Culture NewsTaco May 6, 2011

Recipe: Carne De Puerco En Chile Colorado

My favorite dish that my wife, Becky, prepares is Carne de Puerco en Chile Colorado. Suffice it to say that her carrot cake hooked me and this dish reeled me in. I wanted to post her recipe but there’s no such thing. She learned to cook by watching her mother and her mother cooks without a net, or recipe – a pinch of this, a sprinkle of that and a handful of the other.

So I scoured the inter-webs and found this. It was posted in Mexican Goods, a cool title with a double meaning.

Carne de Puerco en Chile Colorado

Ingredients:
  • 8 dried red chiles (such as Guajillo, California or New Mexico) rehydrated and ground into a paste *see below
  • 3lb beef roast with enough water to cover
  • 1 can beef broth
  • 1 can tomato sauce
  • 4 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely diced
  • 1 tablespoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons lard or oil for frying
Preparation:
Simmer the beef in a large pot for 2-3 hours or until it is fork tender. This can also be done in a crock pot during the day. Remove the beef from the water, and drain the water out of the pot. Add the lard or oil into the pot over medium/high heat. Cut or pull the beef into bite sized pieces and fry them in the oil briefly. (This step can be skipped for a lower fat version.) Add the beef broth, tomato sauce, seasoning and chile paste to the pot and simmer for 30 minutes. Serve with steaming hot flour tortillas and a side of chopped white onion and chopped cilantro leaves. 

Rehydrating Dried Chiles-
Pick dried chiles that have no tears or broken pieces. Use whole chiles that look fresh. Rinse off any excess dust or grime under cool water. Pat dry then cut the top off of each chile and then slit it down the middle. Shake out the seeds, using your fingers or a spoon to dislodge any seeds that want to stick. Peel off any excess dried veins that are lighter in color and run in a line down the inside.

Heat a “comal” (or griddle) over medium/high heat and roast the dried chiles for 2-3 minutes. Turn them often to avoid burning them. Then you’re going to cover the chiles in hot water and let them soak for about 30 minutes. Remove the chiles from the water and place the chiles in a blender with about 1/4 cup of water or the soaking liquid (if it is not too bitter) and puree until smooth. You can also add the garlic and oregano to the chiles while blending them. The finished puree is what you will add to the Chile Colorado.

If you do not yet have a “comal” in your kitchen, it’s time to get one. I am more than happy to send one to your doorstep at a special price. Just let me know where to send it.  Enjoy

[Photo courtesy Mexican Goods]

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