Slow Cooker Chili Colorado (Printable Version)

Tender beef cubes slow-cooked in a rich red chili sauce made from dried guajillo and ancho peppers, creating a deeply flavorful Mexican-style stew.

# What You Need:

01 - 2 pounds beef chuck roast, cut into 1-inch cubes

02 - 1 teaspoon kosher salt

03 - ½ teaspoon black pepper

04 - 4 dried guajillo chilies, stemmed and seeded

05 - 2 dried ancho chilies, stemmed and seeded

06 - 2 cups beef broth

07 - 1 medium onion, chopped

08 - 4 garlic cloves, minced

09 - 1 tablespoon tomato paste

10 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin

11 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano

12 - ½ teaspoon smoked paprika

13 - 1 tablespoon cornstarch (optional, for thickening)

14 - 2 tablespoons water (optional, for thickening)

15 - Fresh cilantro, chopped (for garnish)

01 - Toast chilies in a dry skillet over medium heat for 1–2 minutes until fragrant, being careful not to burn them.

02 - Place toasted chilies in a bowl and cover with hot water. Soak for 15 minutes until softened.

03 - Drain chilies and blend with 1 cup beef broth, onion, garlic, tomato paste, cumin, oregano, and paprika until smooth.

04 - Season beef cubes with salt and pepper. Transfer beef to the slow cooker.

05 - Pour the chili sauce over the beef. Add the remaining 1 cup beef broth. Stir to combine.

06 - Cook on low for 6–8 hours or until beef is very tender.

07 - For a thicker sauce, mix cornstarch with water to make a slurry. Stir into the slow cooker during the last 30 minutes.

08 - Serve hot, garnished with chopped cilantro. Enjoy with rice, tortillas, or beans.

01 -

The sauce develops this incredible depth that tastes like it simmered all day even though the active work is done in under 30 minutes
Your slow cooker does all the heavy lifting while you go about your life, coming home to the most comforting aroma
Freezes beautifully so you can portion it out for those nights when cooking anything feels impossible

02 -

Don't rush the chili toasting step or skip it altogether because that brief moment of heat wakes up all those dormant oils and flavors
The sauce might look thin right at first but trust the process because it will thicken beautifully as the beef releases its collagen
If you accidentally burn the chilies even slightly, start over because there's no coming back from that bitter taste

03 -

Pat the beef cubes completely dry before seasoning them so they develop better texture as they cook
If your sauce seems too bitter after blending, add a tiny pinch of sugar to balance it out