Chile Colorado with Shredded Pork is a spicy, velvety red chile sauce with tender, flavorful pork that makes an amazing main dish and is Whole30 compliant.
Chile Colorado with Shredded Pork
On Thanksgiving in my husband’s family, red chile is poured over turkey and mashed potatoes like gravy. For years, this special side dish was made lovingly by Nana, my husband’s amazing grandmother, and no one could get enough.
It wasn’t until Nana approached her early nineties that her desire to prepare the dish faded. It was also around that same time that I came into the family as a young bride, and the honor of carrying on Nana’s red chile tradition was passed on to me.
Fortunately, I had my parents’ masterpiece for Chile Colorado with Shredded Pork ready to go. Every year I get to share this spicy, velvety, delicious dish with the family and celebrate Nana too.
How to Make Chile Colorado with Shredded Pork
Shredded Pork
This chile colorado requires shredded pork and I have just the recipe for that. This Everyday Shredded Pork can be made in the Instant Pot or slow cooker. The result is a juicy, tender, and flavorful pork that complements this red chile perfectly. Click here for that recipe.
To speed up the prep time, you can plan ahead and cook the pork the night before or in the morning. For the the chile colorado, you will need 4 cups of shredded pork.
Chile Colorado Sauce
Fill a medium-sized pot halfway with water and bring to a boil. Prepare 10 guajillo chiles, 4 New Mexico chiles, and 2 to 3 chiles de arbol by breaking off the stems. Then, add them to the boiling water. Let the chiles boil for 15-20 minutes until soft.
Next, drain the chiles and place them in a blender or food processor. Add the following ingredients:
- 1/4 teaspoon cumin powder
- 1/4 teaspoon of oregano
- 1 large garlic clove (or 2 small ones)
- 1/2 bay leaf
- 1/8 piece of a cinnamon stick (don’t use to much or the taste will be overpowering)
- 2 cups of chicken broth (use compliant broth for Whole30)
Blend until smooth.
Next, strain the chile colorado through a fine mesh sieve into a different container. Use a spoon to mix and push the sauce to help it through the strainer. This helps get all the seeds and any unblended pieces out of the sauce so you are left with a smooth, velvety consistency.
Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons of oil in a small Dutch oven or pot over medium heat. Pour the sauce in the pot and bring to a boil.
Once the sauce is boiling, mix in the shredded pork. If the sauce looks too thick, add 1/4-1/2 cups of additional chicken broth. Do not add too much broth or the sauce will become too thin and runny.
Simmer over medium-low heat for 5-10 minutes until heated through and to allow the flavors to come together.
Taste and add more salt if needed.
Tips for Chile Colorado
- Guajillo chiles have a robust flavor that’s great in chile colorado and are spicier than New Mexico chiles.
- New Mexico chiles tend to be more acidic, which is why the recipe doesn’t use very many. However, in moderation it adds a great taste to the sauce.
- Chiles de arbol are very spicy. Just two or three chiles add a good kick to the sauce. You can add one more if you like things extra spicy, or even add just one or none if you don’t like much spice.
- You can find dried chiles at your local Mexican or Latin American grocer. I have also found them at places like Walmart and Sam’s Club.
- If you cannot find them in store, they are also available online on Amazon or at online grocers like mexgrocer.com, see the following links:
To Serve
Chile Colorado with Shredded Pork is amazing with a side of refried beans and Mexican rice. It’s also delicious in burritos or with a side of eggs in the morning.
If you are on Whole30, serve this inside of a baked potato, beside some roasted vegetables, or with some mashed potatoes.
I am so excited to finally share this with you. I hope you enjoy!
Please leave me a comment below if you make this or tag me on Instagram @everydaylatina.
Chile Colorado with Shredded Pork
Ingredients
- 4 cups shredded pork (see notes)
- 10 dried guajillo chiles
- 4 dried New Mexico chiles
- 2-3 dried chile de arbol chiles
- 1/4 tsp cumin
- 1/4 tsp oregano
- 1/4 tsp salt (plus more to taste)
- 1 large garlic clove (or 2 small ones)
- 1/2 bay leaf
- 1/8 piece of a cinnamon stick (don’t use too much or the taste will be overpowering)
- 2 cups chicken broth (use compliant broth for Whole30)
- 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil or vegetable oil
- 1/4-1/2 additional chicken broth (if needed, see recipe)
Instructions
- Fill a medium-sized pot halfway with water and bring to a boil. Break the stems off of all of the dried chiles and add them to the boiling water. Let the chiles boil for 15-20 minutes until soft.
- Next, drain the chiles and place them in a blender or food processor. Add the cumin, oregano, 1/4 teaspoon of salt, garlic, bay leaf, cinnamon stick, and 2 cups of chicken broth.
- Blend until smooth.
- Strain the sauce through a fine mesh sieve into a different container. Use a spoon to mix and push the sauce to help it through the strainer and get rid of all the seeds and any unblended pieces.
- Heat oil in a small Dutch oven or pot over medium heat. Pour the sauce in the pot and bring to a boil.
- Once the sauce is boiling, mix in the shredded pork. If the sauce looks too thick, add 1/4-1/2 cups of additional chicken broth. Do not add too much broth or the sauce will become too thin and runny.
- Simmer over medium-low heat for 5-10 minutes until heated through and to allow the flavors to come together.
- Taste and add more salt if needed.
Notes
- I have a great an easy recipe for shredded pork that complements the chile colorado perfectly. Click here for Everyday Shredded Pork.
- To speed up the prep time, you can plan ahead and cook the pork the night before or in the morning.
- Guajillo chiles have a robust flavor that’s great in chile colorado.
- New Mexico chiles tend to be more acidic, which is why the recipe doesn’t use very many. However, in moderation it adds a great taste to the sauce.
- Chiles de arbol are very spicy. Just two or three chiles add a good kick to the sauce. You can add one more if you like things extra spicy, or even add just one or none if you don’t like much spice.
- You can find dried chiles at your local Mexican or Latin American grocer. I have also found them at places like Walmart and Sam’s Club.
- If you cannot find them in store, they are also available online on Amazon or at online grocers like mexgrocer.com, see the following links:
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I’ve never cooked with dried chiles before so I was excited to try this. The recipe came together quickly and the recipe was super easy to follow. I only used Guajillo and New Mexico chiles and the spice was perfect. Delicious!
Hi Isabella, I am so excited you cooked with dried chiles! I will be sharing more recipes using dried chiles in the future so you can keep practicing. So glad you liked it and made changes to fit your spice preference. Thank you!
Thank you for posting this recipe! I have never even tried to replicate my Mom’s because she can never give me real measurements (i.e. “poquito”, what does that mean?! like a tsp? a tbs? ughh!). I tried it about 2 weeks ago and it was super delicious! I kept trying to decipher why my Mom’s tasted different than yours and it might be ground cloves? I remember helping her out last winter making tamales and she added some at the end. Thanks again!!
Hi Diana, thank you for the comment and for trying out the recipe. I am so happy you liked it! I wonder if the cinnamon could be different from your mom’s too? I know it’s something my mom only uses when she makes red chile with pork but leaves it out in other chile colorado recipes.