Community Pick
Chili Colorado
"Chili Colorado means chunks of BEEF in red sauce, NOT pork! Chunks of pork is carne adovado, shredded pork is carnitas. I've seen a couple other recipes here calling themselves colorado but containing pork and this is just plain wrong people. Furthermore, chili colorado is not a "mexican" version of american style chili... meaning it's not a thick, hearty type of chili with chunks of vegetables that can be seen or tasted. If you've ever had chili colorado in a real mexican restaurant, you know that it is simply chunks of beef in a red sauce and that's it. All the spices are ground. A note about chili powder: when you buy the spice labeled "chili powder" in the market be aware that it's not just chili powder, it's a mixture of chili powder, cumin, sugar, salt, etc. If you can, try to find pure chili powder made from new mexico or california chilis (I wouldn't use de Arbol chilis--too hot and wrong flavor). The label will point out what kind you're getting. Oh and one further note about reviews: I very much appreciate all the positive comments, but if you give me a bad review stating that you changed/added like four or five ingredients, then you've basically just made a whole new recipe based on mine, right? So do me a favor and post that new recipe yourself!"
photo by Jonathan Melendez
- Ready In:
- 1hr 40mins
- Ingredients:
- 10
- Serves:
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6
ingredients
- 2 -3 lbs beef shoulder, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1⁄2 cup flour
- 4 tablespoons oil
- 5 teaspoons chili powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 6 ounces tomato paste
- 2 cups water
- salt and pepper
directions
- Spread the flour out on a plate and coat the beef cubes one by one in it, dusting off the excess. Don't skip this step because the flour also helps to thicken the sauce at the end.
- Brown the beef in a heavy-bottomed pot in the oil over medium-high heat. You want a lot of color on them because color equals flavor.
- Pour in all the spices, the tomato paste, and the water. Bring this to a simmer, season with salt and pepper, and cook low and slow for about 1 1/2 to 2 hours until the beef is tender and falling apart. A good test is to take a piece and try to mash it on your cutting board with a fork. If it falls apart, you are golden.
- Serve it just by itself with mexican rice and refried beans or use it as a burrito filling.
Questions & Replies
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Why all the incorrect background on the Chili Colorado origin before the trailer park version of how to make it? I'm a actual chef with 24 years experience in ethnic cooking (including american which this recipe is!!!). Colorado is a Spanish word for Red. Has absolutely no translation in regards to a type of meat used in this Tex-Mex Red Chili sauce recipe that originated on american soil. The sauce is the recipe not any type of meat at ALL!!! If you had actually grew up in mexico you'd know the difference between cooking sauces for hours to create the perfect taste and preservation of Hispanic meats. This is simply putting Ketchup on ramen noodle and calling it spaghetti. I'm sure the dish taste mediocre at best but the authenticity of the post is 100% incorrect. -
Hi is this is cooked in a crock pot right? Or on the stove :) -
This is my first time making chili Colorado, so please forgive the stupid question. During the simmering part, do I leave it uncovered? Thanks in advance
Reviews
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I can't believe a cook or chef had enough gumpshun (gumpshun? I'm dating myself) to finally tell the people who use their recipes, and, almost everytime, change the recipe, to keep their comments to themselves. <br/>I've had three occasions, that I remember, that the website erased my comments complaining about the people who do this. They change ingredients or time, etc, and rate the recipe.<br/>Everytime I use someones recipe, I follow it to the letter. If I don't like it, I say so; if I do like it, I say so. The next time I cook the meal, I might change things I don't like. The people who do this, want to take credit for a good recipe, by changing an amount, etc.<br/>This recipe for Chili Colorado, is right on the nose. Just like you might find in Mexico, in a restruant that doesn't serve some kinda "mystery meat". I've spent over 30 years in Mexico, eating from the best restaurants, to sitting down in dirt-floored houses, in which I have had some of the best meals in.<br/>Sorry to get carried away, with my rambling; I'll shut up.<br/>jim
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This was delicious. I actually had leftover chuck roast shredded that I had done on the smoker and couldn’t figure out what I wanted to do with the leftovers. So I made the sauce first actually. Then I put the meat in last. Didn’t need to use the oil or the flour. Turned out really good. Although it may not taste like the tradition red chili I think this was quite yummy. It called for all the standard ingredients I already had in the pantry. I used half beef brother and half water. I can see how people thought it was bland because I just remade it and forgot I did that. Tasted off from before. So definitely needs half beef brother half water.. if not all beef broth.
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I love how my picture that I entered on a completely separate website has shown up on here! Lol and yes those are homemade tortillas too! #Latina #HispanicMama -
This is getting added to our favorites list. Like ZONA FOODIES, we live in Tucson and have a different idea of Mexican food than other areas of the US. Chili Colorado is one of my favorites and I was quite pleased with this recipe. I halved the recipe for two of us to try and my husband devoured it. I will probably even make a large batch and freeze half for another day when a quick meal is necessary. I took a star only because we like a little more heat than this--though this is probably fine for most--so next time I will add red pepper flakes or a diced jalepeno. Also, my sauce didn't come out as smooth as I expected but it didn't affect the taste. Maybe my flour dredge was too heavy. Dunno, but will keep making it and it can only get better with practice. Thanks for the recipe! -
tried it ,real good just like my grams made it for us as children,thanks p.s got to use "hatches red chiles" for the best flavor.I make an annual trip to hatches new mexico to pick up red chili powder hot and mild and mix the two.for u people not near u can find them on the web and have them ship to you ,kinda pricey but worth it.also if u go be sure to pick up the fresh green chili to take home.I do and freeze it so I don't have to use can chili.when u try it this way u will understand what I'm saying !!
see 37 more reviews
Tweaks
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I used 2.3lbs stew meat that I cut into smaller chunks 1 tsp. Ancho chili powder 1 tsp. Chipolte chili powder 1 tsp. Cumin 1 tsp. Garlic powder 1 tsp. Onion powder 1 large can of tomato sauce to cover meat in the pot. The teaspoons were all generous, so not exact tsps.. Not sure how long it stayed in the pot at low heat. Checked it after a couple hours by spooning out a piece of meat and checked for tenderness. Keep it on the stove until it`s at the tenderness you like. Not Titos chili, but this stuff is pretty darn good. A big spoon of the chili and another of re fried beans on a flour tortilla. Heaven.
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I made this to freeze for a camping trip. I followed the recipe exactly except I did use beef broth instead of water. It was delicious and everyone loved it! Great recipe and I will definitely make it again! -
Lawrys and El Pato Spicy Tomato Sauce ??
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AWESOME! The only alteration I made was to use beef broth instead of water. Sometimes, I just make a sauce with the dry ingredients, tomato paste oil and beef broth. I cook it...thin it with beef broth to a desired consistency and cook it for a little while on the stove. This is so delicious! Going to make it tonight for dinner!
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Omitted salt.
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