Red Chile Braised Beef
We find ourselves eating in, rather than going out, more than not. For one thing, the food is often better, or just simpler. Maybe I’m getting grouchy, but after a recipe trip where I ate our every meal, all I wanted was a plate of grilled fish or roasted chicken, and some vegetables. Or just a simple salad with some bread and cheese.
Another is that I’m fairly picky about ingredients and my partner has learned to take my advice when selecting fruits and vegetables as I don’t like to bring anything home that isn’t the best of the market. Which means I often go around and around and around, until I’m absolutely satisfied that I’ve got the best of the bunch.
One thing I don’t cook very often, though, is beef. It’s not that I don’t like it, but when I eat at home, I bow to requests by my other-half to make things more vegetable-centric.
Vegetables require more work, which I don’t mind. But when people ask me why restaurants in France don’t feature more vegetables, I tell them that it takes a lot more time to select, and prepare, a nice plate of vegetables, much more so than adding a mound of rice or mashed potatoes to a plate
Another reason I like to cook at home is that I can eat whatever I want. Often I just want a big salad for dinner, and other times I crave something like Pasta Puttanesca, Harissa-spiced Chicken, or Onion Rings, which aren’t on local menus.
Mexican food is something that has traditionally been lacking in Paris. And while those who don’t live here wonder why anyone would want Mexican food in Paris, a number of places have opened over the past few years that are pretty good, except for one place we tried recently that was awful – my chicken taco had cubes of unseasoned boiled chicken piled on it and another way runny black bean liquid with stringy mushrooms on it.
But you don’t find long-simmered Mexican dishes, like mole or enchiladas. (Although occasionally you score when a friend from Oaxaca comes over to cook for you.)
Back on the homefront, I’m pretty well-stocked with dried chiles from friends and guests who arrive with packages of foodstuffs, which often includes bags of various dried red pepper. I’ve used them to make chili, but when I was leafing through Repertoire by Jessica Battilana, subtitled “All the recipes you need,” the red chile braised beef sounded like something I needed.
The beauty of this book isn’t just the vibrant salads, like The Greenest Green Salad bathed in Green Goddess Dressing, or Vietnamese Noodles with Pork Meatballs, or Cocoa Oat Cookies, or S’mores Tart, it’s that almost all the recipes are things that I truly want to make, and eat. Oh, and there’s a recipe for Candy Pork in the book, that’s also bookmarked.
This Red Chile Braised Beef is one of those dishes that takes a little bit of effort to put together, but there’s no fancy techniques or equipment necessary. (Although if you have one of those Insta Pots, which I’ve been mulling over getting*, you could probably have it on the table in less time.)
You simmer dried red chiles until soft, then puree them. While that’s happening, you can brown off the chunks of beef. Once both are ready, you add everything together and cook it up until you’ve got a big, rich pot of meltingly tender chunks of beef in a slightly spicy sauce that slicks the meat. When I opened the lid to the pot…I was impressed!
Everyone loves leftovers and the braised beef is even better the next day. We enjoyed them as tacos one day for lunch, with pickled red onions and a sprinkle of cilantro. I did find adding a dash of chipotle sauce on the tacos gave them an extra boost of smoky flavor. They’d also be good with pickled jalapeños and carrots, the kind I used to fill up on at taquerias in San Francisco, with all the fresh radishes they’d put out, too. I sometimes amaze even myself with how many radishes I can eat.
Tacos are another story and I limit myself to three, although I really loaded these ones up with braised beef so two was enough. Thankfully we had more for the next day, and the next…
| Red Chile Braised Beef | Print Recipe |
| 6 to 8 servings |
Serving: Serve the beef over rice or with warm tortillas and any condiments you like, for homemade tacos. Another option is to serve it with homemade cornbread.
Storage: The braised beef is actually better 1 to 2 days after it's made. The beef will keep, refrigerated, for 3 to 4 days. It can be rewarmed in a pot over low heat. If the sauce is too thick when you're rewarming it, add a bit of stock or water to thin it out.
Ingredient Notes: For those outside of the U.S., specifically in France, I use ricotta salata (dried ricotta) for queso fresco, which is available at some Italian food shops. Fresh tortillas may be harder to find. There was a fresh tortilla company in Paris but they've closed. I have found tortillas at Middle Eastern food markets on occasion. If you're a DIY type and want to make your own corn tortillas, BocaMexa sells masa harina, as well as corn tortillas. One mail-order company in France is Casamex.
Beef chuck in France would be stewing meat, which often goes under the name "bœuf bourguignon" at butcher shops. Paléron of beef is a cut that is braised. Plat de côtes is another.
*I have a slow cooker that’s still in the box after 3+ years. So perhaps I don’t need one.
I do something similar in the crockpot: chuck roast, onion, diced potato and canned pintos (both optional), smear a few canned chipotles in adobo sauce and sprinkle generously with dried oregano, and cook all day.
I love chipotles. I added a few shots of chipotle sauce when serving these tacos, which adds a nice smoky flavor.
I’d use Mexican oregano in both this and David’d recipe. Neither Italian nor Greek oregano don’t have quite the correct flavor profile.
I’ll be making this recipe tomorrow for weekend enjoyment with local grass fed Angus beef and some home grown and dried spicy chiles to serve as tacos. Mmm my mouth is watering and I’m usually not a beef fan. I keep a jar of pickled onions in the fridge for snacking. Thanks for two marvelous recipes.
You’re two days too late with this–I did Mexican (carnitas) for July 4, which I considered the best culinary choice for the day. But I will make this one, too!
Thanks for the tips for tortillas. When I am being a stickler, I make my own flour tortillas, but masa harina unknown in these parts. I can’t wait to order some real corn tortillas! I used to buy fresh from a tortilleria and just eat a few on the spot, plain. I love them. Maybe because my first job was in a Mexican restaurant.
Re a mijoteuse: they are excellent for kitchens without air conditioning (like most of France). I am longing for one myself.
We had fish tacos (*real* American food) for the 4th, up here in Germany. Luckily the local “Asia Shop” has a small section with Mexican products, including masa harina. Before I discovered that I was ordering it online, and it wasn’t terribly expensive. I traded my hula hoop for a tortilla press (how Berkeley is that?) before we moved here and I don’t regret it for a second – I make fresh corn tortillas at least once a week. Despite my vegetarian tendencies, that photo and the word “carnitas” have inspired me to change my menu plan for the weekend…dang, I’m hungry and it’s not even lunchtime!
When I searched for an Instant Pot online, I couldn’t find them available in France. (I thought they were?) But Amazon FR says “Actuellement indisponible,” and said they didn’t know when they’d be back. I heard they make good rice so figured I could replace my rice cooker with one. But I guess I’ll have to wait…
What you need is a pressure cooker..the BEST tool for a braise. I really enjoy your website. Cheers, Lisa
Hello David,
Somewhat off subject but fresh and Paris markets are mainstay in your writing yet I recently read an article about how expensive the Paris markets are, if not impertinent, how do you it?
I don’t find the markets in Paris all that expensive, although some of it is relative. I usually buy stuff in season, for example, stone fruits like nectarines and apricots when they are at their peak, can had for around €1,50 per kilo (2.2 pounds), although they are not direct from the farmers (like most of the produce at the markets in Paris) but from negotiants who get their goods from Rungis wholesale market. For that reason, it’s hard to compare the prices to a greenmarket or farmers’ market in the U.S. where the sellers actually grow their own produce and it’s more expensive. Outside of Paris, in the countryside, there’s more produce that is sold by the growers and the prices are (I think) reasonable. I haven’t had many people be rude to me at the markets, but you have to follow certain rules of behavior (like not to touch the produce unless you know its ok with the vendor) and things like that.
This would be the perfect recipe to try in an Instant Pot – Highly recommend!
This is something that I do often, but I use arm roast or pork butt because all that tendon and sinew break down into beautiful goodness and the beef arm is especially flavorful braised in this method. I also add a halved lemon to the braising liquid and it’s quite amazing.
Great recipe, David! Thank you and keep up the great work!
If anyone tries this in the Instant Pot, please post your method!
Living in Spain I discovered the frugal housewife uses a pressure cooker for a great many things. For me the prime boon was stock. The Instant Pot is a great improvement and being a freestanding electric/electronic appliance it doesn’t crowd the hob. I would highly recommend it.
Hello David: I enjoy your blog very much. Thank you for sharing your delightful Parisian life. Regarding thickening with masa harina, that step does give meats and or soup/braises a very pleasing smell and flavour. Something distinctively Mexican that I miss a lot now that I do not travel there anymore.
David, this looks delicious, and I can’t wait to try making them. What kind of cheese did you crumble on top? I am fortunate to live in an area with some great Hispanic grocery stores, but I find the selection overwhelming!
I’ve been making this as Chile Colorado since the 70’s and it’s one of my favorite recipes. The only difference is I usually add some Mexican oregano but no coriander or brown sugar (alhough I will try next time). I cut the beef into much smaller cubes.
This recipe is one I often use to compare the difference between a standard braise and the Instant Pot. The standard braise is far superior in my opinion – more intense and flavorful. I find the Instant Pot can produce meat that tastes a bit more steamed than roasted. That said, however, using a pressure cooker allows me to enjoy this recipe in an hour and thus more often.
My Instant Pot method is to layer the ingredients using one cup stock or water and cook for 35 – 37 minutes. Not as refined but still delicious. On the menu today!
Laura L: It’s called queso fresco, a fresh Mexican cheese. Depending on where you live, you can find it in store that sell Mexican foods although many supermarkets in the U.S. also sell it. If not, it’s not difficult to make. In fact, it’s kind of fun! How to make queso fresco (Serious Eats)
P Adams: I was going to add dried oregano but I only have the kind from Sicily, which, as you mentioned, is different than Mexican oregano. So I didn’t. But it’s a good addition : )
Mary Ross: Thanks! You’re right on the masa harina for the flavor, although I was concerned people couldn’t get it. (It’s a challenge to find it in Paris…) I was going to try it with very finely ground cornmeal, which isn’t quite the same. But I gave Jessica’s proportions for the addition of masa harina in case people want to try it.
I too recommend the Instant Pot, an electric pressure cooker, for dishes like this, including pork ribs.
Not a fan of the slow cooker or crock pot however….
I’m always the last to jump on the band wagon so don’t have and probably won’t get the Intant Pot
but just acquired a large oval Le Creuset pot that will be perfect for this. I might add jalapeño slices, avocado would be nice too….
Oh my land, David! I’m on day six of a two week medical fast and have been torturing myself with cookbook and online pictures of food, but those tacos look heavenly!! Don’t know if they were white corn tortillas, but you can always make them with wheat flour. I had to follow your link to the Mexican Dinner with Susana Trilling post and laughed out loud when I read “And if this isn’t grounds for a break-up, I just found out that Romain doesn’t like tortillas.” I like corn torts with my tacos, but my husband prefers flour torts, so that’s what I make for him. But you made me laugh.
I promise I’m going to try this recipe just as soon as I can eat meat again!
This looks delicious! If it weren’t 103 in the shade here in SoCal, I would make this in a heart beat. Will definitely try when the weather cools down.
Thank you, David, for this recipe and review of it. I have been looking at this cookbook for a while, on the fence to see if anyone cooked from it that I regularly read. And you did! I cook at home almost every single day, and I think that leads to definite preferences as well as cooking fatigue. However, if I eat out, I invariably think about how I would have done it differently. This may be due to my age. We old folks (not you!) get set in our ways, I guess, and like you, I enjoy simple home cooking more than elaborate restaurant meals. Thanks again for this!
I never make any Mexican food because we have the best Mexican taqueria 300 meters from our house. Your recipe looks wonderful and I am tempted. I’ll be in Paris in a couple of weeks and can’t wait to go visit my favorite places.
I made this in my Instapot and it turned out well. I used 2.5 lbs of beef, and about 2 cups of chicken stock. I followed the recipe instructions through step 6. I programmed the Instapot to cook for 40 min.
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I made this yesterday and it came out wonderful! It was my first foray into cooking a Mexican dish. The dried chilies have a rich, complex, and almost chocolatey flavor. I’ll be checking Jessica’s book out. Thanks David!
Sounds so appetizing, quite a dish for summer weather! I really enjoy your recipes and writing :)
I just made this and it is amazing! Such an easy and excellent recipe. Thank you for sharing this delicious recipe with me!
Beware of crockpots and instant pots, as J. Kenji López-Alt has explained, the don’t really give depth and flavors to stews.
His take on the subject is absolutely brilliant and I will never ever change my Le Creuset.
https://www.seriouseats.com/2016/10/why-pressure-cookers-are-better-than-slow-cookers.html
I know people who have slow cookers swear by them (although in my experience, people often swear by things…then a few years later, change their tune…) The problem with the instant pressure cooker, for me, would be that I can’t check inside to see what’s happening. It’s hard to standardize, say, the length of cooking time for green beans or a piece of beef. You can’t say “Cook the green beans for 6 1/2 minutes” since sometimes green beans are more tender, other times bigger and tougher. But I’m told the machine somehow can regulate that. But the Instant Pots are no longer available in France, so I guess I’ll have to wait longer to try one :)
This looks seriously good, David! Love how you added more information on serving, storage, and ingredients especially for those who live outside the USA. And thank you for providing us spicy lovers with an idea on how we can spice things up more. We are excited to try this this week! It sounds silly but do you think using another type of meat, say chicken, would go well with this recipe? Thanks a bunch!
I think pork shoulder would work. Not sure about chicken but you could try turkey thighs which are “meaty” and work well in slow-braised dishes. The cooking time would likely be less; just cook until the meat is very tender. If you do try it with turkey (or pork), let us know how it turns out.