Green Chile Stew?

Green Chile Stew?

I’ve always just made it with pork, chile, potatoes and spices. But I’m seeing a lot of recipes online w/ corn, hominy, squash, green beans etc… I guess its pretty regional, like a lot of recipes. Does anyone have a favorite they’d care to share?

Richard

When you say 'green chili stew', I'm gonna assume you mean 'chili verde'.
If that's the case, here's the one I do, if not, give it a try!
Note that this RCP is for approx a pound of pork, and that it scales up well.

Ingredients
1 Tbl oil
1 lb. pork loin (approx) cut into 1/2 inch pieces
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 lb. approx roasted chilis, peeled & stemmed, preferably Hatch New Mexican chilis if available, and if not, then a combo of poblanos, anaheims and serranos
1 chipotle, chopped
1 jalapeno (if you like it hot) stemmed, deseeded & chopped
1 Tbl Mexican oregano, (majoram
1 Tbl cumin, or to taste
S & P to taste
3 cups broth, half chicken, half beef
2 large tomatoes, chopped, or 1 10 oz. can crushed Mexican tomatoes
1 4 oz. can green chilis, drained

Procedure
In a large saute pan, boil enough water to hold the pork chunks, drop them in for about 2 min. and drain them in a collander, then put the pork in a dutch oven.
Dry the saute pan, heat the oil and saute the onions until just starting to show color, and add the minced garlic and saute another minute.
turn off burner and dump them in the dutch oven and mix well.
Add all other ingredients except the tomatoes into the dutch oven, mix well and bring to a boil.
Add the tomatoes, mix well and put the dutch oven on a very low simmer for approx 2 hours, stirring occasionally and leave it uncovered while you're doing it.
The verde will thicken up during this time and if not enough for you, you can add corn starch or flour to thicken it.

Notes: I like doing this early enough so that it sits after completion and 'gets to know itself', then reheat it just before serving. Note that 'purists' don't put tomatoes in traditional chili verde but it's become more usual than not, so personal preference here. Personally I wouldn't put spuds in chili verde, ruins the taste for me. Enjoy if you try it.

Shel,

The local market is now roasting Hatch Chiles every day through the 30th. I haven't made it in years due to the lack of a decent chile...Anaheims or poblanos just don't cut it. Your recipe is very similar to the one I use except I've never used the jalapeno or chipotle.

But before I made it this weekend, I was checking recipes online and ran across several that were adding other things. Squash, hominy,...and celery, of all things, in one case.

Richard

Green chile stew is one of my comfort foods.

That recipe is pretty close to what I do, although I've never actually used a recipe. I don't put any "strange" vegetables like squash in it (mainly because the grandmother of my friend who taught me to make it didn't), but do use potatoes. I use all beef broth (same when I make posole). No canned chiles. I put diced jalapenos on the table so people can sprinkle them in their individual servings, but I don't like the flavor when they are cooked in the stew. I use more garlic.

And, of course, the hottest chiles I can get!

Shel, your recipe sounds delicious. I'm curious, though. Don't the chunks of pork loin get tough and dry? I had always heard that loin is better for quicker cooking methods, and for longer cooking methods one should use the shoulder or some other cut with more fat that will break down and turn the meat tender and juicy after some time in the stew pot.

Have no quibbles with Shel's recipe.

I do prefer pork shoulder and I include tomatillos. Oh, and, oddly for me, no potatoes. This is a dish I like a lot.

I've always thought chile verde was made with a tomatillo base.

We roast or boil tomatillos, along with serrano chiles and garlic. When the vegetables soften, into the blender they go.
Meanwhile, pork shoulder is cubed and browned in a heavy pot, in batches.

When the pork is done, it's returned to the pot, along with the tomatillo mixture, and the stew is seasoned. It's allowed to cook for several hours, over slow heat, and the pork begins to break down and thicken the stew. The juice of a lime or two is added at the end.

Not only does it make a fine dinner, but the leftovers can be reheated in a skillet and topped with a couple of eggs to make a great breakfast.

Shel,

The local market is now roasting Hatch Chiles every day through the 30th. I haven't made it in years due to the lack of a decent chile...Anaheims or poblanos just don't cut it. Your recipe is very similar to the one I use except I've never used the jalapeno or chipotle.

But before I made it this weekend, I was checking recipes online and ran across several that were adding other things. Squash, hominy,...and celery, of all things, in one case.

Richard

Unfortunately the markets that I know that are roasting Hatch chilis, Albertsons, are way away in the boonies for me, and as much as I love Hatch chilis, not prepared to make the trek!
Re squash, hominy and celery in chili verde...Include me out! It may taste okay but it ain't chili verde.

Carrie, pork shoulder would certainly work well, but have never had a problem with the chunks of loin getting tough. Maybe doing the verde low and slow has something to do with it.

I used Boston Butt this time. The meat was tender and....hot...chile bad a** hot. Next time I need to try the roasted chiles before I use them. Good God, I can't remember eating a Hatch Chile as hot as this batch. Ruined the entire pot. Simply inedible...took the skin right off of my tongue. My lips burned for half an hour after eating. No green chile flavor...or any other flavor...just pepper hot.

300 mg of Zantac, 3hrs and a half a dozen Tums later I felt fairly normal.

When I was younger, I'd of dived into a batch like with no problems. But these days? Not any more.

Richard

Good God, I can't remember eating a Hatch Chile as hot as this batch.

I'll be by to pick up the leftovers, Richard!

[Jenise]

Have no quibbles with Shel's recipe.

I do prefer pork shoulder and I include tomatillos. Oh, and, oddly for me, no potatoes. This is a dish I like a lot.

Ditto. Also, although I char and peel the chiles, I don't get rid of all the peel--texturally I love the look of the black flecks of charred skin throughout. Also, chile verde is a favorite to make after Thanksgiving with the leftover rich turkey gravy bulking out the sauce. No potatoes or tomatoes, and I serve it over rice.