• Log In
    • ASK ABQ – Submit a Question
    • Submit a Photo
    • Submit a Story
    • Community Photos
    • About Us
    Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube
    Trending
    • Mom and son to open new restaurant in former Point Grill location
    • Photos: Northern Meadows decorates for Halloween
    Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube
    Neighborhood Journal Neighborhood Journal
    Login
    • Rio Rancho North
      1. Enchanted Hills
      2. Loma Colorado
      3. Mariposa
      4. Northern Meadows
      5. Rivers Edge
      6. View All

      PHOTOS: Trick-or-treat in Loma Colorado

      November 1, 2023

      A colorful Memorial Day morning in Loma Colorado

      May 29, 2023

      More Loma Colorado crosswalks to be removed this month

      March 2, 2023

      Spring sports kick off at ERMS

      February 9, 2023

      Mom and son to open new restaurant in former Point Grill location

      November 15, 2023

      Mariposa to host community yard sale

      October 12, 2023

      Mariposa Community Center suggests non-traditional Halloween activities

      October 12, 2023

      RRFR Station 6 officially open for business in Mariposa

      October 12, 2023

      Photos: Northern Meadows decorates for Halloween

      November 1, 2023

      Northern Meadows residents meet privately to discuss POA

      August 8, 2023

      Residents organize meetings to press Northern Meadows POA

      July 19, 2023

      New pizza food truck sets up in North Hills

      July 17, 2023

      Mom and son to open new restaurant in former Point Grill location

      November 15, 2023

      Photos: Northern Meadows decorates for Halloween

      November 1, 2023

      PHOTOS: Trick-or-treat in Loma Colorado

      November 1, 2023

      Mariposa to host community yard sale

      October 12, 2023
    • ABQ NW

      McKinney-Vento Program in urgent need of food donations for APS students

      October 10, 2023

      Experienced Teacher’s Vision for APS Board District 2: Safety, Accountability, and Academic Excellence

      October 9, 2023

      Potential Threat at Alvarado Elementary School Resolved Safely by APS Police

      October 8, 2023

      Trial Begins for Richard Alan Ross in 2018 Albuquerque Double Murder Case

      October 7, 2023

      Community Celebrates Chaparral Elementary for Reducing Chronic Absenteeism

      September 30, 2023
    • ABQ NE

      APD Homicide Detectives Probing Fatal Shooting at Eubank Strip Mall

      October 10, 2023

      McKinney-Vento Program in urgent need of food donations for APS students

      October 10, 2023

      Candidate for APS school board in District 4 stresses the importance of public education

      October 10, 2023

      Adam Cazares Convicted of First-Degree Murder in 2019 Robbery and Shooting Case

      October 8, 2023

      Hate Graffiti Found at La Cueva High School Prompts Investigation and Cleanup

      October 2, 2023
    • ABQ SE

      McKinney-Vento Program in urgent need of food donations for APS students

      October 10, 2023

      Candidate for APS school board in District 4 stresses the importance of public education

      October 10, 2023

      Man Arrested for Involuntary Manslaughter After Shooting Intruder in Southeast Albuquerque

      October 7, 2023

      Albuquerque’s Tiny Home Village Boosts Occupancy, Offering Hope to Residents

      October 2, 2023

      Albuquerque’s Role in World’s Space-Observation Missions Expanding with German Investment

      September 30, 2023
    • ABQ SW

      McKinney-Vento Program in urgent need of food donations for APS students

      October 10, 2023

      Juvenile Suspects Arrested for Shooting Homeless Individuals with BB Guns in Downtown Albuquerque.

      October 9, 2023

      Multiple Guns Found at West Mesa High School Raise Concerns About Campus Safety

      October 7, 2023

      Candidate for APS School Board District 1 Focuses on Equity and Inclusion

      October 7, 2023

      Albuquerque Boxer José Luis Sánchez Sees Golden Boy Opportunity in Upcoming Fight

      October 7, 2023
    • Submit a Photo
    Neighborhood Journal Neighborhood Journal
    Facebook Twitter Instagram
    Home » How to make New Mexico red chile sauce for the holidays
    Entertainment

    How to make New Mexico red chile sauce for the holidays

    Scott AlbrightBy Scott AlbrightNovember 23, 2022No Comments4 Mins Read
    Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email
    Two hands holding New Mexico red chile pods.
    Share
    Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Email

    Red chile sauce is a versatile and delicious easy to make addition to any holiday meal. Pour it over roasted or smoked turkey, mashed potatoes or add it to the gravy. It always goes well on top of homemade (or store-bought) tamales and some people even add it to their Bloody Mary mix. No matter how it’s used, it always adds a little fuego to a home cooked holiday meal, and in New Mexico is a staple item never to be forgotten.

    This simple recipe can be changed to create a thicker, chunkier paste by using less water and blending for a shorter time. There are many variations out there, including using chopped onion and garlic, but keeping it simple tends to make the flavors pop just a little more and allows it to appeal to people with more sensitive pallets. More spice and seasonings can always be added later.

     

    View this post on Instagram

     

    A post shared by Scott Albright (@albright.scott2022)

    Follow these steps for a simple red chile sauce

    ✔ Step One

    Find the best red chile possible. Always use New Mexico grown red chile pods. If the chile is from Colorado it will ruin the flavor and must be thrown out. Start with a bag of very hot Hatch red chile pods from a local vendor, or if necessary, purchase a bag from a nearby grocery store. In this recipe a 10-ounce bag of Bueno red chile pods was used.

    ✔ Step Two

    Remove the stems and seeds from the pods and place the pods in a large pot. Be careful not to touch any part of the body or skin after handling the red chiles. If by accident the chile comes in contact with the eyes, be sure to rinse with cold water immediately. Wearing disposable food prep gloves is recommended. It is okay to leave some seeds in as the seeds will make the sauce spicier, but too many seeds can cause it to be too hot and will require additional blending.

    Removing seeds from red chile pods.

    ✔ Step Three

    Add enough water to submerge the chile pods and place the pot on the stove. Put the burner on high and bring the pot to a boil, stirring the chile occasionally with a large wooden or metal spoon.

    Red chile pods boiling in large metal pot.

    ✔ Step Four

    Turn off the burner and carefully remove the pot from the stove and place on a towel atop the counter. Using tongs, remove the chiles from the pot and place into a blender. Do not use a strainer as the water in the pot will need to be added to the blender. Add about two cups of the chile water to the blender, or just enough to cover the bottom layer of chiles.

    ✔ Step Five

    Blend the chiles, or use the chop setting on the blender, until the chiles become a thick paste. Some people like the thicker paste for other recipes such as red chile salsa, soup, stew or beans. To thin the paste out, add enough water to create the desired consistency. A thicker, chunkier sauce may include seeds and bits of unblended chile pods that is not recommended over turkey or mashed potatoes.

    Checking red chile sauce for consistency.

    ✔ Step Six

    After getting the red chile sauce to the right consistency, add spices. In a small bowl, combine about one tablespoon each of salt, pepper, garlic powder and onion powder. Pour the spices into the blender and continue blending. Use a spoon to scoop out some of the sauce and blow on it before tasting. Add more spices if necessary. If the chile is not hot enough or the spices do not bring out additional flavors, more spices, chile pods and/or chile seeds can be added before blending again. If the sauce is too thick or too hot, more water can be added and blended in. Too much water will make the sauce runny though.

    Adding salt, pepper, garlic powder and onion powder to red chile sauce in blender.

    ✔ Step Seven

    Pour the sauce into a container for storage and/or serving. Red chile sauce can be frozen but it is recommended to eat right away. When kept in a sealed container in the refrigerator, red chile sauce will still be good to eat for at least one week and up to six months. With 10 ounces of red chile pods, about half the sauce will be used for a table of twelve. The remainder is typically used on leftover turkey and tamales. In addition to going well with turkey and mashed potatoes, the red chile sauce can be used on eggs, burritos, stuffed sopapillas, tortilla chips, soups, chicken, pork, beef – well, just about everything. Enjoy!

    Pouring red chile sauce into a storage container.

    holiday meals New Mexico cooking recipe red chile sauce spicy
    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email
    Scott Albright
    • Twitter

    Scott covers hyper-local news in the La Cueva High School area of Albuquerque. He previously worked for The Independent newspaper in Edgewood, NM and has published work in the Alibi, Sangre de Cristo Chronicle, Taos News, Big Island Chronicle, and Hawaii 24/7.

    Related Posts

    Mariposa Community Center suggests non-traditional Halloween activities

    October 12, 2023

    Yearning for Yellow

    September 24, 2023

    Albuquerque man accused of murder arrested in Phoenix

    July 18, 2023
    Add A Comment

    Comments are closed.

    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Instagram
    • YouTube
    About Us
    About Us

    The Neighborhood Journal aims to help residents be well informed about their neighborhood and feel more connected to their neighbors and community.

    Email Us: info@neighborhoodjournal.com
    Contact: +1-505-823-7200

    7777 Jefferson St. NE, Albuquerque

    PRIVACY POLICY

    Editor's Picks

    Mom and son to open new restaurant in former Point Grill location

    November 15, 2023

    Photos: Northern Meadows decorates for Halloween

    November 1, 2023

    PHOTOS: Trick-or-treat in Loma Colorado

    November 1, 2023
    Follow Us
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Instagram
    • YouTube
    Facebook Twitter Instagram
    • Home
    • About Us
    • Submit a Photo
    • Submit a Story
    © 2025 Neighborhood Journal. Website by Half Pixel.

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.

    Sign In or Register

    Welcome Back!

    Login to your account below.

    Continue with Facebook
    Continue with Google
    Lost password?