This deliciously dark Molé Chuchilo Negro comes from Oaxaca and goes well on meat. The Chilhuacles Negros Chiles have a rich, dark flavor and moderate heat that are enhanced with roasted and charred ingredients. This molé is often served with wild game such as Venison or Boar and it also goes well with Pork or Beef. This molé is not often made and is usually reserved for funerals and other major events.

The other chile used here is Pasilla Negro. This adds a lighter chili flavor and a little fruity sweetness. If you can’t find them locally they are available here at Amazon.com

Watch a Video

Here is a video of 2 Cooks in the Kitchen making Molé Chuchilo Negro:

The Ingredients For Molé Chuchilo Negro:

• 10 Chilhuacles Negros chiles
• 2 Pasilla Chiles
• 3 Tomatoes
• 2 Tomatillos
• 1 Onion
• 5 Garlic Cloves
• 2 Corn Tortillas
• 1 tsp Mexican Oregano
• 1/8 tsp Thyme
• 1/8 tsp Cumin Seed
• 1/8 tsp Cloves
• 1/8 tsp Black Pepper
• 3 Cups Beef Broth
• 1/4 Cup Oil, lard or Bacon Grease
• 1/2 Cup Masa Harina with 1/2 Cup Water

Prepare the Dried Chiles

To prepare the chiles for this recipe, remove the stems and seeds from 10 Chilhuacles Negros and 2 Pasilla Negros, tearing the peppers into pieces as you go. Save the seeds and set aside. Roast all the pieces in a dry pan. I like to do this in a cast iron pan outside on the grill as the chiles release a lot of fumes that can be difficult to breathe. If you do it inside just have good ventilation. The goal here is to get the chiles to carmelize and release their sugars and flavors a bit but be careful not to burn them. Frequent stirring is a good idea.

Soak the Chiles

Once the chiles are roasted they go into a hot water bath to soften for 20 to 30 minutes.

Toast and Burn the Seeds and Tortillas

Put the seeds and two tortillas in the pan and cook them until they dry out. I use the flame of the grill to light the tortillas on fire and throw them back in the pan with the seeds. Once the seeds start to burn – and this will happen quickly – throw the pan contents into a bowl of cold water and soak for 5 minutes. Alternatively you can add cold water to the pan to put the fire out. The goal here is to get the seeds darkened, but not turn them to ash. Parts of the tortillas should be black but not the whole thing. This will preserve a nutty flavor in addition to some char.

Roast the Tomatoes and Tomatillos

Cut the tomatoes and tomatillos into quarters and roast them to blacken the skins a bit. You could probably do this in the same cast iron pan but that may get messy and stick. What has worked best for me is to put them under the broiler in a baking pan.

Toast the Onions and Garlic

Cut the onion into pieces and separate the garlic cloves but don’t peel them. Toast onions and garlic in a pan with a little bit of oil to get some color on the outside. When they are done, transfer the garlic to a cutting board to cool before peeling. You’ll find they peel easily after toasting.

Make Tortilla Dough

In a small mixing bowl, Mix together 1/2 cup Masa Harina and 1/2 cup warm water. Masa Harina is the corn flour that we make tortillas from. This ratio is the same we would use to make tortillas, so we are basically making a small amount of tortilla dough. Mix it together well and work it into a nice smooth ball.

Blend Garlic, Onion, Spices and Herbs

Now that we have prepared our ingredients it is time to blend up the sauce. Start with 1 cup of the beef broth, add garlic, onion, spices and herbs and blend well. At this point the sauce is quite light in color but don’t worry, the color will darken considerably with the next additions.

Strain Tortillas and Seeds and Add Them

Strain the tortillas and seeds and add them to the blender. Discard the water. It helps to tear the tortillas into smaller pieces.

Add the Chiles

Strain the chiles and add them to the blender. Save the water and reserve. (This water has a lot of chile flavor and you can use it for other things such as boiling water for chochoyotes or flavoring other side dishes).

Add Beef Broth and Blend Until Smooth

Add 1 cup of the beef broth and blend until very smooth. You can add a little more beef stock if you need to help get this smoother. This is your last chance to get everything smooth as we are not going to strain this sauce. The sauce will be a lot darker now!

Cook the Sauce

Add 1/4 cup of bacon grease, lard or oil to a large soup pot over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the contents of the blender and stir well. Don’t rinse the blender at this point. Cook for 10 minutes stirring frequently.

Blend Tomatoes and Tomatillos and Add Them To the Pot

While that is cooking add the tomatoes and tomatillos to the blender. Blend until smooth. When the 10 minutes are up, add these to the pot and cook for 10 more minutes.

Blend the Tortilla Dough With Beef Broth and Add To the Pot

Blend the masa with another cup of the beef broth. When the tomatoes have been cooking for 10 minutes add this to the pot. Stir this frequently to avoid sticking to the bottom.

Add Beef Broth and Cook

Add the rest of the beef broth and cook for 15 to 20 minutes until the molé has thickened to the consistency you like. If you want to put cooked meat and/or vegetables in with your molé you can do so at this point. Otherwise, you will have a sauce that can be used in a variety of ways. In the video above we served it over Beef Brisket with sides of Chayote, Chochoyotes and Green Beans. We have used the Molé Chuchilo Negro to cook shredded chicken for tacos and we have cooked chicken thighs in molé. This is a very delicious and versatile sauce.

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Here are some more molé recipes:

• Molé Colorado
• Molé Verde
• Molé Amarillo
• Classic Molé Rojo
• Easy Molé Rojo
• Molé Coloradito
• Molé Manchamanteles
• Molé Poblano
• Oaxacan Molé Negro

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