Hatch Chile Verde Pork

Ingredients

Pork and sauce

• 3½ lb (1.6 kg) boneless pork shoulder, cut into 1½-inch (4 cm) cubes
• 1 lb (450 g) fresh Hatch chiles, mild or medium; Anaheim chiles are an alternative
• 2 poblano chiles, about 250–300 g total
• 1 lb (450 g) tomatillos, husked and rinsed
• 1 jalapeño; optional 1 serrano for more heat
• 1 large white onion, diced; 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon lard or neutral oil, plus a little more if needed
• 1½ teaspoons fine salt to start; ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin and 1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
• 2 bay leaves
• 1½–2 cups unsalted chicken broth for the stovetop; see alternate methods
• ¼ cup chopped cilantro; 1–2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, to taste

To serve

• Warm flour or corn tortillas
• Optional: fried eggs, diced avocado, white onion, cilantro, or crumbled cotija

Method

1. Roast and peel.

   Heat the broiler. Arrange chiles and halved tomatillos on a rimmed metal tray, tomatillos cut-side down. Broil about 4–6 inches from the heat, turning chiles, until skins blister and tomatillos soften, roughly 10–15 minutes. Remove pieces as they finish; brown patches are enough. Save the tomatillo juices. Cover the chiles in a bowl for 10 minutes, then peel off loose skins and remove stems and seeds.

2. Blend the green sauce.

   Blend the peeled chiles, jalapeño, optional serrano, tomatillos, and their juices to a coarse sauce. Let very hot vegetables cool slightly and follow your blender’s instructions for hot food; never seal hot ingredients in a personal blender.

3. Brown the pork.

   Pat pork dry and season with salt and pepper. Heat fat in a heavy 6–7 quart Dutch oven. Brown in batches over medium-high heat, then transfer to a bowl. Leave about 1 tablespoon fat in the pot.

4. Build the stew.

   Cook onion over medium heat 8–10 minutes until softened and lightly golden. Add garlic, cumin, and oregano for 30 seconds. Pour in ½ cup broth and scrape up the browned bits. Return pork and juices, add green sauce, bay leaves, and another cup of broth. The liquid should come about two-thirds up the meat; it need not cover it.

5. Simmer until tender.

   Bring to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook on low 2–3 hours, stirring occasionally, until pork yields easily to a fork. Add remaining broth or water only if the pot is drying. Remove bay leaves. If thin, uncover and reduce gently for 10–20 minutes.

6. Finish and serve.

   Stir in cilantro and lime to taste, then adjust salt. Serve with tortillas and your choice of toppings. For Ed’s favorite plate, spoon hot chile verde beside or over freshly fried eggs.

Kitchen notes

Slow cooker

Roast, peel, blend, brown, and sauté as above. Transfer to a 6-quart slow cooker with ½ cup broth, the sauce, pork, aromatics, and bay leaves. Cook on LOW 7–9 hours or HIGH 4–5 hours, until fork-tender; timing varies. Finish with cilantro and lime. Reduce excess sauce separately on the stove. Start with thawed pork and follow the cooker’s fill limits.

Instant Pot

Use a 6-quart or larger cooker and stay below its maximum fill line. Roast and peel the vegetables as above but leave them roughly chopped until after pressure cooking. Brown pork and sauté onion and spices on Sauté. Add the manufacturer’s minimum thin liquid (commonly 1½ cups broth for a 6-quart model) and scrape the bottom completely clean. Add pork, bay leaves, and vegetables on top. Cook on HIGH pressure 35 minutes; allow at least 15 minutes natural release, then vent as directed by the manufacturer. Remove pork and bay leaves, blend the sauce carefully, and return pork. If not tender, cook 5–10 minutes longer under pressure. Reduce on Sauté if needed; add lime and cilantro last. Allow extra time for pressure buildup and release.

Chicken, tofu, or sauce only

For a stovetop chicken version, use 3 lb boneless thighs in large pieces and simmer in the prepared sauce about 30–45 minutes, to 165°F/74°C throughout. Breast pieces need less time; check early. For a vegan version, use vegetable broth, oil, and 2 lb drained extra-firm tofu: simmer the sauce 15–20 minutes, then add tofu and simmer 10–15 minutes. For sauce only, omit pork, use ½–1 cup broth, and simmer 20–25 minutes before adding lime and cilantro.

Hatch heat varies

Use labeled mild or medium chiles and keep the serrano optional. If using already-roasted, peeled Hatch chile, use about 1½–2 cups chopped; skip its roasting step. The sauce should taste of green chile, not just heat.

For cooked dishes, cool promptly and follow the storage and reheating guide. Follow the shorter storage directions above where given.