Crockpot Chile Colorado
A rich, slow-cooked beef stew simmered in a bold red chile sauce made from dried chiles, garlic, and warm spices. This crockpot chile colorado is deeply flavorful, comforting, and perfect for everything from cozy dinners to meal prep.
Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 3.5 lbs boneless beef chuck roast cut into 1-inch chunks
- 2-3 tablespoons vegetable oil for searing meat
- 6 dried guajillo chiles stems and seeds removed
- 4 dried ancho chiles stems and seeds removed
- 4 dried arbor chiles stems and seeds removed
- 4 cups beef broth divided
- 1 onion quartered
- 4 garlic cloves
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon Mexican oregano
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ⅛ teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 bay leaves
- Cornstarch slurry 2 tablespoons cornstarch + 2 tablespoons water, optional to thicken sauce
Instructions
- Rinse the dried chiles, then add them to a saucepan with 2 cups of the beef broth, along with the onions and garlic. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook uncovered for about 20 minutes, until the chiles are softened.
- While the chiles are cooking, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, sear the beef in batches until browned on all sides. Transfer the seared meat to your Crockpot.
- Remove the chile mixture from the heat and pour in the remaining beef broth to help cool it slightly. Transfer everything to a blender or food processor and blend until smooth to create a rich red chile sauce.
- Pour the sauce over the beef in the Crockpot. Add the salt, pepper, Mexican oregano, cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, cinnamon, and bay leaves.
- Cover and cook on low for 7–8 hours or high for 4–5 hours, until the beef is tender.
- About 30 minutes before it’s done, stir in a cornstarch slurry to thicken the sauce. Cover again and let it finish cooking until the sauce has thickened. Remove and discard the bay leaves before serving.