StewsMedium

Red Chilli Stew

Name: Red Chilli Stew
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 90 min
Total time: 115 min
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 3 Garlic clove; 1 tbsp Plain flour; 2 leaves Bay leaf; 0.5 tsp Dried oregano; 1 to taste Black pepper; 1 to taste Salt; 3 Tomato; 800 g Pork, cut into pieces; 6 Ancho chilli; 4 Guajillo chilli; 0.5 White onion; 0.5 tsp Ground cumin; 2 cups Beef stock; 2 tbsp Vegetable oil

115 min (25 prep + 90 cook) Medium 6 servings Chihuahua

Edmond Bojalil

Recetas Mexas

Published: 4 Feb 2026 · Updated: 10 Mar 2026

Pork stewed in a rich dried red chilli sauce, northern Mexican style.

About this recipe

Chile colorado is a hearty northern Mexican stew of beef or pork slow-cooked in a thick, deeply flavoured sauce made from dried ancho and guajillo chillies. Robust and intensely savoury, it is hugely popular in Chihuahua, Sonora and Durango. Serve with flour tortillas and refried beans.

History & Origin

Chile colorado is the signature stew of northern Mexico, especially the states of Chihuahua, Sonora and Durango, where ranchers prepared it with dried beef (machaca) and red chillies sun-dried in the desert heat. Its origins are linked to the culinary traditions of the Opata and Yaqui peoples, who already dried chillies to preserve them through the long northern winters. Unlike the moles of central and southern Mexico, chile colorado is direct and robust, without the complexity of multiple ingredients, allowing the ancho and guajillo chillies to be the absolute protagonists. It is traditionally served with wheat flour tortillas (not sweetcorn, as in the south) and refried beans, reflecting the influence of wheat farming in the region. This dish crossed the border and became the foundation of Texan 'chilli con carne', although northern Mexicans insist that the original version contains neither beans nor tomato.

Estimated cost

£7.14

Total cost

£1.19

Per serving

* Approximate prices based on UK supermarkets

Nutritional information per serving

540

Calories

20g

Protein

45g

Carbohydrates

18g

Fat

Fibre

805mg

Sodium

* Approximate values. May vary depending on ingredients used.

Method

1
Cut the pork into 3 cm pieces. Season with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large pot over high heat and sear the pork in batches until browned on all sides. Remove and set aside.
2
Remove the veins and seeds from the ancho and guajillo chillies. Toast them on a dry comal over medium heat for 30 seconds on each side until fragrant.
💡 The chillies are ready when they change colour slightly and release an intense aroma.
3
Soak the toasted chillies in hot water for 20 minutes until soft and pliable.
4
Blend the soaked chillies with the tomatoes, onion, garlic, cumin, oregano and 1 cup of beef stock until completely smooth. Strain through a sieve.
5
In the same pot used to sear the pork, fry the strained sauce over medium-high heat for 5 minutes, stirring constantly, until it darkens.
6
Add the flour to the sauce and stir well for 1 minute to thicken. Pour in the remaining stock, add the bay leaves and stir.
7
Return the pork to the pot, cover and cook over low heat for 1 hour 15 minutes until the meat is very tender and the sauce is thick.
💡 Check every 20 minutes and add more stock if the sauce reduces too much.
8
Adjust the salt and pepper. Serve with warm flour tortillas and refried beans, northern Mexican style.