Chile Verde

Rev 1.03, last revised:  06-Jan-10

One of our favorite Mexican foods is this lovely, slow-cooked Chile Verde.  A perfect fit with how I cook, this delicious dish is made with chunks of pork, slow cooked in a green chili sauce of jalapeno chilies, garlic, and tomatillos.  If you prefer a "red sauce", try my Chile ColoradoServes:  8

Ingredients:

Salt, pepper, and brown pork chunks in fat or oil.  Do in batches and set aside.

To the fat, add onions and garlic.  Cook, stirring occasionally until limp, about 5 minutes.

When done, add back the meat and juices.  Add enough of the chicken stock to cover the meat.  Simmer.

Clean, cut, slice, dice the tomatillos into small pieces.  Adding them as you process them.

Clean, core, chop and add the chilies & jalapenos.

Finally, add the oregano and a touch of cloves to the mixture.

Allow to simmer for 2-3 hours uncovered or until the pork is fork tender.  Adjust the level of the liquid by adding more chicken stock (or water) so that most things are just covered.  Adjust the seasoning to taste with salt and pepper and serve.   This goes well with Angie's Beans or Spanish rice, and flame roasted flour tortillas or freshly made corn tortillas.


The longer version:

Dust the previously cubed pork generously with salt and your choice of pepper.  Heat olive oil or other fat in a large, heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat.  Brown pork chunks well on all sides.  If the shape of your pan makes the chunks too crowded for good browning, brown them in batches.  Set aside.

To the fat left over from the previous step (add more of whatever fat you were using in the previous step if there's not enough) add the onions and garlic.  Cook, stirring occasionally until limp, about 5 minutes.  Take care not to let the pan get too hot so that the oil doesn't smoke!

When the onions and garlic are done, add the meat and any juices that may have gathered at the bottom of the holding bowl.  Add enough of the chicken stock to cover the meat.  Bring to a gentle simmer as you prepare the rest of the ingredients.

Remove papery husks from tomatillos and rinse well.  Cut, slice, dice into small pieces, adding them to the simmering meat as you process them.

Chop the chilies that you wish to use and add them to the meat & tomatillo mixture, as well as the jalapenos.

Finally, add the oregano and a touch of cloves to the mixture.  Do not add too much salt & spices.  As the mixture cooks down, the flavors will concentrate.  You can always add more before you serve it. 

Adjust the level of the liquid by adding more chicken stock (or water) so that most things are just covered, and allow to simmer for 2-3 hours uncovered or until the pork is fork tender.

Adjust the seasoning to taste with salt and pepper and serve.   This goes well with Angie's Beans or Spanish rice, and flame roasted flour tortillas or freshly made corn tortillas.

Enjoy!