Chile Colorado

The best pork stew!! This Mexican dish is pure bliss and is chair dancing worthy. The pork is tender, the flavors of the chiles are rich, and the aroma brings on the home cooking' cozy tinglies! Despite the amount of chiles in this dish, it is not spicy. Enjoy the flavor of chiles without the heat. Don't let life go by without trying this one.

Photo Credit: The Recipe Sherpa

Recipe inspired by The community of El Paso TX

Prep Time:    30 minutes

Cook Time:    1.5 - 2  hours

Ingredients: The ingredients are grouped to make the cooking process easier for you. Links are provided for quick access to purchase pantry items. 

Protein - Prep and set aside

• Pork - 2.5 to 3 lbs, 1 inch cubes (I use pork shoulder and trim as much fat as possible)

Dry - Prep and set aside

• Dried Guajillo Chiles - 9 whole chiles, stems removed & deseeded https://amzn.to/3dH53PF
• Dried Ancho Chiles - 2 whole chiles, stems removed & deseeded https://amzn.to/3dKvsw2

Broth Blend - Prep and set aside

• Water - 3/4 cup
• Chile broth - 3/4 cup (see instructions below)

Spice Blend - Grind all spices then add water at the end to loosen the paste. A Molcajete works best (mortar & pestle)

• Cumin - 1/4 tsp
• Mx Oregano - 1  1/4 tsp https://amzn.to/31qrFS0
• Garlic - 4 med cloves
• Salt - 1/2 tsp
• Water - 1/4 cup

Saute' Ingredients - Prep and set aside

• Salt - 1 tsp
• Water - 1/4 cup
• Dried bay leaf - 1 
• Flour - 1 tbs (hold for later)

Cooking Instructions

1. Put the pork in a large stock pot. Add the Sauté Ingredients and mix (do not add the flour yet). 
2. Cover with a lid and set on the stove top on the lowest simmer possible. The pork will slowly render its own juices. Let the meat stew for 30 mins. Check occasionally and stir.
3. In a separate small pot, add the dried chiles. Add enough water to cover the chiles. Cover and simmer on the stove for 15 mins. Reserve 3/4 cups of the chile water and strain the rest. Set aside to cool completely. Once cooled....
• Put the chiles into a blender with the Spice Blend and Broth Blend
• Puree well. Strain the mixture into a separate bowl. Use a silicon spatula or spoon to help move the process along. Keep the puree and throw out the residue paste left behind.
• Set aside. You should end up with 2 cups.
4. Remove the lid from the pork and let it continue to simmer until all the natural broth is almost reduced. This should take 20-30 mins. Once the liquid is almost gone, add the flour and coat the pork well. Sauté for 1 minute or until the bottom of the pot starts to brown.
5. Before the bottom of the pot burns, add in the chile puree and mix, deglazing the pan. Once you can tell that the bottom has been deglazed, cover with the lid and continue to simmer on low for 30 mins. Stir occasionally to prevent burn.
6. Remove the lid and allow to simmer 15 more mins to let the stew thicken to your liking.

All done!! The pork should be fork tender and permeated with the delicious, savory taste of the chiles. It is best served with Mexican rice, refried beans, and flour tortillas. Scoop up all the delicious broth and clean your plate!

Tips

• Chile Sauce - Make it ahead of time so you're not overwhelmed during the cooking process. I like to make mine the morning of and set in the refrigerator. I take it out while the pork is stewing, to allow it to come to room temperature before I need it. If you fall short of 2 cups at the end, add more water to make up for the different. 
• Dried chiles - These will last in your pantry for at least 1 year or longer as long as you keep it in a sealed bag / container and keep it away from moisture. So don't be afraid to purchase this delicious, versatile ingredient in bulk! 
• Mexican Oregano - This spice is more fragrant than Italian oregano. Since discovering Mexican oregano, it is all I use in my recipes...even the Italian dishes!
• Prep pictures