Authentic Chili Colorado

Did you know that many of our favorite dishes – both American and International – can actually be identified as a single group? I call it Po’ Folks’ Food. There are hundreds of recipes that were created to use the cheapest (meaning toughest) cuts of meat and poultry. Slow smoking, AKA barbecue, was invented to make the toughest cuts of beef add pork tender and juicy – and worth eating. In other parts of the world, it’s been used for hundreds, if not thousands, of years to soften mutton (sheep, which is a LOT tougher than lamb, I can tell you), goats and more. Coq au Vin is a way to tenderize an older chicken, maybe even a rooster. Fried rice uses up leftovers and doesn’t require much meat or vegetables. And Chili Colorado uses slow simmering to tenderize a tougher piece of meat, usually beef.

Certainly there are other things you can do with a good Colorado (red) sauce. (Here are some of mine.) I’ve used everything from ground beef to filet mignon, and most cuts in between. Let me tell you, you haven’t lived till you’ve done some short ribs on the BBQ, then simmered them in Colorado sauce for a bit. And dropping a tougher roast cut into a slow cooker to spend the day with some Colorado sauce will yield a wonderful chili that falls apart at the touch of a fork. (You’ll find that recipe here.)

Anyhoo… Chili Colorado all started with tougher cuts of beef, simmered in a Colorado, or red chili pepper sauce. And that’s what this recipe is all about. To get started you’ll need the sauce itself, and you can check out my recipe and video here. Then watch the video below to learn how to properly prepare the meat, as well as a few other tricks.

Ingredients:

Beef
Flour
Olive Oil
Colorado Sauce (Recipe here.)

Before We Start:

Before we begin, let’s talk about portions. You’ll notice there are no measurements above. That’s because you can make this recipe any size you want. I normally make three quarters to a whole pound per adult I’ll be serving, and will generally have leftovers. If I know a lot of hungry people (yes, mostly guys) will be involved, however, that calculation goes right out the window and I do at least a pound per person. Once you know how much meat you’ll be preparing, everything else flows from there.

Next, let’s discuss which cut of beef to use. For this video, I used pre-cut stew beef. I could have also gotten any kind of roast and done the cutting myself. I choose my meat based on what’s cheapest on the day I shop because, for me, any cut will do for this recipe. I’ve done it enough times to know that as long as I simmer it for a good while, it’s going to get tender.

Now, once you have those two things figured out, and have some beef on the counter in front of you, we can get started.

Instructions:

Place meat in large bowl or zip lock storage bag. Sprinkle flour over meat and toss to coat. If necessary, do this in batches so the cubes of meat have plenty of room to be tossed around. Don’t fill bag or bowl beyond 1/3 full if you can help it. Toss the beef and flour in batches if necessary. I used a bowl in the video, because it was easier to tape that, but a bag works very well, in you’re willing to sacrifice one for the cause.

Heat large skillet, dutch oven or other large pan over medium heat. I like using my dutch oven because I can also use it to simmer the meat in the sauce, which means one less pot to clean. I’m just sayin’… Once pan is hot, add oil and let it heat until it shimmers. Swirl oil in pan several times to coat well.

Add floured meat one piece at a time, leaving at least an inch between pieces. Brown on at least 4 sides, turning every few minutes until done. Don’t crowd the cubes of meat, or you’ll end up “steaming” the meat more than you brown it. You’re not looking to cook this until well done, but that’s what will happen if you crowd the pan and brown several sides. By the time you’re done, the meat is going to be very well done, which will result in a tougher stew. So, here again, do things in batches if need be, setting each batch aside on a paper towel.

Once all meat is all browned, remove last batch from pan and set aside. Scrape any leftover bits off the bottom of the pan and drop them into your disposal or trash. Lower heat to lowest possible setting and return pan to heat.

Return meat to pan, and add Colorado sauce. (Recipe is still here, if you need it.) Bring stew up to a slow simmer. Don’t overdo it. You just want to see a few, occasional bubbles. That’s more than hot enough to continue cooking the meat. I talk more about this in the video.

How much sauce you’ll need will depend on how much meat you’re preparing, how big the pot is and, if you’re like me, how much you like the sauce in and of itself. In addition, some folks like the sauce very thin, while others prefer a thicker sauce, almost the consistency of a country gravy, such as what you expect with Chicken-Fried Steak.

If you want it thinner, you can add water until you achieve desired consistency. You can also use beef broth for up to 1/4 of total liquid added.

If you want it thicker, mix some flour (I use Wondra) with a bit of water or milk and add that to your sauce.

In the video, I used about two pounds of stew meat, and about three and a half cups (give or take) of sauce. I like a thicker sauce, but the hours of simmering thickened it nicely, without the need to add flour.

If you’re like me, you’ll put things on a simmer, then fight with yourself to leave it there as long as possible before serving. I’m constantly tasting, pretending I might have to add something (which I seldom do, once the sauce is completed). If you watched the video, you know what else I do, too. (smile) And when I can’t stand it any longer, I make whatever other fixin’s I’m going to serve and get down to my favorite part: the eating!

Depending on your preference, you can serve to plates or bowls. However, if you’re going with a thinner sauce, best to stay with the bowl idea. Garnish with sour cream and/or a sprinkle of cheese, with more of both available at the table. Accompaniments might include any of the following:

Green salad
Shredded lettuce topped with slived tomato, avocado and/or cucumber
Plain or Mexican rice
Refried or black beans
tortillas
corn bread

Now that you see how easy it is to prepare this recipe, you might want to check out my other chili recipes, listed below. And please let me know how this one turns out for you, by coming back and leaving a comment, OK? Above all, have fun and don’t forget to..

Play with your food!

Lane

Related Recipes:

Colorado Sauce

Trash Pot Chili

Slow Cooker Chili

Mexican Rice

Did you like this recipe? What recipes would you like to learn? Leave me a comment and tell me your thoughts! (And don’t forget to LIKE this post!) Share it using the tiles below.

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