If you’re looking for something cozy, hearty, warming, and delicious, try this chile con carne y papas, or green chile beef with potatoes. It’s not difficult to make (at all!) and it’s well worth the effort because the flavors are magnificent. If you like Mexican food, you are definitely going to love this.
There are green and red versions of this dish, depending on what kind of chile peppers are used. This one is made with hatch chiles or whatever happens to be your favorite. That’s the great thing about making spicy Mexican dishes – you can adapt them to your preferences and palate.
Don’t forget to wear gloves when preparing fresh chiles. It doesn’t matter what kind of chiles you are using or how much care you think you’re taking. Accidentally rubbing your eye after handling chiles is never a fun experience! And although hatch chiles aren’t that spicy, it’ll still sting.
Why You’ll Love the Recipe:
This wonderful recipe is based on beef, potatoes and hatch chiles. Although 20 to 25 chile peppers might sound like a lot they aren’t even as spicy as jalapenos and this is a good amount to use, as they’ll be pureed up anyway. This is a tasty, warming and hearty dish everyone will love.
How to Serve It:
Enjoy it hot with some cilantro lime rice or another mild dish to contrast with those fiery chiles. Tortillas on the side are good as well.
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Can You Make It Ahead?
Cook the beef a day in advance in your slow cooker if you want, adding garlic, salt and pepper to taste. Keep the liquid and juices from the beef and add a little water, then that can be your beef store. Flank steak works well here. You can also fry the potatoes separately to crisp them up and then add to the meat mixture.
Storage Instructions:
Leftovers will keep for up to 4 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Variations and Substitutions:
Use your choice of flank or chuck roast, or another cheap stew type of cut. This isn’t a recipe for filet mignon! You can reduce the amount of hatch peppers if you want, or add extra garlic.
An authentic Mexican recipe, this tasty beef dish is really good. It’s flavored with garlic, herbs and spices, as well as hatch chiles, and it beautiful paired with rice or tortillas.
Chile Con Carne y Papas
Ingredients
- 2 pounds beef chuck roast or flank steak
- 2 peeled diced medium russet potatoes (about 4 cups)
- 4 or 5 minced garlic cloves
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Oil as needed
- 4½ cups beef broth
- 1 diced medium white onion
- 1½ teaspoons ground toasted cumin seeds
- 20 to 25 roasted hatch chile peppers or anaheim peppers
- 1 teaspoon crushed Mexican oregano
Instructions
- Season the beef with salt and pepper, then sear in 4 tablespoons of oil in a hot cast iron skillet for 5 minutes on each side.
- Put it into a crockpot with 8 cups of water and cook on high until tender. This will take 4 to 5 hours.
- Preheat a couple of tablespoons of oil in a deep skillet or Dutch oven and add the onions, garlic, and some salt and pepper. Saute for 6 to 8 minutes.
- Next, put 2 cups of the chiles in a blender and add a cup of the liquid from the crockpot.
- Blend until smooth.
- Cut the rest of the chiles into thin strips.
- Put the shredded beef, pureed sauce and 3½ cups of the remaining broth into the pot with the garlic and onions, and bring to a boil.
- Turn the heat down and simmer for 20 minutes.
- Add the potatoes to the pot (or fry them in oil to crisp them up and add flavor).
- Add the sliced chiles and then simmer for half an hour until the potatoes are cooked and the sauce has reduced a bit. If you prefer more liquid, you can stop cooking when the potatoes are only just tender.
- Enjoy!
