Green Chili Stew

My first experience with this green chili was when I visited my friend, Nola out in Colorado. Every time we’ve made a point to go out for a “bowl of green” at least a few times during our girls’ trip.

The Southwestern flavors are incomparable and the savory green chile broth can clear your sinuses.

This version is a little different than those because, besides the pork stew meat, potatoes and green chiles, I add tomatillos for acidity and freshness and reduce the amount of chicken stock to get a saucier, gravy-like quality.

When craving a warm, meaty, satisfying meal, this green chili stew is at the top of my list. The flavors and textures meld together in a perfect balance of meat and potatoes, mild and spicy green chiles and fresh tomatillos.

I serve bowls of this hearty green chili with fresh cilantro, dollops of sour cream and wedges of green chile cornbread for a meal that everyone enjoys.

Why this recipe works:

• It’s a one-pot meal that’s easy to make, and the stovetop does most of the heavy lifting.
• It’s naturally gluten-free.
• Most green chile stew recipes tend to be watery, but this one isn’t. The tomatillo and green chile sauce reduces to a gravy-like consistency, which we love.
• The recipe makes a big pot of New Mexico pork stew.
• You can make it a day or two ahead of time… and it gets even better after resting overnight.

Ingredients:

• Pork Shoulder – Also known as Boston Butt, pork shoulder is a tough but inexpensive cut of meat well suited for braising. The cubes of pork get fork-tender during their long simmer.
• Olive Oil – For browning the pork stew meat, you could also use Canola or vegetable oil.
• Kosher Salt – I prefer Diamond Crystal to Morton’s as the flakes are less salty by volume. If you have Morton’s salt, cut the measurement by about ¼.
• Black Pepper – Best if freshly ground.
• Onion – I used a yellow onion, but white onions work as well.
• Celery – acts as an aromatic.
• Garlic – I recommend fresh garlic cloves (not pre-minced garlic).
• Paprika – You can use sweet or smoked paprika for this pork stew.
• Chili Powder – Use your favorite chili powder or blend.
• Cumin – gives the green chili pork stew a smoky flavor.
• Dried Oregano – I don’t use fresh oregano as it can be too strong and overpower the flavors of the green chili.
• Roasted Poblano Peppers – Poblano peppers are mild chiles with very little spice. I char and peel the skin, then chop the green chiles for the pork stew recipe.
• Fire-Roasted Hatch Green Chiles – can be mild to spicy and are famously grown and roasted in Hatch, New Mexico. If you can’t find these green chiles at your store, you can order them here (I’m not an affiliate; just a fan). Or substitute Anaheim peppers or other fire-roasted chile peppers. I used medium spicy Hatch chiles for this recipe, but you can use mild for less heat.
• Tomatillos – are native to Mexico and look like a small green tomato with a papery husk. They are mild and slightly acidic and add a fresh pop to the green chile pork stew.
• New Potatoes – No need to peel the spuds; new potatoes have a very thin skin. I used Dutch Baby potatoes for this batch of green chili stew.
• Cilantro – Cilantro adds an herbal freshness to the pork stew. Add it just before serving.

Directions:

1. Season the chunks of pork with salt and pepper.
2. Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat and add the olive oil. Brown the pork chunks on all sides, working in 2-3 batches (so they don’t crowd the pot).
3. Add the onions, celery and garlic and saute until the vegetables are tender.
4. Stir in the paprika, chili powder, cumin and oregano and cook, stirring regularly, for 4-5 minutes or until most of the excess liquid has evaporated.
5. Add the roasted poblano peppers, Hatch green chile peppers and tomatillos, then stir in the chicken stock. Bring the pot to a boil, then reduce the heat to a low simmer and place the lid on it so it’s slightly askew and steam can escape.
6. Simmer for one hour, add the diced potatoes and simmer for 30 minutes more with the lid askew.
7. Remove the pork stew from the heat and stir in the chopped cilantro. Serve with extra cilantro and sour cream if you’d like.

Pro-Tips:

• I used medium-spice fire-roasted Hatch chiles for this pork stew meat recipe, giving the flavor a noticeable tingle on the tongue but not overwhelming heat. If you have diners that don’t like it spicy, use mild green chiles.
• You can also make this pork stew using all poblano chiles and add 1-2 serrano peppers or jalapenos for spice. If you don’t have them, substitute them with ½-1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper (depending on how spicy you want the stew).

Variations:

• Substitute a 29-ounce can of white kidney beans for the potatoes for more fiber (don’t drain the beans – the liquid will add body to the sauce).
• Use chipotle chile powder instead of regular chili powder for an even more smoky flavor, or add a minced chipotle pepper in adobo sauce for a spicier pork stew.
• You can use a cup of mild tomatillos salsa if you can’t find fresh tomatillos in your market.

FAQs

Purists simply add a flurry of fresh cilantro and perhaps a spoonful of sour cream fo the green chili stew, but I have a few suggestions:

Other garnishes:

• Sliced Avocado
• Shredded Cheddar or Monterey Jack Cheese
• Pink Pickled Onions
• Seasoned Oyster Crackers
• Diced tomatoes
• Sliced green onions
• A squeeze of lime over the bowl for a bright acidity.

Traditionally, green chili is served with warm flour tortillas to dunk. You could also try it with skillet cornbread or drop biscuits to sop up all the savory goodness.

What goes with green chile pork stew?

• Cold cerveza (that’s Mexican for beer!)
• Chilled Gewürztraminer or Viognier – sweeter wines are a natural pairing for spicy foods.
• Simple Green Leaf Salad – to cut through the richness of the stew and cleanse the palate.
• Hatch Green Chili Bread – This is a sweet bread that’s loaded with green chiles.

More tex mex recipes:

• Tex Mex Chile Rellenos
• Easy Shredded Beef for Tacos and more
• Chicken Taco Soup
• Southwestern Salad with Steak
• Black Bean Chili Omelette

More pork stew meat recipes:

• Pork Ragout
• Sweet Spicy Asian Pulled Pork
• Shredded Green Chile Pork
• Rillettes of pork (du porc)
• Slow Cooker Jerk Pork