Chili Colorado Recipe

4.96 from 102 votes

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.

Prep Time25

Cook Time40

Total Time1 5

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American, Mexican

Keyword: chili, one pot, slow cooker

Servings:

Calories: 344kcal

Author: Mike Hultquist

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, squeeze of lime juice if desired – 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

Slow Cooker: Follow the recipe through Step 10, then transfer everything to the slow cooker. Cook on low for 4-6 hours, or high for 2-3 hours, or until the meat is very tender.

Heat Factor: Mild-Medium. I add a bit of heat to mine by cooking with jalapenos, which is not traditional, and also finishing the dish with spicy chili flakes. You can include hotter peppers to your preference. I like to add 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper with the seasonings.

Nutrition