📍 Durango

Caldillo duranguense (Durango beef stew)

Name: Caldillo duranguense (Durango beef stew)
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 60 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 500 g beef, in small cubes; 3 green chiles, roasted, peeled, and cut into strips; 3 tomatoes, chopped; 1/2 onion, chopped; 2 garlic cloves; Beef broth or water; Oil and salt

· Lunch

A brothy beef stew with green chile and tomato, the signature dish of Durango.

Editorial content by WorldBites · 2026-10-04 · Contact

⏱ 60 min🍽 4 servings📊 Easy🏷 Commonly associated🌱 Gluten-free🌱 Dairy-free

Preparation: 20 min
Cooking: 40 min
Waiting and resting: 0 min

History

Caldillo is the most representative dish of Durango, a legacy of ranch life in the semi-desert. In its classic version it's made with dried or fresh beef, roasted green chile, and tomato, forming a light broth eaten with a flour tortilla.

Ingredients

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Preparation

1
Sear the beef in hot oil with the onion and garlic.
2
Add the tomato and cook until it breaks down.
3
Stir in the green chile strips.
4
Pour in the broth and simmer over low heat until the meat is tender and the stew is flavorful.
5
Adjust the salt and serve with flour tortillas.

Cooking tips

Start with 1 liter stock and add more for a brothier stew; the beef cut determines the final cooking time.

Technique and preparation

What to check during preparation

Cut meat into short strips that are easy to eat with a spoon. Brown in batches and retain the browned bits in the pot; broth will loosen them. Cook tomato until it loses its watery appearance before combining the ingredients. Hydrate chile pasado and remove tough portions. Aim for a light broth with tender meat. If too much liquid evaporates, add hot liquid and adjust salt at the end.