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Beef Chile Colorado Recipe

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★★★★★

4.6 from 75 reviews

Beef Chile Colorado is a rich and flavorful Mexican stew featuring tender beef chuck simmered in a deeply spiced red chili sauce made from toasted guajillo, ancho, and chile de arbol chilies. This comforting dish is traditionally served with warm corn tortillas and fresh toppings like diced white onion, chopped cilantro, sliced radishes, and lime wedges, creating a perfect balance of smoky, savory, and tangy flavors.

Ingredients

Scale

Meat and Seasonings

  • 3 lbs. beef chuck
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons flour
  • 1 tablespoon neutral oil

Chili Sauce

  • 1 yellow onion, chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • 6 guajillo chilies, stems and seeds removed
  • 4 ancho chilies, stems and seeds removed
  • 3 chile de arbol, stems and seeds removed
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 2 teaspoons ground coriander
  • 1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
  • 2 1/2 cups beef broth
  • 2 fresh bay leaves

To Serve

  • Corn tortillas, warmed
  • White onion, diced
  • Cilantro, chopped
  • Radishes, sliced
  • Lime wedges

Instructions

  1. Toast and Simmer Chilies: In a dry skillet, toast the dried guajillo, ancho, and chile de arbol chilies for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently until fragrant. Transfer the toasted chilies to a saucepan with chopped onion and garlic cloves. Cover with water and bring to a simmer. Cook for 10 minutes until the chilies are soft.
  2. Blend the Sauce: Using a slotted spoon, transfer the softened chilies, onion, and garlic into a blender along with 1 cup of the soaking liquid. Add the ground cumin, coriander, Mexican oregano, and beef broth. Blend on high speed until the sauce is very smooth. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
  3. Prepare the Beef: Cut the beef chuck into 2-inch cubes. Season the beef cubes with kosher salt and pepper. Toss the beef in flour to coat evenly. Heat a dutch oven over medium-high heat and add the neutral oil. Once hot, add the beef cubes in a single layer and brown on all sides. You may need to do this in batches to avoid overcrowding. Remove excess oil after searing.
  4. Simmer the Beef in Sauce: Return all the browned beef to the dutch oven. Pour in enough of the blended chili sauce to cover the beef completely. Reserve any extra sauce for freezing or later use. Add the fresh bay leaves and cover the pot with a lid. Reduce heat to low and let the beef simmer gently for 2 hours until very tender.
  5. Finish and Serve: Skim any oil off the surface of the stew. Serve the Beef Chile Colorado hot with warm corn tortillas and garnish with diced white onion, chopped cilantro, sliced radishes, and lime wedges according to your preference.

Notes

  • To remove seeds and stems from dried chilies, cut the stem end and shake out the seeds before toasting.
  • Make sure to toast the dried chilies carefully to avoid burning, which can cause bitterness.
  • Blending the sauce smooth ensures a silky texture and full flavor distribution.
  • For a thicker sauce, reduce some of the beef broth before blending or add less broth initially.
  • Leftover sauce can be frozen and reheated for future use.
  • If you prefer a spicier stew, keep some seeds in the chile de arbol or add more chile de arbol to taste.

Keywords: Beef Chile Colorado, Mexican beef stew, chili sauce beef, guajillo chili recipe, ancho chili stew, traditional Mexican cuisine

Find it online: https://leofoster.com/beef-chile-colorado-recipe/