It’s been a year and a half since we left Colorado and the one thing that I have consistently missed (aside from all of the wonderful people and relationships formed over a decade) is green chili. My husband introduced it to me my first year in Colorado and there was no going back, I loved it and still do.
I’ve been searching for years for a green chili recipe that rivals our favorite Mexican restaurant in Golden, CO called El Dorado. Years ago I had made an attempt at creating my own green chili recipe, which was frankly a failure. I had too many spices that were completely unnecessary and couldn’t get the consistency right.
It wasn’t until last year that I made a concerted effort to research green chili recipes and FINALLY at long last, was able to create something so closely resembling the green chili that I know and love, that I almost don’t miss Colorado anymore. This recipe is relatively simple, albeit slightly time consuming, but in my opinion green chili is worth it. I hope you enjoy.
Ingredients
- 3-4 pounds pork shoulder, cubed, fat removed
- 1/4 cup flour
- 3 tbsp bacon grease
- 4-5 green chili peppers (since we’re in Pennsylvania, we can’t get Hatch chilis, so I use either poblanos or Anaheim peppers, whatever Whole Foods has at the time)
- 1 jalapeño
- 1-2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion
- 3 cloves garlic
- 28oz can diced tomatoes
- 1 tbsp oregano
- 1 quart chicken stock
- Salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Roast the peppers on a grill, until sides start to bubble. Set aside in a bowl covered in plastic wrap.
- Cube the pork into 1-1.5inch pieces and toss in a bowl with the flour and some salt and pepper.
- Dice the onion and mince the garlic.
- Peel and dice the peppers. Include some of the jalapeño seeds if you’d like some spice to it.
- In a large cast iron skillet (mine is 12 inches), heat the bacon grease. Add the pork to the skillet and brown each side. I typically do this in batches, as it won’t all fit in the pan at once. Set browned pork aside in a separate bowl.
- Sauté the onion in the same pan the pork was just cooked in, until translucent.
- Add the garlic and sauté for a minute or two, avoid burning it.
- Add in the diced peppers and can of diced tomatoes. Season with salt & pepper.
- Add the cooked pork and cooked vegetables to a large Dutch oven, over medium high heat.
- Add in the chicken stock and oregano and more salt & pepper, if necessary.
- Bring to a boil, reduce heat to simmer and cover. Let simmer for at least two hours or until the pork is tender.
Serve with a side of refried beans, some Mexican rice, and a little guac on the side. And don’t forget the tortillas!
I’ve made this in a slow cooker before, but the desired consistency does not result, although it is still quite tasty.
