My Mom's Pork Chile Colorado

While I was visiting my familia in Monterrey, Mexico in 2011, I was asked to prepare a dish to pass for the big family reunion. The first thing that came to mind was my Mom's recipe for pork chile colorado(red). If i had to pick one dish of hers that was my favorite, it would have to be this one for sure. I think all of my brothers and sisters would agree with me on this one. This was also my first time cooking in a big Mexican cazuela! I loved it! My familia enjoyed the dish that night, and it was my way of having my Mom there with me, sharing her foods as she loved to do...

Ingredients:

3½ pounds to 4 pounds of pork butt or shoulder, cut into 1 inch pieces

10 chile ancho peppers

6 chile california peppers or guajillo peppers

1 large white onion, diced

6 cloves of garlic, minced

4 cups of stock (pork or chicken)

2 tablespoons freshly ground cumin

2 tablespoons granulated garlic

2 teaspoons freshly ground pepper

1 tablespoon Mexican oregano, crushed between the palms of your hands

Salt

Canola oil

2 large russet potatoes, peeled, cut into 1 inch cubes, fried until crispy and drained onto paper towels, set aside.

Directions:

1. Remove the stems and seeds from the dried peppers, transfer them to a heat safe bowl and cover them with boiling water. Cover the bowl, using something, like a cup, to hold peppers down and let stand for 40 minutes.

2. In a large heavy pot, heat 3 tablespoons of oil to medium/high heat, add the pork and season with cumin,granulated garlic,black pepper and about 3 teaspoons of salt. The idea is to sear the pork at a high heat until it gets nice and brown.

3. While the pork is cooking, check on the peppers soaking in the hot water, stir them a little, so they soak evenly. When it's time, drain the peppers and transfer to the blender, add Mexican oregano, 2 teaspoons of salt and about 2 cups of stock, blend on high until smooth, set aside.

4. Add the onions and garlic to the pork and cook for a few minutes. Add all of the sauce from the blender to the pork and another 2 cups of stock, stir well to combine. Taste for salt, lower the heat and cook for a good 1½ to 2 hours, adding a little more stock if needed. During the last 15 minutes of cooking, add your potatoes and cook just until warmed. This was one of my Mom's signature dishes ... always served with warm, homemade flour tortillas.

Notes: When my Mom would make this, she strictly only used all chile ancho, but I love the flavor of the other peppers as well.

When you blend the chile sauce, for a smoother sauce, you can strain it thru a fine wire mesh strainer, my Mom did not, but I have in the past.

I personally don't like using the chile water to add back into the recipe, because it can be bitter at times.

Pork Chile Colorado with PotatoesChile Ancho/Chile California Chile Sauce

Other recipes by Sonia:

Beef Chili
Buñuelos
Cheesy Chorizo Bread
Polvorones (Mexican Shortbread Cookies)
Shrimp-Stuffed Little Chiles
Pork Chile Verde
Lemon Pepper Chicken Fajitas
Simply Seasoned Shrimp
Chicken Chilaquiles

Save this recipe to your HK profile by clicking on the Favorite button below!