Chile Colorado Sauce

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Today I am going to share a recipe for one of my all time favorite sauces…  Chile Colorado.  I first fell in love with Chile Colorado at a hole-in-the-wall Mexican restaurant that the hubby and I used to frequent when we first moved to Nashville.  

I had searched for years to find a recipe to make at home but the flavors were never quite right. Then one day I stumbled upon Aaron Sanchez's recipe featured in Latina magazine.  The tang of the tomatillos, the flavor and mellow heat of the chiles and the sweetness of the tomatoes and onions create the most amazing sauce.  I dare you to find a recipe that comes close to equalling Sanchez's.

Chile Colorado

3 medium white onions, quartered
8 medium tomatillos, husked, washed and quartered
4 medium tomatoes, cored and quartered
8 whole garlic cloves, peeled
olive oil for drizzling
2 ancho chile, stemmed, seeded and deveined*
3 guajillo chiles, stemmed seeded and deveined*
1 quart chicken stock
salt and pepper, to taste

* The ancho and guajillo chiles are both dried. Ancho chiles are usually easy to find but I have to buy the guajillo chiles at a Mexican or international market.  If I can't find guajillos, I have substituted another long, red, dried chile with great success.  The sauce seems to be very forgiving in that regard. 

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Place the onions, tomatillos, tomato and garlic on a baking sheet.  Drizzle with a little olive oil.

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Broil until the vegetables start to get a little charred, approximately 6-8 minutes.  Meanwhile soak the ancho and guajillo chiles in boiling water until soft.  Drain and remove the stem, seeds and veins.

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Working in batches, place the charred vegetables, chiles and chicken stock in a blender and puree until smooth.

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Look at that gorgeous color.

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Pour the pureed sauce into a pot (I made a double batch), add salt and pepper to taste and let it simmer for a while to let the flavors meld.  At this point you can either use the sauce, let it cool and store it in the refrigerator, or preserve it in jars following the instructions for your canner.

Chile Colorado Sauce makes a great marinade for beef, pork or chicken.  I've even served it with eggs for a fun twist on huevos rancheros.

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My favorite way to use Chile Colorado Sauce is to make Carne Con Chile Colorado, basically beef in red chile sauce.  There are only a handful of dishes that my fellas request over and over again. Carne Con Chile Colorado is at the top of that list.  

For this recipe, any cut of beef will do. I like to use whatever I can find on sale.  The cooking process will make even the toughest cuts tender and delicious.  Start by cutting the beef into small cubes, discarding any large chunks of fat or gristle.

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Season the cubed beef with salt and pepper.  Heat a pan over high heat, drizzle with a little olive oil and sear the meat in small batches.  Set the seared beef aside in a bowl to catch all of the juices.

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Once all the meat has been seared, return it to the pan and add enough Chile Colorado Sauce to coat the meat.  Let it hang out in the pan for a while to allow the meat to soak up all of the wonderful flavors.  

Carne Con Chile Colorado is so delicious that you can eat it on it's own.  I like to serve it with warm tortillas and a little cilantro and diced onion.  The fellas prefer to add a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkling of cheese.  

Give it a try.  I have a feeling that Chile Colorado will become a favorite at your house as well.