Lazy days Chili Colorado recipe

I love Chili Colorado but making it the traditional way takes all day.  For those of you who do not know what chili Colorado is, it is a traditional Mexican dish made with either beef or pork.  It is cooked in a red chili sauce and is best when made with actual chilies, rather than chili powder. 

It is pretty easy to find dried chilies in Arizona and for the most part, they can be found in many grocery stores, Mexican grocers and even Wal-Mart.

I almost always order it when I go to a Mexican restaurant and decided that I should learn to make it myself.  I've been making it for a few years and at a recent party, several people asked me for the recipe.  This is my take on a recipe. 

Chili Colorado Finished

Traditionally you cook the pork or beef in the Colorado sauce, but I always have pulled pork in the freezer and often have some Colorado sauce there too, so I decided to see if it worked as well using items from the freezer.  To my pleasure, it did.

This version of Chili Colorado is quick and easy because it uses already cooked pulled pork.  If you do not already have cooked pork available, just cook a pork shoulder in the crockpot until it reaches about 190° so it is easily pulled.  Save the liquid from the pork to use in this dish.

 

 

 

 

Chili Colorado Recipe 

 

Pepper Sauce

·        5 dried ancho peppers

·        2 dried pasilla peppers

·        2 dried guajillo peppers

·        3 cups hot pork stock (or chicken stock if pork stock is not available) 

Pork

·        3 cloves garlic, crushed

·        1-2 tsp dried oregano (Mexican oregano if you have it)

·        1 tsp ground sage

·        1-2 tsp ground cumin

·        2 tsp kosher salt or to taste

·        ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper, or to taste

·        2-3 cups of boiling or pork or chicken stock, as needed

·        3-4 pounds of cooked and shredded (or cut into squares) pork shoulder

 

1.      To make the sauce, cover the chilies in about 3 cups of chicken or pork stock (or water if necessary) until they are soft.  This will take about 30 minutes.  Remove the stems and seeds.  Place the chilies in a food processor or blender, adding enough of the soaking liquid to allow the chilies to become smooth…almost paste-like.  A vitamix, if you have one, works exceptionally well. 

2.      Place the chile paste mixture into a Dutch oven.  Add in the garlic, oregano, ground sage, and cumin.  Stir together.  Add in the pork and about 2 more cups of either pork or chicken stock.  This should cover the pork and be liquidy enough to keep pork moist.  Add salt and pepper to taste. 

3.      Simmer covered, for about 30 minutes.  Add in more stock if necessary while simmering.   Taste and adjust the seasonings if necessary.

4.      Serve with tortillas, rice and beans.