Maryland Red Chile Stew

Ingredients:

8 dried red Mexican chiles

2 pounds pork or beef stew meat, cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

4 cups beef broth, divided

Directions:

Arrange chiles on a cookie sheet and place in a 200 degree F oven for 5 minutes or until they smell like they are toasted. Be careful not to burn them. Remove the stems and seeds. Cover chiles with 2 cups of the beef broth and let sit for 20 minutes until they are softened. Place chiles and broth in a blender and puree until smooth. Brown meat in oil and remove from the pan.

Add 1 cup of the beef broth to the pan to deglaze it.Combine all ingredients in a crockpot or large pot, bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 2 hours, or until the meat is very tender and starts to fall apart, and the stew is thickened, adding more water if necessary.