My dad’s side of the family is from Las Cruces, New Mexico. Every holiday meal for us includes Red Chile. We’re a strictly Red Chile family, none of that green for us. Folks use it basically like gravy at holiday mealtime. Personally I like it on starchy foods like mashed potatoes and tamales.
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**INGREDIENTS LIST:**
8oz New Mexico Chili Pods
1/2 lb ground beef
3 garlic cloves
Cumin
Dried Coriander powder
Bay Leaf
Dried Mexican Oregano
4 + 1 + 1 cups of water
Salt
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**PROCEDURE:**
De-seed and de-vein the chilies. It doesn’t have to be perfect. Cut off the stem too. Cut each pepper into a couple large chunks, it’ll make them easier to blend later on.
Put all the chili pieces into a pot along with 4 cups of water. Cover with a lid. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat and let sit for an hour with the lid on to allow them to soften.
Transfer both the chilies and water from the pot into a blender. Throw in 3 raw garlic cloves. Blend for several minutes, the longer you blend the smoother your finished chile will be.
Pour the blended mixture through a wire mesh sieve/colander. Ensure there is a large bowl to capture the liquid that drips thru. Use a rubber spatula to stir/push around the mixture until most of the liquid has drained thru the sieve leaving you with pulp.
Transfer the pulp back into the blender, add 1 cup of water to the blender and blend again for several minutes. Pour blended mixture back through the sieve.
Put the pulp back into the blender again and add another 1 cup of water. Blend, and then pour into the sieve.
(In total that was 6 cups of water, 4+1+1)
Remaining pulp can now be discarded.
Pour the smooth strained chile liquid into a pot. Add 1/2 lb ground beef. Add seasonings to the pot:
I like soaking the pods over night in the water I use in the blender. Seems more flavorful. Also from Cruces.
Poofsta
Did you brown the ground beef first or just let it cook from raw?
Rude_Girl69
Add some chile de arbol and fry the sauce after and it’s perfect for enchiladas. Looks delicious and and perfectly thick.
7billionpeepsalready
I’m from Albuquerque and this is the way!
Stick blender is a game changer too.
blardycone
Yup, this was thanksgiving gravy for me growing up. Turkey chiccharrones smothered in red chile, yum! Just dipping fry-bread or sopapillas in a good red is amazing.
Missanonna
Just here to give a shout out for the tamale that’s underneath.
8 Comments
My dad’s side of the family is from Las Cruces, New Mexico. Every holiday meal for us includes Red Chile. We’re a strictly Red Chile family, none of that green for us. Folks use it basically like gravy at holiday mealtime. Personally I like it on starchy foods like mashed potatoes and tamales.
​
**INGREDIENTS LIST:**
8oz New Mexico Chili Pods
1/2 lb ground beef
3 garlic cloves
Cumin
Dried Coriander powder
Bay Leaf
Dried Mexican Oregano
4 + 1 + 1 cups of water
Salt
​
**PROCEDURE:**
De-seed and de-vein the chilies. It doesn’t have to be perfect. Cut off the stem too. Cut each pepper into a couple large chunks, it’ll make them easier to blend later on.
Put all the chili pieces into a pot along with 4 cups of water. Cover with a lid. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat and let sit for an hour with the lid on to allow them to soften.
Transfer both the chilies and water from the pot into a blender. Throw in 3 raw garlic cloves. Blend for several minutes, the longer you blend the smoother your finished chile will be.
Pour the blended mixture through a wire mesh sieve/colander. Ensure there is a large bowl to capture the liquid that drips thru. Use a rubber spatula to stir/push around the mixture until most of the liquid has drained thru the sieve leaving you with pulp.
Transfer the pulp back into the blender, add 1 cup of water to the blender and blend again for several minutes. Pour blended mixture back through the sieve.
Put the pulp back into the blender again and add another 1 cup of water. Blend, and then pour into the sieve.
(In total that was 6 cups of water, 4+1+1)
Remaining pulp can now be discarded.
Pour the smooth strained chile liquid into a pot. Add 1/2 lb ground beef. Add seasonings to the pot:
2 cubes of bullion, 1 TBSP sea salt, 1/4 tsp cumin, 1/4 tsp dried coriander powder, 1 bay leaf, 1/2 tsp Mexican oregano
Cover and let simmer for 1 hour.
Chile needs to rest overnight in the fridge for the flavors to properly develop before serving.
​
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**SPELLING**
I went with the most common spellings for each
*the sauce served in New Mexico* – chile
*the pepper itself, singular* – chili
*the pepper itself, plural* – chilies
*the Texan dish made with beans and meat* – chili
Source: [https://www.ag.ndsu.edu/agcomm/lets-communicate/write-the-right-word-chili-chile-chilly](https://www.ag.ndsu.edu/agcomm/lets-communicate/write-the-right-word-chili-chile-chilly)
I like soaking the pods over night in the water I use in the blender. Seems more flavorful. Also from Cruces.
Did you brown the ground beef first or just let it cook from raw?
Add some chile de arbol and fry the sauce after and it’s perfect for enchiladas. Looks delicious and and perfectly thick.
I’m from Albuquerque and this is the way!
Stick blender is a game changer too.
Yup, this was thanksgiving gravy for me growing up. Turkey chiccharrones smothered in red chile, yum! Just dipping fry-bread or sopapillas in a good red is amazing.
Just here to give a shout out for the tamale that’s underneath.
This looks so good