Chile Colorado Pork Enchiladas
Chile Colorado on it’s own is delicious. We normally eat it over rice. Chile Colorado Pork Enchiladas is next level stuff!
Things to know:
What is Chile Colorado?
Chile Colorado is a classic Mexican meat stew made with tender chunks of beef or pork braised low and slow in a rich, brick-red sauce. The name comes from the Spanish word colorado, meaning “colored red,” and has no connection to the U.S. state of Colorado. It is one of our favorite dishes at the Galley of the Sun!
Is Chile Colorado the same as chile guajillo?
No, they are not the same. Chile colorado is a prepared meat stew cooked in a red sauce, while a chile guajillo is a specific type of dried chili pepper. However, chile guajillo is frequently used as a main ingredient to make the red sauce for chile colorado.
What is the best meat to use for Chile Colorado?
The best meat for chile colorado is beef chuck roast cut into bite-sized cubes. Its rich marbling and connective tissue melt during slow braising, creating ultra-tender meat that absorbs the red chile sauce. Pork shoulder (pork butt) is the top alternative for a traditional pork variation.
Where do enchiladas come from?
Enchiladas originated in Mexico, tracing back to the Maya and Aztec peoples of ancient Mesoamerica who wrapped corn tortillas around fish, beans, and game, then dipped them in chili. The word comes from the Spanish enchilar, meaning “to add chili”.
What is the difference between American enchiladas and Mexican enchiladas?
American (often Tex-Mex) and Mexican enchiladas differ mainly in their tortillas, heavy use of melted cheese, and how they are baked and sauced. American versions are heavily loaded with melted cheese and baked in large casseroles, while traditional Mexican ones focus deeply on a rich chile sauce that coats a simple filling.
Ingredients:
10 chile ancho and 5 mulato chiles with stems and seeds removed
3 cups chicken broth
2 t cumin seeds toasted and crushed
8 cloves garlic
1 onion roughly chopped
1 T Mexican oregano
2 t pepper
1 T Mexican seasoning (we used Cattleman’s Grill Mexicano)
salt to taste
You will also need
3 pounds boneless pork country style ribs
garlic powder (we used Spiceology & Hell’s Kitchen – Vampire Killer – Garlic Parmesan Spice Blend)
1 1/2 more cups chicken broth
1 1/2 cup Smoky Chipotle Broth
Grapeseed or canola oil
For the enchiladas
12 8” flour tortillas
4 cups Mexican cheese (Oaxaca or Chihuahua is what we recommend)
Sour cream
Chopped green onions or cilantro for garnish
1. Cover the chiles with water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and cook for 10 minutes.
2. While chiles cook toast the cumin seeds in a hot skillet just until they become aromatic. Crush the seeds using a mortar and pestle.
3. Drain the liquid from the chiles and transfer to the blender. To the chiles, add the 3 cups broth, cumin seeds, garlic, onion, oregano, pepper, Mexican seasoning and salt to taste. Blend on high until smooth. Set aside.
4. Season the pork with salt, pepper and garlic powder on both sides. In a Dutch oven, add 4 tablespoons of oil. Preheat to medium heat for 5 minutes. Add the pork to hot pan and brown on all sides, turning as needed.
5. Add the sauce from blender and 3 remaining cups of broth to the ribs in pan. Stir to combine, reduce heat. Cover and cook on the stove top at a low simmer for 1 1/2 hours or until ribs are tender. You could also finish cooking it in a 350 degree oven for the same amount of time. If finishing in the oven, cover them with foil the first 90 minutes, uncover the last 30 minutes. If the chile sauce gets too thick, add a little more water or broth as it cooks.
6. Assemble the enchiladas. In the video, we did them as individual portions. You can also make a pan of enchiladas. Keeping your oven at 350F, dip your tortilla in the Chile Colorado sauce, then add meat, a line of sour cream and handful of cheese. Place in the dish or pan, cover with sauce, ensuring the entire the entire tortilla is covered, then add another handful of cheese to the top. Repeat as necessary. Place in the oven until the cheese has melted (about 10 minutes). Remove from the oven, allow to cool for 15 minutes and serve, garnishing with chopped cilantro or green onions. ENJOY!
Equipment:
Small Single Serving Dish Set with Handle, Set of 2, 10.7 Inch
DISCLOSURE: When we link to products and services, those links may be customized affiliate links. If you click on any of those affiliate links and make a purchase within a certain time frame, We’ll earn a small commission. The commission is paid by the retailers.
Here’s an example: If we link to our favorite vegetable peeler, and you click on that link and complete a purchase within the next 24 hours, we may receive a commission somewhere between 1 to 10 percent of your total order.
We are careful to link to products and retailers that we use ourselves and recommend. These affiliate programs use cookies to track visits for the purposes of assigning commission on these sales. Money earned keeps Galley of the Sun running and allows us to do what we love.
Thank you for your support.
SELECT AFFILIATE PROGRAM DETAILS: We are currently members of affiliate programs with Amazon and Dalstrong. We are eligible to earn from qualifying purchases.