Pork Chile Verde

Pork Chile Verde

from cooking.nytimes.com
150 min
4 servings

Chile verde is a classic Mexican pork stew with tender braised pork in a tangy sauce of tomatillos, green chiles and garlic. Tomatillos, poblano chiles, jalapeño and garlic cloves are broiled until nicely charred and deep golden, then puréed with fresh cilantro to create the vibrant smoky sauce. Choose tomatillos that are plump, unblemished and firm. (Soft tomatillos are overripe.) If poblano chiles aren’t available, feel free to substitute with Anaheim or Cubanelle peppers. Sweet onion (such as Vidalia) is called for here to start the stew, as the extra natural sugar in the onion helps balance the tart tomatillos. Tuck any leftovers into tortillas for fantastic tacos the next day.

Ingredients

  • 1 pound tomatillos, husks removed
  • 3 poblano chiles, stemmed
  • 1 jalapeño, stemmed
  • 3 large, peeled garlic cloves
  • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1 loosely packed cup cilantro leaves and tender stems, plus chopped leaves for garnishing
  • 1 1/2 pounds pork shoulder or butt, cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 1 1/2 cups finely chopped sweet onion
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • Cooked rice, for serving

Directions

  1. 1

    Heat broiler on high and set the rack 6 inches from the heat. On a large rimmed sheet pan, combine tomatillos, poblanos, jalapeño, garlic cloves and 1 tablespoon of the oil; season with salt and toss to evenly coat. 

  2. 2

    Broil the mixture, turning halfway through, until nicely charred, about 15 minutes. 

  3. 3

    Transfer poblano chiles to a small bowl and cover with plastic wrap (or seal in a small resealable bag); let steam for 5 minutes. 

  4. 4

    Peel the poblanos and discard skins. In a blender, combine the poblanos, tomatillos, jalapeño and garlic, and scrape in the accumulated juices on the sheet pan. (There is a lot of good flavor in the caramelized juices!) Add the cilantro and purée until smooth. 

  5. 5

    Heat oven to 325 degrees.

  6. 6

    In a large Dutch oven, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil over medium. Season pork with salt and pepper and add half to the pot. Cook, turning occasionally, until browned all over, 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate and repeat with the remaining pork.

  7. 7

    After all the pork has been browned and removed from the pot, add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 3 minutes. Add cumin and oregano and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 1 minute. Return the pork to the pot (with any accumulated juices), add the broth and tomatillo purée, and season with salt and pepper. 

  8. 8

    Bring to a boil, cover and transfer to the oven. Roast until pork is very tender, 1 1/2 hours. Season stew with salt and pepper to taste.

  9. 9

    Divide the pork chile verde among shallow bowls, garnish with chopped cilantro and serve warm, with rice.