While doing research for this post, I found references to many different ways of making red chile sauce. In Mexico alone, there are as many ways to prepare this sauce as there are varieties of chilies! There are even more when you take into account the regional twists.
A Basic Red Chile Sauce
The following is a recipe for a basic red chile sauce, made with ancho chiles (also known as pasilla chiles - see notes). The basic technique was taught to me by my Mexican friend, Arturo Vargas, and helped along with notes from Diana Kennedy’s From My Mexican Kitchen: Techniques and Ingredients.
How To Make Your Own Tamale Sauce
Why make your own sauce? Making your own red chile sauce is not much different than making your own spaghetti sauce. If you have the time, it’s worth doing! Not only do you create a sauce with fantastic taste, but dried chilies are also inexpensive and easy to store. If you are making up a large batch of tamales, enchiladas, or chili beans, you will likely need a lot of sauce. If you make homemade chile sauce, you can easily make as much tamale sauce, enchilada sauce, etc. as you need. Do you have a favorite recipe for Mexican or Tex-Mex homemade chile sauce? If so, please let us know in the comments. Their color and their mild heat make them useful in sauces like red chile sauce. For an added dimension to the flavor of this recipe, using half guajillo chilies will bring in some fruity notes that complement the anchos’ earthy notes. Although ancho and pasilla chile peppers are two different species of pepper, in Michoacan, Mexico, anchos are called pasillas. Parts of the U.S. where Michoacans immigrated sometimes interchange the terms pasilla and ancho.
How To Prep Chiles for Sauce
Prepping dried ancho chiles is a simple process.
Using a sharp pairing knife, slice the pepper in half length-wise.Remove the stem and scoop out all the seeds and veins.Heat the chiles in a skillet quickly (see Step 2).Soften the heated chiles in boiling water (see Step 3).
How To Store or Freeze Red Chile Sauce
Refrigerate the sauce, covered, up to 5 days. To freeze, pour into freezer-safe containers, remove all air, and freeze up to 3 months. Defrost in the refrigerator. Reheat on the stovetop until just heated through before using.
Ways To Use Mexican Red Chile Sauce
Red Chile Chicken Enchiladas Easy Enchiladas Chilaquiles Texas Stacked Enchiladas With Corn and Black Beans Tamale Pie
Reserve a few of the seeds or veins for adding later if you want added heat. Note when working with chiles, either wear protective gloves or wash your hands very thoroughly with soap and warm water after handling the chilies. Do not touch or rub your eyes if you have been handling chili peppers. Press down on the opened chiles and leave for a few seconds. Turn the chiles over and heat a few seconds more. You do not want to toast or burn the chiles! If they burn, they’ll turn bitter. Just heat them enough to draw out more of their flavor. (OR place the chiles in a small saucepan and pour boiling water over them to cover. Let sit for 15 minutes, until softened.) Purée for 2 minutes, until the sauce is completely smooth. Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning. If you want more heat, add in a few of the seeds or veins and purée some more. Add more salt if needed. Bring to a simmer and reduce heat to maintain the simmer, cook for 10 minutes. Skim off the foam. Remove from heat. Use immediately or pour into a glass jar (plastic will get stained) and refrigerate.
