Once the chiles are roasted and peeled, set them aside to work on the rest of the steps.
Ground Beef Stuffing
Fry the diced bacon until slightly crispy in a medium pan. Remove the bacon from the pan and let it drain on a paper towel-lined bowl.
Drain some of the remaining bacon grease, leaving about 1 tablespoon of the fat in the pan. Cook the ground beef in the pan.
When almost completely browned, add the diced onion, diced garlic clove, diced tomato and season with salt and pepper. Add the bacon back in and sauté until incorporated and the meat has finished cooking. Drain any excess fat.
Stuffing the Chiles
Use a pairing knife to carefully cut a slit down the middle of the chiles (from about a half inch from the stem to a half inch before reaching the end). Be careful not to puncture the other side of the chiles.
Remove as many of the seeds as possible to make room for the filling. Use a spoon to stuff the chiles with about 2 spoonfuls of the ground beef mixture. Use one or two toothpicks to seal the opening, weaving the toothpick in and out like when sewing or knitting.
Egg Batter and Dredging Station
Use a hand or stand mixer to whip the egg whites at high speed until stiff peaks form. To test this, the turn the whisks upside down. The peaks should hold without collapsing.
Then, use a spatula to carefully fold yolks into the egg whites. Be sure not to over mix so the egg whites do not collapse.
Set up dredging station next to the stove, with the chiles rellenos on one end, a plate with the flour in the middle, and the egg batter closest to the stove.
In a heavy, medium pan, like a cast-iron skillet, heat ½ inch of cooking oil over medium high heat. Once hot, lower the heat to medium.
Take one of the stuffed chiles and delicately place it in the bowl with the flour. Cover it with flour on both sides. Dust off any excess flour, then carefully place in the egg mixture. Cover with egg.
Gently place 2 prepared chiles in the hot oil at a time. (Do not overcrowd the pan). As soon as you place the chiles in the pan (and before flipping them) sprinkle each one with salt.
Fry until golden, about 2-3 minutes on each side. Use a firm spatula in one hand and a fork or a spoon in your other hand to help turn the chiles.
As the chiles are done, drain them on a large paper towel-lined plate. If at anytime the oil level in the pan runs low, add additional oil as needed to continue frying.
Salsa
As the chiles cook, boil the tomatoes and the guajillo until soft. You can also boil 1 jalapeño to add to the salsa for a spicier version.
Blend the guajillo chile separately and strain through a fine mesh sieve to get out any of the seeds and unblended pieces.
Next, blend the guajillo paste, tomatoes, oregano, cumin, salt, pepper, chicken broth, water, and jalapeño (if using). If the sauce it too thick, add a little additional water.
In a small saucepan, heat a tablespoon of oil. Add the sauce and simmer for 3-5 minutes.
Serve
Serve chiles rellenos smothered in the red tomato sauce or with sauce on the side.
Notes
Buy the chiles when you know you’ll have time to make them. The older the chiles get, the more likely they are to tear.
Save time making the chiles rellenos by roasting and peeling the chiles a day or two ahead of time. Store them in the refrigerator in an air-tight container until ready to use.
When roasting the chiles, be sure the skin is blistered and charred on all sides. Be careful the chiles do not over-char though (completely black all around) as this will make peeling them harder.
Peel the chiles very carefully to avoid puncturing them and making unnecessary holes.
Use toothpicks to help keep the stuffing from falling out. Once the chiles rellenos are fried, use your fingers to feel for the toothpicks and carefully remove them.
Prepare the egg batter until the very end when you’re ready to fry. The egg batter will start to separate and fall if left sitting for too long, so it is best to prepare it only when it’s ready to use.
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