Chile Verde

Fork-tender chunks of pork shoulder braised in a tangy sauce made from char-roasted green chiles and tomatillos. Garnished with queso fresco, cilantro and red onions.

This Chile Verde is one of my favorite stews, and I've spent over a decade perfecting this recipe. With fall-apart tender chunks of pork in a green chili sauce made from roasted peppers and tomatillos, it's irresistibly delicious.

Course Entree, Soups & Stews

Cuisine Mexican

Keyword chili, stew

Level Beginner

Main Ingredient Pork

Diet Gluten-Free, Low-Carb

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 3 30

Total Time 4

Servings people

Calories 335kcal

Author Marc Matsumoto

Equipment

Ingredients

For Pork

2000 grams pork shoulder (cut into 3-inch cubes)
25 grams garlic (grated)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon cinnamon

For Chile Verde Sauce

500 grams Anaheim chili peppers (3-4 large peppers)
200 grams Poblano chili peppers (2 large peppers)
140 grams Jalapeño peppers (4 large peppers, to taste)
400 grams onion (2 medium onions, peeled and quartered)
1200 grams tomatillos

For Chile

4 cups low-sodium chicken stock
1 teaspoon Mexican oregano
1 large bay leaf
25 grams cilantro stems (chopped)
Salt (to taste)
Honey (to taste)
Sweet onions (chopped, for garnish)
Cilantro (minced, for garnish)
Queso fresco (crumbled, for garnish)

Grams + US Cups - US Standard

Instructions

Move the oven rack to the top position. Preheat the oven as hot as it will go or set it to broil.
Mix the 3 teaspoons salt, 2 teaspoons cumin and 1 teaspoon cinnamon together in a small bowl.
3 teaspoons salt, 2 teaspoons cumin, 1 teaspoon cinnamon
Add the 2000 grams pork shoulder to a large bowl and use your hand to work in the 2 tablespoons vegetable oil and 25 grams garlic. Sprinkle the salt mixture evenly over the pork and mix it in to distribute evenly. Let the pork marinate while you prepare the green chili sauce.
2000 grams pork shoulder, 25 grams garlic, 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
To make the Chile Verde Sauce, line up the 500 grams Anaheim chili peppers, 200 grams Poblano chili peppers, 140 grams Jalapeño peppers, and 400 grams onion in a single layer on a baking sheet and poke holes in the peppers with a knife or skewer.
500 grams Anaheim chili peppers, 200 grams Poblano chili peppers, 140 grams Jalapeño peppers, 400 grams onion
Roast the chilies on one side until the skin is blistered and starting to char (about 8-10 minutes). Flip the chilies over and continue to roast them until the second side starts to char. Set these aside to cool.
Remove the husks from the 1200 grams tomatillos and wash them repeatedly with cold water until they are no longer soapy. Place them in a single layer on the baking sheet and roast them in the oven until they start to char on top (about 10-15 minutes).
1200 grams tomatillos
When the chili peppers are cool enough to handle, put on some gloves and peel away any loose skin (you don't need to get it all). Split them open and use a spoon to scrape away the seeds from the chiles. Most of the heat in chili peppers is in the light colored membranes that connect the seeds to the pod, so you can adjust the peppers' heat by removing these or leaving them in place.
Add the cleaned chilies to a blender or food processor along with the onions, roasted tomatillos, and any juices from the peppers and tomatillos. Puree the mixture.
For the chili, pre-heat a large dutch oven or other heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat until hot. Add half the pork in a single layer with any fat facing down. Be careful not to overcrowd the pot. Once it's browned on one side, flip it over and brown the other side. Transfer the browned pork to a bowl and repeat with the remaining meat.
Once your last batch of pork has browned on both sides, return it all to the pot, along with any juices. Add the green chili sauce along with the 4 cups low-sodium chicken stock, 1 teaspoon Mexican oregano, 1 large bay leaf, and 25 grams cilantro stems. Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer.
4 cups low-sodium chicken stock, 1 teaspoon Mexican oregano, 1 large bay leaf, 25 grams cilantro stems
Skim off any foam or excess oil that floats to the surface periodically and let this cook for about 1 ½ hours, stirring periodically.
After your timer is up, taste the sauce and adjust with Salt to taste and add a teaspoon or two of Honey if the sauce tastes too sour. Continue cooking the pork for another hour or until you can easily cut a piece in half with a fork.
Salt, Honey
Serve the Pork Chile Verde with warm corn or flour tortillas garnished with Sweet onions, Cilantro and Queso fresco.
Sweet onions, Cilantro, Queso fresco

Video

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