Make-Ahead Recipe: Pork & Green Chile Stew (Chile Verde) (2024)

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Nealey Dozier

Nealey Dozier

Nealey Dozier is a former wedding planner turned chef, culinary instructor, recipe developer, and food writer. She is based in Atlanta. You can find more of her Southern adventures in eating and entertaining at www.dixiecaviar.com.

updated Jan 29, 2020

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Make-Ahead Recipe: Pork & Green Chile Stew (Chile Verde) (1)

Serves8

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Make-Ahead Recipe: Pork & Green Chile Stew (Chile Verde) (2)

There’s nothing I love more than having a mammoth-sized batch of soup on the stove, whether it’s going to serve a room full of people or supply me with a stockpile of meals. This New Mexico pork and green chile stew is the perfect candidate to make on a lazy Sunday and then live off of the rest of the week. It’s spicy, savory, and hearty, and just when you think it can’t get any better, it does!

I hosted a formal Christmas party last year for all our family and friends. We received plenty of nice bottles of wine from thoughtful guests, but the best hostess gift was not found at the bar but in the freezer. Tucked away between the coffee ice cream and Trader Joe’s turkey meatballs was a large Tupperware along with a note: “Pork & Green Chile Stew to heat and eat. Happy Holidays! With love from Aunt Becky.” What a kind gesture, I thought to myself before closing the freezer door (the same freezer, mind you, where my poor leftovers go to die.)

My future mother-in-law called a few days later asking if we received the stew. Thank goodness for the reminder because I probably wouldn’t have thought about it again until next December. Upon her rave review, I pulled it to thaw. A few nights later, following a rowdy New Year’s affair, my fiancé and I came home and promptly raided the fridge. We reheated what seemed like a month’s worth of food to satisfy our booze-fueled cravings.

Walt tasted the stew first, after which his eyes widened as big as saucers. “What is this stuff?” he exclaimed. I snatched the bowl from him to try it for myself. Our gaze locked as we shared the moment: We had just hit gold. Delicious, edible gold. We couldn’t contain our glee and practically shouted our happiness from the roof tops. Pretty soon the good word passed like wild fire and the whole Thompson clan was competing over a few rumored leftover containers of the divine creation.

Aunt Becky’s stew has since become legendary, and we’re all waiting patiently for December in hopes of receiving more of the prized bounty. Her secret recipe is currently still just that, a secret, but that didn’t deter me from attempting my own batch to hold us all over. I’d say it was a mighty successful attempt, and until I can get a hold of Becky’s unicorn tears, this version should keep us plenty satisfied.

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Serves 8

Nutritional Info

Ingredients

  • 1-1 1/2 pounds

    fresh green chile peppers (See Recipe Notes)

  • 8 ounces

    tomatillos, husks removed

  • 2 tablespoons

    bacon grease, lard, or canola oil, for browning

  • 3 1/2-4 pounds

    pork shoulder, excess fat removed, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

  • 1

    large yellow onion, chopped

  • 5-6

    large cloves garlic, minced

  • 1 tablespoon

    ground cumin

  • 1 teaspoon

    dried Mexican oregano (See Recipe Notes)

  • 2

    bay leaves

  • 2 tablespoons

    cider vinegar

  • 4 cups

    chicken stock, plus more as needed

  • 3/4 pound

    russet, yukon gold, or white potatoes (about 3 medium potatoes)

  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

  • Cooked white rice or warm tortillas, for serving

  • Fresh cilantro sprigs, for serving

Instructions

  1. Place an oven rack a few inches from the broiler. Arrange the peppers on a sheet pan and cook, turning occasionally, until charred on all sides,15 to 20 minutes. Wrap the peppers tightly with aluminum foil in three to four bundles to steam.

  2. While the peppers are steaming, arrange the tomatillos on the sheet pan and broil until charred, flipping once, 5 to 10 minutes. Peel and remove the skins, stems, and seeds from the peppers. Chop the peppers and tomatillos and set aside.

  3. Heat a few tablespoons of bacon grease in a large Dutch oven over high heat until sizzling. Pat pork dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Working in three to four batches (do not crowd the pan) cook pork until browned on all sides, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and transfer to a large bowl. Continue browning the remaining pork.

  4. Reduce heat to medium. Add the onions and cook until soft and translucent, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the garlic, cumin, oregano, and bay leaves and stir to incorporate, about 1 minute. Add cider vinegar to the pot and increase heat to high to deglaze the pan; scrape up any leftover browned bits from the bottom of the pan.

  5. Pour in the chicken stock and reserved peppers and tomatillos. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until the pork is fork-tender, 2 to 2 1/2 hours. (It can also be cooked in an 325°F oven.)

  6. Peel and dice the potatoes. Add to the stew and cook until tender, 30 to 40 minutes. Season stew with additional salt and pepper to taste. Serve with cooked white rice (my preference) or warm tortillas. This recipe gets better after one, two, and three days, so make in advance if possible.

Recipe Notes

I used a mix of long hots, chilacas, and poblano peppers, which together pack a lot of (good) heat. You could also use milder peppers such as New Mexico (Hatch) chiles and Anaheims or hotter peppers such as anchos.

Dried Mexican oregano can be found in Latin markets and well stocked grocery stores. It has a smoky flavor that dried Mediterranean oregano doesn't have.

(Images: Nealey Dozier)

Filed in:

autumn

Braising

dinner

Freezer Friendly

Ingredient

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Make-Ahead Recipe: Pork & Green Chile Stew (Chile Verde) (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between chili verde and green chili? ›

In Spanish, chili verde means “green chili” and refers to the fruit people often use to give heat to dishes they are cooking. So, on the one hand, chili verde is an ingredient. On the other hand, green chili is a complete dish with which many people are familiar.

How do you thicken chile verde? ›

To thicken the chili, in a bowl mix together the masa harina with 2 table spoons of the chili liquid. Stir this back into the pot, along with the remaining 1/2 cup cilantro and the lime juice. Cook until the chili has thickened, 10 more minutes.

How do you freeze green chili soup? ›

Here are some steps to help you freeze it properly:
  1. Cool the Stew: Allow the stew to cool to room temperature. ...
  2. Portion the Stew: Divide the stew into portion-sized containers. ...
  3. Use Airtight Containers: Use airtight, freezer-safe containers to prevent freezer burn and maintain the quality of the stew.
Oct 22, 2023

Where did pork chile verde come from? ›

Green chile pork is a dish that originated in Mexico. It's known by a number of names including puerco con chile verde, chile verde con cerdo, cerdo en salsa verde, and carne de puerco en salsa verde. Some say it has close ties to dishes like guisado (stew) and cerdo en verdolagas (pork in purslane).

What is the best pepper for green chili? ›

Anaheim peppers are another suitable green chili you could swap for poblanos. You can also, of course, use fresh Pueblo or Hatch Green chiles if you have access to them too. Jalapeño Peppers. Since poblanos are the milder cousin to classic hatch, I reached for a few jalapeños to kick up the heat.

What can I add to chili verde to make it less spicy? ›

Serve the Chile Dish With Cream, Cheese, or Lime Juice

Acidic ingredients also neutralize capsaicin's burn somewhat, so squeezing some fresh lime juice on a spicy food can help a bit.

How do you make chili more flavorful? ›

Elevate with Extra Flavor

Elevate your chili recipe by adding an extra layer of flavor. Cocoa powder, bacon, cinnamon, ground coffee and tomato paste will all add a rich sweet & salty flavors that are sure to surprise and delight.

What do you put chili verde on? ›

It's a favorite filling for burritos and tacos, and wonderful just on its own with a bit of rice and tortillas. Many recipes call for puréeing raw tomatillos and adding them to the pork to cook.

Should I peel green chile before freezing? ›

The tough outer skin must be removed from the chile. Blistering the skin by one of the following methods makes removal easy. The skin may then be removed before or after freezing.

Should I peel roasted green chiles before freezing? ›

Some prefer to just divide them up into groups of 6 to 10 chiles and put each group in a plastic bag without peeling the chiles. Others find that peeling first makes them easier to cook with. Some not only peel the chiles (slide the skins off) but also remove the stems and seeds. This is mainly a matter of preference.

Is it safe to freeze soup in Ziploc bags? ›

Package, label, and date a gallon- or quart-size zip-top plastic freezer bag, place it in a bowl and cuff the bag over the edge. Ladle soup into each bag, leaving a bit of extra space, then let out any excess air and seal. Freeze and lay bags flat in a single layer in the freezer.

How many tomatillos are in a pound? ›

If you want to use canned tomatillos as a substitute for fresh, an 11-ounce can will substitute for a pound of fresh. On average, there are 15-18 small tomatillos in one pound or about 8-10 medium tomatillos in one pound.

What is chiles verde in english? ›

nounSouthwest Cooking. a stew of beef or pork, or both, flavored with hot green peppers.

Is chile verde from Mexico? ›

Chile Verde is an authentic Mexican recipe that results in a flavor-packed stew with tender chunks of pork sitting in a savory sauce.

Is green chile the same as salsa verde? ›

As I stated earlier, green chile salsa and salsa verde are the same thing. There will be slight variations to all salsa recipes, including salsa verde, but in each recipe the usual foundational ingredients are the same: green chile peppers and tomatillos.

What's the difference between green chile enchilada sauce and salsa verde? ›

The main difference between green enchilada sauce (verde sauce) and salsa verde is that enchilada sauce is cooked, and salsa verde is raw. Enchilada sauce also requires liquid (either stock or water), but salsa verde ingredients are simply blended together and eaten as is.

What are Mexican green chillies called? ›

Poblano peppers are one of the most popular chilli peppers in Mexico. They have a mild heat intensity and are usually used in dishes like chiles rellenos or mole sauce. The poblano pepper has a deep green color when fresh and turns dark red when dried.

What is the green chilli called? ›

Green chillies are scientifically known as Capsicum frutescens. The spiciness of green chillies comes from a chemical called capsaicin. Apart from providing a hot and spicy taste, capsaicin is responsible for numerous other health effects on the heart, stomach, and pain relief.

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