Chihuahua Beef with Dried Green Chilli

History & Origin

Beef with chile pasado is possibly the most representative dish of Chihuahua, Mexico's largest state - a land of contrasts between the vast Chihuahuan desert and the deep ravines of the Sierra Tarahumara. This stew speaks directly to northern identity: simple ingredients, straightforward techniques and deep flavours reflecting the harshness and beauty of the Chihuahuan landscape. The star ingredient is chile pasado, a product completely unique to Chihuahua with no equivalent elsewhere in Mexico. It is Anaheim-style or local green chilli that is roasted over embers, peeled and then left to dry in the sun for several days until fully dehydrated. This drying process concentrates all the flavours of fresh chilli and adds smoky notes from the original roasting, creating an ingredient of extraordinary complexity. The technique of sun-drying already-roasted green chillies was developed by indigenous groups in the sierra and early Spanish colonisers as a preservation method to have fresh chilli flavour available year-round. The beef used is generally northern cuts: skirt steak, machaca or shredded meat. Chihuahua cuisine is famous for its cattle quality, and this stew is the perfect vehicle to showcase exceptional meat in an everyday preparation served with pot beans and flour tortillas - an indisputable part of northern culinary identity.