Red Chile Sauce

This is the workhorse red chile sauce of New Mexican kitchens, the one ladled over enchiladas, folded into burritos, and spooned across huevos rancheros. Rather than pureeing whole pods, this version starts with a roux of lard and flour cooked until lightly browned, which thickens the sauce and lends a gentle, nutty backbone.

Ground red chile is the soul of it, and the recipe is smart about adding it gradually. Chile powder varies a lot in heat and depth from batch to batch, so you stir in a little, taste, then build up to the strength you want.

Whisk the stock in slowly for a smooth, lump-free sauce, add a little tomato if you like, and simmer at least ten minutes. That simmer is what tames the raw, dusty edge of the chile and melds everything into a deep, savory sauce.

Kitchen Tips

• Cook the roux until it just turns golden for a nuttier flavor, stirring so it doesn’t scorch and turn bitter.
• Add the ground chile in stages and taste as you go, since chile potency varies and you can’t take heat back out.
• Whisk the liquid in slowly and constantly to keep the sauce silky and free of lumps.
• Simmer at least 10 minutes, longer if you can, to cook out the raw chile taste and deepen the flavor.

Variations

• Use vegetable oil and vegetable stock to make it meatless.
• Add a pinch of cumin, Mexican oregano, or a square of dark chocolate for more complexity.
• Skip the tomato for a purer, straight-chile sauce.