Red Chile Enchilada Sauce from Dried Pods
This sauce relies on the intensity of the dried chile rather than heavy additives. It is thin, bright, and carries a depth that canned versions cannot replicate.
Patience with the pods makes the difference.
Remove as many seeds as possible to keep the sauce from becoming bitter. Your goal is the pliable flesh of the chile, not the heat of the interior ribs.
- large skillet
- high-speed blender
- fine-mesh sieve
- tongs
What goes in.
- 10-12dried New Mexico or Guajillo chile pods
- 3 cupsboiling water
- 3 clovesgarlic, peeled
- 1 tspground cumin
- 1 tspsalt
- 1 tbspneutral oil
The fine mesh pass
No matter how strong your blender is, there will be bits of skin. Pressing the finished sauce through a fine-mesh sieve ensures a velvet texture.
The method.
Toast the chiles
Heat a dry skillet over medium-high heat. Lay the pods flat and toast for 30 seconds per side until they smell like warm tobacco. Do not let them char or they will turn acrid.
Soak
Remove stems and seeds. Place pods in a bowl and cover with 3 cups of boiling water. Weight them down with a plate to keep them submerged for 20 minutes.
Blend
Transfer the softened chiles to a blender. Add the garlic, cumin, salt, and 1 cup of the soaking liquid. Blend until the mixture is uniform.
Strain
Pour the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, using the back of a spoon to force the pulp through while leaving the tough skins behind.
Finish
Heat the oil in a clean pan over medium heat. Pour in the sauce and simmer for 5 minutes. The oil will emulsify with the chiles, darkening the color to a deep, rustic red.
Other turns to take.
Rich Finish
Whisk in a tablespoon of masa harina mixed with water at the end to thicken the sauce to a gravy-like consistency.
Roasted Garlic
Substitute the raw garlic with two cloves of oven-roasted garlic for a mellow, sweet undertone.
When it doesn't go to plan.
If the sauce is too thick after straining, add more of the reserved soaking liquid in small increments.
Wear kitchen gloves if you are sensitive to capsaicin, as the dried chiles can irritate skin.
The sauce keeps in the refrigerator for up to one week or can be frozen for several months.
The ones that keep coming up.
Why does my sauce taste bitter?
Usually, this happens because the seeds were left in or the chiles were toasted too long until they turned black.
Can I use chili powder instead?
No. The flavor and texture come from rehydrating the whole pod; spice-aisle powder will result in a grainy, muted sauce.
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