Classic Green Chile
INGREDIENTS
- 4 lbs green chiles, diced (see Ingredients Notes)
- 1 pork shoulder (butt) roast. Typical size is 6-8 lbs. Cube in to about 1 – 1.5 in chunks
- 6 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
- 12 medium to large tomatillos, cored and chopped
- 2 yellow onions, diced
- 2 (14.5 oz) cans diced tomatoes (see Ingredients Notes)
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 1 tablespoon coriander
- 10 cups chicken stock (see Ingredients Notes)
- 4 fresh jalapenos, seeded and diced – more to taste
- 1 lime, juiced
- Kosher Salt and Pepper
- Olive oil
- 1 lb Lard (substitute avocado oil if you prefer)
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT
- Large Dutch Oven (~7 quart seems to be the right size), see notes in recipe on using a stock pot instead
- Splash screen for frying (if you have one)
- Long tongs for searing the pork
INGREDIENTS NOTES
Chiles: If using fresh roasted green chiles (preferred), de-skin and de-seed the peppers before using. Green Chiles come in Mild, Medium and Hot (though medium seems to be rare). Mix the ratio of Hot to Mild to your preference. 3:1 Mild to Hot is a good starting point, experiment and adjust to your liking.
Chicken Stock: Boxed stock is ok, but homemade stock is preferred. The mouth feel difference of “overnight simmered” chicken stock is a noticeable improvement. Tomatoes: These are optional, as some people don’t consider it Colorado Green Chili it you use tomatoes.
PREPARATION
- Preheat oven to 300 deg F (if using Dutch Oven)
- Liberally salt and pepper the pork shoulder roast. Place in refrigerator (uncovered) overnight to “dry brine”. If you have the room, spread it out on a baking sheet to allow more surface area for drying
- In the Dutch oven on the stove top (or stock pot), put in the lard and heat on medium high until the lard is all melted and up to temperature.
- Once the lard is hot, sear the pork on all sides until it develops a nice crust. Work in batches to not crowd the pan (otherwise you will just steam the pork). Move the cooked pieces into a bowl for use later. With a nice deep layer of lard, it’s almost deep frying the pork pieces
- When all of the pork has been seared, (carefully) pour the excess lard into a heat safe container, (lined with foil) for disposal after it cools
- Turn heat down to medium, add some olive oil. Add the onion, cook for about five minutes, until the onions are softened and translucent. Add the garlic and cook for about 1 minutes, until fragrant.
- Put the pork back in the pot and add the chiles, tomatillos, jalapenos, cumin, coriander, and chicken stock (leave at least 1” headroom on the pot). Bring to a low boil. Cover and place Dutch Oven the oven. If you are using a stockpot, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer. To prevent burning, stir occasionally.
- Braise or simmer for two to three hours.
- After about 2 hour, add the tomatoes (if using)
- Check occasionally to test the tenderness of the pork. Also taste test for salt. Add as required
- When the pork is the desired tenderness (should be almost falling apart when probed by a fork), remove from oven / turn off heat and stir in lime juice.
- You can serve it immediately or refrigerate it overnight to allow the flavors to meld. Smother or eat as a stew. Garnish with your favorite toppings.
SERVING
Serving ideas:
- Top with a dollop of sour cream
- Top with some fresh chopped cilantro
- Top with some fresh dice onions
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