Chile Colorado Tamales

Here’s a rich and flavorful recipe for Chile Colorado Tamales — tender shredded beef in a deep red chile sauce, wrapped in soft, fluffy masa and steamed to perfection. These tamales are a traditional Mexican comfort food and worth every step!

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🌶️ Chile Colorado Tamales

What is Chile Colorado?

“Colorado” means “reddish” in Spanish. Chile Colorado is a stew of beef simmered in a bold red sauce made from dried chiles (usually guajillo and ancho). It’s deep, smoky, and mildly spicy — perfect for tamale filling.

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🫔 Ingredients (Makes ~25–30 tamales):

🐄 For the Chile Colorado Beef:

• 2½ lbs beef chuck roast or stew meat

• 1 onion, quartered

• 4 cloves garlic

• Salt, pepper

• Water (enough to cover beef)

🌶️ For the Chile Sauce:

• 4 dried guajillo chiles

• 3 dried ancho chiles

• 2 cloves garlic

• 1 tsp cumin

• 1/2 tsp oregano

• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon (optional)

• 1–1½ cups beef broth (from beef cooking liquid)

🌽 For the Masa:

• 4 cups masa harina (corn flour for tamales, like Maseca)

• 2 tsp baking powder

• 1½ tsp salt

• 1⅓ cups lard (or vegetable shortening)

• 2½–3 cups warm beef broth (from cooking meat)

🌾 Other:

• 30 dried corn husks, soaked in warm water for at least 1 hour

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🔪 Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Cook the Beef:

1. Place beef, onion, garlic, salt, and pepper in a large pot.

2. Cover with water, bring to a boil, then simmer for 2–2½ hours, until meat is fork-tender.

3. Shred the beef and set aside. Reserve the broth for sauce and masa.

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2. Make the Chile Colorado Sauce:

1. Remove stems and seeds from chiles. Toast lightly in a dry skillet for ~1 minute per side until fragrant.

2. Soak in hot water for 15–20 minutes until softened.

3. Blend soaked chiles with garlic, cumin, oregano, cinnamon, and 1–1½ cups of the beef broth until smooth.

4. Strain if desired, then simmer the sauce in a pan for 10 minutes to deepen flavor.

5. Mix shredded beef with enough sauce to coat well — not too runny.

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3. Prepare the Masa:

1. In a large bowl, mix masa harina, baking powder, and salt.

2. Beat lard until fluffy, then gradually mix in the dry ingredients.

3. Add warm broth a little at a time, kneading until masa is soft, spreadable, and holds together like thick peanut butter.

4. To test: Drop a small ball of masa into cold water — it should float. If it sinks, beat in more lard or whip it longer.

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4. Assemble the Tamales:

1. Spread 2–3 tbsp of masa onto the center of a soaked corn husk (about ⅔ of the way up).

2. Add a spoonful of chile colorado beef in the center.

3. Fold the sides of the husk inward, then fold the bottom up to seal. Tie with a strip of husk if needed.

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5. Steam the Tamales:

1. Arrange tamales upright in a steamer pot with the open ends facing up.

2. Steam over simmering water for 1½ to 2 hours, checking occasionally to add water.

3. Tamales are done when the husk peels away cleanly and masa is set.

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🌟 Serving Suggestions:

• Serve with Mexican rice, refried beans, or a drizzle of extra chile sauce on top.

• Pair with a cool horchata or agua fresca.

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🧊 Storage Tips:

• Refrigerate leftovers for up to 5 days.

• Freeze tamales (cooked or uncooked) for up to 3 months. Steam or microwave to reheat.