Chile Stew

This chile stew recipe has been a favorite of my family for years, and is especially satisfying on a cold winter’s day. Although you can experiment with different chiles, even green or red, my go-to is Chimayo red. The meat can be either beef or turkey.  

Servings: 6       Serving size: 1 cup      Preparation time: 30 minutes   Total time: 1-1/2 hour

Ingredients 1 pound ground beef or turkey 1 large onion, chopped (1 cup) 1 medium green pepper, chopped 3 medium cloves garlic, minced *1 tablespoon N.M. chili powder  1 teaspoon cumin seed, freshly crushed 1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves 1 bay leaf 1 teaspoon unsweetened baking cocoa 28 oz canned crushed tomatoes 1 can (15 oz) red kidney beans, undrained ​2 tablespoons red wine vinegar Toppings may include grated cheese, chopped cilantro, a dollop of sour cream or plain yogurt. *If you have some Secret Santa Fe Chile Sauce in your fridge, substitute 1-1/2 to 2 tablespoons of the sauce for the spices.

Directions ​1. In a 3-quart saucepan, cook meat, onion, and green pepper over medium-high heat until meat is almost brown. Add the garlic only for the last few minutes so it won’t burn. 2. Add the rest of the ingredients, stirring well. 3. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered about 1 hour, stirring occasionally. ​4. Remove bay leaf and ladle the chili into bowls. Add toppings.

I adopted this recipe from Craig Claiborne who discovered that adding vinegar eliminates the need for salt.

I hope you enjoy my recipes. Let me know if you’ve tried any of them and how they turned out.

Good cooking to you! 

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