Chile Colorado Beef (Slow Cooker)

Slow cooker chile Colorado beef with tender pulled chuck roast in red chile sauce

Chile Colorado Beef (Slow Cooker)

Chile Colorado beef made in the slow cooker is an easier way to make tender chuck roast in red chile sauce without preparing the sauce from dried chiles. The beef cooks low and slow until it pulls apart easily, then masa harina and chili powder are used to thicken the sauce.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Mexican-Inspired

Keyword chile colorado beef, chile colorado recipe, Chile Colorado Style Beef (Slow Cooker), chuck roast recipe, red chile beef, slow cooker chile Colorado, slow cooker chile Colorado beef, slow cooker chuck roast

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 8

Total Time 8 10

Servings

Calories 550kcal

Author Cathy Pollak

Equipment

slow cooker (6-7 quart). Provides enough capacity for the chuck roast and red chile sauce without overcrowding the cooker.
Cutting board or platter (large). Gives you enough room to pull the cooked chuck roast apart before returning it to the sauce.
meat shredders or two forks. Used to pull the tender chuck roast apart.
whisk Incorporates the masa harina and chili powder into the red chile sauce before the beef is returned to the slow cooker.

Ingredients

1 (28 oz 794 g) can Las Palmas Red Chile Sauce
3 beef bouillon cubes
¼ cup plus 2 tbsps (~46 g) Gebhardt chile powder divided
1 tbsp (6 g) ground cumin
1 tbsp (3 g) dried oregano leaves
2 tsps (5 g) onion powder
1 tsp (3 g) garlic powder
1 tsp (2 g) finely ground pepper
5 lbs (2.27 kg) boneless beef chuck roast trimmed of most visible fat
¼ cup (30 g) masa harina

Instructions

Add the red chile sauce, beef bouillon, 2 tablespoons chili powder, cumin, oregano, onion powder, garlic powder and black pepper to a 6- to 7-quart slow cooker and stir to mix. Add the chuck roast and turn to coat it in the sauce. For more consistent cooking time, avoid putting the beef into the slow cooker refrigerator-cold. Cover and cook on LOW until the beef pulls apart easily with a fork, about 7 hours for one large roast. Begin checking earlier if using two smaller roasts, since they can become tender sooner. If the beef is still firm or difficult to pull apart, continue cooking and check again every 30 minutes until it pulls apart easily.
1 (28 oz 794 g) can Las Palmas Red Chile Sauce, 3 beef bouillon cubes, ¼ cup plus 2 tbsps (~46 g) Gebhardt chile powder, 1 tbsp (6 g) ground cumin, 1 tbsp (3 g) dried oregano leaves, 2 tsps (5 g) onion powder, 1 tsp (3 g) garlic powder, 1 tsp (2 g) finely ground pepper, 5 lbs (2.27 kg) boneless beef chuck roast
Transfer the chuck roast to a large cutting board or platter and pull the beef apart with two forks. The red chile sauce will be thin at this point. For a thinner sauce, return the beef to the slow cooker and stir it into the sauce.
To thicken the sauce, leave the slow cooker on LOW and whisk the remaining ¼ cup chili powder and masa harina into the sauce until well incorporated. Return the pulled beef to the slow cooker and stir to coat. Cover and cook on LOW for 1 hour longer, or until the sauce has thickened.
¼ cup (30 g) masa harina

Video

Notes

Use one large chuck roast or two smaller chuck roasts totaling approximately 5 pounds. Two smaller roasts will often become tender sooner, so begin checking them before the suggested cooking time.
The cooking time is a guide. Starting temperature, the size and thickness of the roast and differences among slow cookers can affect how long the beef takes to become tender. If it doesn't pull apart easily with a fork, continue cooking it.
Use Las Palmas Red Chile Sauce, not enchilada sauce. The two aren't interchangeable in this recipe and will give you a different result.
I use regular Gebhardt Chili Powder. Don't substitute chipotle chile powder, cayenne or another concentrated ground chile for it.
The masa harina thickens the red chile sauce and also contributes flavor. If you prefer the sauce thinner, you can skip the thickening step and return the pulled beef directly to the sauce.

Nutrition