A Valentine-red, winter-warming New Mexico classic
This dish will provide a winter warm-up and goes great with everything from mashed potatoes, rice, or fried tortillas on the side.
This hearty dish brings together tender beef, earthy beets and the deep, smoky warmth of New Mexico red chile. It’s rich without being heavy– and perfect for February evenings. Ingredients for this month’s recipe were sourced from La Montanita Co-op in Nob Hill, Albuquerque and cost $35 for four to six servings.
Share this meal with your loved ones this month–or, to keep with the Valentine’s Day theme, try one of these recipes from our website: Chocolate Beet Brownies, Beets with a Creamy Red Chile Dressing (vegetarian and vegan alternative to this month’s recipe); or Hot Honey, perfect for drizzling over pizza, roasted vegetables, or fried chicken.
Ingredients
For the beef:
- 2½ lbs beef chuck (or similar beef cut), cut into large chunks
- Salt and black pepper
- 2 Tbsp. oil
- 1 onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 Tbsp. New Mexico red chile powder (medium or hot, to taste)
- 1 Tbsp. flour
- 2½ cups beef broth
- 1 TBL Mexican oregano
- 1 tsp. ground cumin
- 1 bay leaf
For the beets:
- 4 medium beets, peeled and cut into wedges
- 1 Tbsp. olive oil
- Salt and pepper
To finish:
- 1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar or red wine vinegar
- Honey or brown sugar, to taste (optional)
- Chopped cilantro or parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Roast the beets
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Toss beets with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Roast for 30–40 minutes, until tender and lightly caramelized. Set aside.
- Brown the beef
- Season beef generously with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown beef in batches; remove and set aside.
- Build the red chile base
- Lower heat to medium. Add onion and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add red chile powder and flour, stirring constantly for 1 minute to bloom the chile.
- Braise
- Slowly whisk in beef broth, scraping up browned bits. Add oregano, cumin, bay leaf, and return beef to the pot. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook on low for 2–2½ hours, until beef is fork-tender.
- Finish with beets
- Stir roasted beets into the pot during the last 20 minutes of cooking. Add vinegar and a touch of honey if desired to balance the chile.
- Serve
- Remove the bay leaf. Garnish with cilantro or parsley. Serve with warm tortillas, blue cornbread, or mashed potatoes.
This recipe is a New Mexico Farmers Marketing Association original, created by the Marketing Team.
