You may hear the name “Chile Colorado” and think this is some sort of chili that comes out of the state of Colorado. Not quite! Try reading the name of the dish again with your best Spanish accent; “Chile color-ado” and it takes on a different meaning! Colorado in Spanish translates to “colored red,” so essentially Chile Colorado is a Mexican-style stew made with a red chile sauce. It's common comfort food served in North Mexico, but I first had it last year when David and I visited San Antonio. I’ve had it on my radar for a while now but for some reason, I’ve been too intimidated to make it and I’m not sure why. Dried chile peppers are the star of this dish and they are essential to this recipe to achieve the authentic taste and color of Chile Colorado. Depending on your location, you may find very inexpensive dried Mexican chiles in the Mexican aisle at your local grocery store or try a local Latin/Mexican market. Not only was it easy to make but incredibly self-satisfying, too.
Asada De Chile Colorado or Pork in Red Chile Sauce
INGREDIENTS
- 4 dried Guajillo chiles, stems removed & seeded
- 4 dried California chiles, stems removed & seeded
- 1-2 dried Arbol chiles, stems removed & seeded
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, or more if necessary
- 2 1/2-3 pounds pork loin, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon fresh cracked pepper
- 4 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 (14.5 ounces) can of tomato sauce
- 1 teaspoon dried Mexican or regular oregano
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- Garnishes: limes, cilantro, diced onion, and radishes
INSTRUCTIONS
- In a medium pot, add dried Guajillo chiles, Ancho chiles, and Arbol chiles. Cover with water until chiles are completely submerged and bring to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, remove from heat, cover, and let it sit for 20 minutes to soften the peppers.
- Using a slotted spoon, transfer the softened chiles into a large blender. Add 2 cups of chile-soaked water. Blend until smooth.
- Once the red chile sauce is as smooth as possible, pour it through a strainer into a bowl, pushing down on the solids that accumulate to get as much moisture out as possible. Discard the solids.
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Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add pork to pan; cook for 5 minutes. Add salt, pepper, garlic, oregano, and cumin and continue cooking until pork is thoroughly cooked about 10 to 15 minutes. You may need to do this in batches so the pork will cook evenly.
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Add red chile sauce and tomato sauce to the pork. Let the mixture come to a boil and add water or chicken broth to desired consistency. Simmer for another 10 minutes to let the flavors come together.
- Serve over Spanish rice and with a side of flour tortillas. Garnish with cilantro, chopped onions, radishes, and a squeeze of lime.
