
Made this & fell in love. Such a great depth of flavors! I can't wait to have some tomorrow once flavors have melded more. Made mine in pressure cooker as I couldn't wait for slow cooker. I cooked it for 20 minutes & let pressure fall on its own. Meat came out sooo tender! Great recipe!
Mike Hultquist says
Perfection! I really love this one, Terri. Glad you enjoyed it.
Lana B says
thank you for the pressure cooker suggestion, I was wondering too about a crock pot. It looks so tasty!
dave says
Great site, love the chile pepper dictionary you have elsewhere (that's how I got here).
I greatly prefer Chile Colorado with pork. Just made last week with pork shoulder butt, or "Boston butt". It was tender and awesome.
All simmering, including chile prep, done with chicken stock. Sauteed the onions a little before blending. I did use a little flour and cornstarch to thicken near the end, sorry I did, I should have done it your way, and just cooked it down.
I think I had 5 varieties of pepper, including Pasilla, Anaheim, Guajilla, Ancho, and Arbol. I removed all the seeds, and I wish I had made it spicier (did not add jalapeno, with pepper wimps in the family). Next time I will amp it up a little, either the jalapeno or leaving in some Arbol innards. I did try straining the chili mixture but it doesn't flow well and I didn't see the need, won't do that step again. I also used a whole bulb of garlic, as we are a garlicky bunch.
Squeeze a lime in near the end, and by all means garnish with cilantro. I do draw the line at the beans, though... served with refried beans on the side.
Thanks for adding to our knowledge. This has always been one of my favorite Mexican dishes and my first effort at DIY turned out really well!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks for sharing, Dave! I greatly appreciate it! It all sounds wonderful to me. =)
Mike says
there is flour in the recipe...did you forget it?
Nate says
I made this recipe but with ground bison, for serving on top of tamales. The flavor was amazing.
Paul Wilson says
As i said Mike, loved it. I am defiantly trying another one of your chill recipes soon. Just a question, I love shin beef in my slow stews ect, do you ever use it, think its called Shank over there, regards Paul.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks, Paul. Yes, I love the shank. SO good slow cooked, very tender and huge on flavor. More fatty, though, so take that into consideration. Let me know how it goes!
Paul Wilson says
Made last night, different dried pepper ratio but hay soooooo good , cheers from the U.K.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Yes! Glad you enjoyed it, Paul!
Staci says
Mike, this seems so similar to your Texas Chili. How would you side by side compare them? What
I’ve made both and it seems this one has specific peppers to this recipe. I’m visiting my hometown of Key West and a friend who owns a Mexican cafe (best salsa ever) and amazing chef special habanero sauce, said he would give me a bag of dried peppers if I made Texas chili, where I live now (I have perfected my chili, guacamole and margaritas). So I tried finishing off in the oven since my brothers gas stove needs calibration. Hoping an hour in the crock pot tenderizes the meat more...and it was high quality chuck too! That is all that needs to happen.
I no longer use tomato to thicken my sauce but a homemade chili paste thanks to you. I used twice as many of the chilies he gave me and the sauce is nice and thick. Taste is fabulous. I always add a splash of fish sauce though to most of my sauces. I’ve won contests with the simplest chili because of that “extra” something. It really brings out the richness of the meat.
Thanks for your fabulous blog. It is so inspiring. I love me some chilies!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks, Staci. Yes, very similar. The difference is in the peppers and that Chili Colorado can use either pork or beef, where Texas Chili is beef only. Otherwise, yes, VERY similar. I love the fish sauce addition! Very nice touch.
Doug Odom says
I cook the meat in a pressure cooker for about 30 - 40 minutes after browning it and before putting it in the sauce. Comes out very tender but is still chunky.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Awesome, Doug!!
CHRISTOPHER STEVENS says
The recipe doe not list an amount of Pasilla chili. (I like it spicy.)
I have no tried this yet but made a similar recipe with great success.
My only problem was getting teh beef tender. I cocked it longer, but it was difficult keeping the sauce from scorching.
I think I will try simmering the beef for an hour or so before adding the sauce and simmer some more. Any thioughts?
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Christopher, this recipe does not include pasilla peppers. However, if you'd like to use them, you can use anywhere from 1-3 pasillas, depending on your preference. You can also sub them in for the other dried pods as desired. Time to experiment! You can add some liquid to your chili for simmering so the sauce doesn't scorch or dry out. I use either water or stock, just a bit at a time, if I need to simmer longer. I hope this helps. Enjoy.
Kat says
We followed this recipe exactly, and cooked it for an hr instead of a half hour. The sauce was amazing but the beef was not tender. So now we're cooking it in the oven for 2 hrs on 200. Hope that works. Any suggestions to tenderize lean beef appreciated. It wouldn't be a bad recipe to cook in the oven after browning the beef anyway...thoughts?
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Kat, it could be an exceptionally tough cut of beef, and cooking times can definitely vary. For me, I would add a bit more liquid to the pot then simmer longer, until the meat it tender. Of course that will affect the overall cooking time, but I don't mind waiting for good tender meat with my chili!
Eric C says
This is full of flavor. I made it once with beef chuck roast and once with chicken. Both are excellent.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Nice! Glad you enjoyed it, Eric! One of my favorites, actually.
Mike says
Where did all those carbohydrates come from?
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks, Mike. According to my recipe nutrition calculator, most of of the carbs are from the anchos. All are estimates, though. You can calculate on your own if there are concerns.
Eric White says
Made this for the first time last night, outstanding! Easy to follow recipe, and the results speak for themselves. Everyone loved it!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Perfect, Eric! Glad it was a hit! That recipe is definitely a keeper. I love it.
Glenn Coleman says
This looks awesome and I will be making it these week. I've used dried chilis when making red sauce for tamales and have never strained the chilis after blinding. Now I do de-seed and remove the stems first. The blender I use, there wouldn't be anything left a strainer would catch. Why strain?
Thank you,
Glenn
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Glenn, yes, remove the stems and seeds first. Straining is really only necessary for a smoother sauce. You're fine just blending it. Enjoy!
Danny from CA says
This was a perfect recipe from start to finish. Great authentic taste. I followed the recipe and finished everything in the crockpot on low for about 6 hours. Maybe longer. Meat was tender and thickness was spot on like getting it at a restaurant but better. Thank you!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Great, Danny! Glad you enjoyed it! Yeah, this is one of my favorites. I need to make another batch soon.
Nika says
Amazing flavor. I was initially intimidated to use dried peppers but it was easy and added so much flavor. I will make it again. Mine was more soup like, even after cooking it for a while. So I'm not sure where I went wrong??? But excellent flavor! Thanks!! I will try more recipes!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks, Nika, glad you enjoyed it. The soupiness could be from too much liquid and can usually be cooked off, or you can try a thickener like cornmeal. Try that next time.
Gerald Hayes says
Total hit. Everyone loved it. So easy to make too!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks, Gerald! Excellent!
Michelle says
I’m trying to do the least amount of carbs possible. Would it be too watery if I omit the flour?
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Michelle, not really. You can still thicken it up by just simmering longer. I believe arrowroot is much lower in carbs, so you might consider that as an optional thickener. You could also incorporate more chili paste or even tomato paste to thicken it up as well. Let me know how it turns out for you.
Grammasue says
What an awesome addition !! Charred corn! My husband makes our chili and he adds bacon (and lean ground beef that he cooks in a tiny bit of the bacon drippings), and we always put beans in our chili. We will have to try adding the charred corn. Love that idea! Thank you for sharing.
PS: Mike, your chili recipe looks amazing, too (I would just have to add the beans haha)
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
I love it. I enjoy my Chili Colorado with beans as well. Bacon would be fantastic here. Glad you enjoyed it!
Real chili has no beans!!! says
Really beans? It’s Chilli Colorado!
Danielle Wolter says
I am just drooling over this - all the flavors, so much deliciousness. It's been so long since I had chili colorado. I def need to try this!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
I love this one, Danielle. I hope you get to make it again soon!
Kelli Kerkman says
This recipe looks ah-maz-ing! I love that deep red color... so comforting.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks, Kelli. Comforting indeed!
Jacque Hastert says
I am making this tomorrow with extra heat! I love a good spicy dish that won't kill me 😉
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
I'll take some extra heat with you, Jacque! Nice!
Mireille E Roc says
this must taste awesome with all the different kind of chillies used. and perfect food for this time of year and the cold winter temperatures
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
One of my favorites for sure, and yes, PERFECT for cold nights!
Anna Hettick says
Well, I am hungry now! My husband loves chili a lot and this looks like a great recipe to try to change it up from my usual recipe!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
I hope he likes it!
Dannii says
Oh that sauce looks EPIC! So rich and creamy. You can't beat a hearty chilli on a cold night.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks, Dannii. Agreed!
Anthonh says
Great recipe. I added charred corn cut from the cob on top of the chili when it’s served. So yum! Fresh cilantro and green onion is a great topping for this chili recipe.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Outstanding! I LOVE the addition of the corn. I'll have to try that next time.
Mark says
So glad I found your site, LOVE IT!!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks, Mark!
John Baker says
I cook competition chili, I have found that strained red chili sauce is less grainy than sauce made with chili powder. Other than that, Nice recipe. Don't be afraid to experiment with it, you may be surprised. Have fun!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks, John! Yes, I agree on the straining, and agree 100% on experimenting! I'd love to try some of your winning chili.
christopher markey says
What amount of chile power to replace dried chiles
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Christopher, use about 2-3 tablespoons and adjust from there. Let me know how it turns out for you.
Peggy Falconett says
No rating yet, will be making this today, and will let you know how I liked it, but it sounds good and easy to make.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
I'd love to hear!
Patricia Aldal Fraide says
This was my late husband's favorite dinner. I'm commenting because this is the very recipe my mother-in-law taught me to make well over 55 years ago. It has become one of the Staples to make whenever my children visit or I visit them. I also serve it with rice. For garnish, another California favorite is sliced avocado and cellantro and of course the cheese.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks, Patricia.