Mole de Olla
Method
- Boil the beef Cover beef shank with water in a large pot, add salt, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until the meat is tender, about 1½–2 hours. Reserve the cooking broth. Remove beef and set aside.
- Char aromatics and chiles In a dry skillet over medium heat, char tomatoes, the soup onion, garlic, and the dried chiles until blistered and lightly blackened, turning so they char evenly.
- Blend Transfer the charred tomatoes, onion, garlic, and chiles to a blender. Add a cup of reserved beef broth to help blend and puree until smooth.
- Strain and combine Strain the blended mixture into a large pot to remove seeds/skins. Add more reserved beef broth to reach your preferred consistency. Return the beef shank to the pot and add the whole bunch of cilantro.
- Simmer Bring to a gentle simmer and cook 30–45 minutes to meld flavors and ensure the meat is falling off the bone.
- Add vegetables Add corn pieces and cook 8–10 minutes. Add chopped calabacita and cook another 4–6 minutes until just tender. Taste and adjust salt.
- Finish and serve Remove the cilantro bunch. Ladle into bowls and top with chopped onion and cilantro. Serve with warm tortillas.
Tips and Variations
- Adjust spice by removing seeds from árbol chiles or using fewer árboles.
- Blend ease: soak dried chiles in hot water 10 minutes if they’re very dry before charring.
- Broth control: reserve plenty of cooking liquid—it’s the base flavor. Thin with water or more broth if the strained puree makes the soup too thick.
- Protein swap: use beef short ribs or oxtail for richer flavor.
- Vegetable additions: add potatoes, carrots, or chayote if you like a heartier soup.
Time and Storage
- Cook time about 2–2½ hours total including simmer and char steps.
- Yield serves 4–6.
- Storage refrigerate up to 3 days; freeze up to 2 months. Reheat gently on the stove.
Enjoy with warm tortillas and a squeeze of lime if you like a bright finish.
