Chile Verde Recipe

This recipe combines tender pork, tangy tomatillos, roasted poblanos and jalapenos, sweet onions, and flavorful spices for a tasty meal that the whole family will love.

Course dinner, main meal pork

Cuisine Mexican

Keyword chile verde pork, chile verde recipe, how to make chile verde, pork chile verde

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 2 30

Servings servings

Calories 261kcal

Author Beth Pierce

Ingredients

1 1/2 lbs. fresh tomatillos
4 poblano peppers
2 medium jalapenos halved veins and seed removed
1/2 cup chopped cilantro plus more for garnish
2 lbs pork shoulder or pork butt cut into bite size pieces
2 tablespoons vegetable oil or canola oil
1 medium yellow onion chopped
3 cloves garlic minced
1 tablespoon oregeno
2 teaspoons cumin
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 lime juiced

Instructions

Peel the papery husks from the tomatillos. Rinse the tomatillos, poblano peppers, and jalapeño peppers under cold water and dry them with paper towels. Slice the jalapenos in half lengthwise (see picture). For a milder salsa verde, remove the seeds and veins from the jalapenos. Coat everything with olive oil and place the poblanos on one baking pan and the tomatillos and the jalapenos on another baking pan.
Roast the peppers and tomatillos under the oven broiler on high heat for about 7-10 minutes or until blistered. The tomatillos and jalapenos will be ready 1-2 minutes ahead of the poblanos. Add the poblanos and jalapenos to a plastic bag and seal them up.
Steam for 5 minutes, and peel the skin from the peppers. Add the peppers, tomatillos, and cilantro to a food processor and pulse several times until smooth.
Heat a little vegetable oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the pork in a single layer and cook until browned, then flip and cook the other side until browned. Work in batches, and don't crowd the pan. Move the browned pieces of pork to a plate and cover to keep warm.
If needed, add a little more vegetable oil to the Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until soft. Reduce the heat to low and add the minced garlic, oregano, and cumin. Cook for one minute while stirring constantly.
Stir in the chicken broth, cooked pork, and tomatillo pepper mixture. Cover the pot and place it in the oven at 325 degrees for 2-2 1/2 hours or until fork tender. Remove from the oven, stir in the lime juice, and sprinkle with chopped fresh cilantro.
Serve over cilantro lime rice with chopped avocado.

Notes

Tomatillos, also known as Mexican husk tomatoes, are small green tomatoes with a leafy paper-like husk around them. These tasty fruits are usually grown in Mexico, Texas, or New Mexico. Not every grocery store carries them, so call ahead to see if they are available.

The best cuts of pork for this recipe are pork shoulder or pork butt. Just trim away large cuts of fat and connective tissue.

If you want to tone down the heat, remove the seeds and veins from the jalapenos, or use only one.

With just a little patience and understanding, you, too, can pick jalapenos that are flavorful and mild. Look for younger peppers that are smooth and green all over with no striations or blemishes. Stay away from peppers with white lines, flecks, and red ones, as these peppers are older and hotter. Take your time picking the peppers.

Pulse the salsa just until desired consistency. Lift the lid and spoon the salsa around to see if you need to pulse anymore.

If you prefer, you can simmer this recipe covered on the stovetop for about 2 hours, stirring frequently to make sure nothing burns to the bottom.

Nutrition