Chile Colorado Tacos

Inspired by Guerrilla Tacos - Los Angeles, CA

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Colorado literally translates to “colored red” and in Mexico is traditionally used to describe beef that has been slow stewed in a red chili sauce. Wesley Avila over at Guerrilla Tacos put together this very quick version that is absolutely fantastic in taco form.

Parts of this recipe were adapted by Wesley Avila’s recipe over at the amazing LA food truck turned restaurant, Guerrilla Tacos for their Chile Colorado Taco. I cannot recommend them enough. This taco and all others they serve.

INGREDIENTS

CHILE COLORADO (Comfortably serves 4 to 6):

  • 3 lbs top sirloin, cut into strips (for tacos)

  • 1 tbs canola oil

  • 1 yellow onion, thinly sliced

  • 1 tsp cumin seeds

  • 8 Roma tomatoes, chopped

  • 1 cup tomatillos, husked, rinsed, and cut into halves

  • 6 garlic cloves, minced

  • 3 pasilla peppers, stemmed and seeded

  • 1 morita pepper, stemmed and seeded

  • 2 bay leaves

  • 1 cup of water

  • Salt and pepper to taste

ADDITIONAL NEEDS:

  • Corn tortillas (for serving)

  • Cotija cheese (for topping)

  • Red onion, thinly sliced (for topping)

  • Cilantro, finely chopped (for topping)

GO FOR IT

CHILE COLORADO:

  1. In a cast iron skillet or dutch oven, heat oil on high heat then brown meat in batches for about 2 or 3 minutes per batch, then remove meat and set aside

  2. In same pan, lower heat to medium, then add in onion and cumin seeds and sauté until soft (about 3 minutes)

  3. Lower heat to medium-low, then add in tomatoes, tomatillos, garlic, dried peppers, and bay leaves a cook, stirring occasionally, for about 30 minutes and your tomatoes and dried peppers are soft

  4. Remove from heat, remove bay leaves, then blend to a puree using either an immersion blender or by transferring everything to a blender

  5. When smooth, add meat back to sauce and pan and simmer for 5 minutes

  6. Taste and add in salt and pepper to taste

FINISHING STEPS:

  1. In a dry skillet, heat tortillas on high heat for bout 10 seconds per side

  2. Add spoonful of Chilie Colorado to your warm tortillas and top with cheese, onion, and cilantro

NOTES:

Technically, you’re supposed to use 1 pasilla pepper, 2 guajillo pepper, and 1 mortia pepper for this recipe. However, I surprisingly didn’t have any guajillo peppers (I keep alot of peppers). In this instance, more pasilla worked amazingly. But just so you know, now you know. Might be easier just using 2 peppers anyway.