Puerco Chili Verde Recipes

CARNE DE PUERCO EN CHILE VERDE

Steps:

• Cut pork or beef into small cubes.
• Saute in oil until well browned.
• Drain off all but 1 tablespoon fat.
• Add chopped chiles, garlic, onion, tomato and water and season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Cover tightly and simmer 1 hour.

FEATURED RECIPE: CHILE VERDE CON PUERCO

Steps:

• Bring water, cumin, oregano and salt and pepper to just boiling in a large stockpot and add pork. Reduce heat to just simmering and cook for 1 hour. About 40 minutes after the pork starts simmering, place the vegetable oil in a saucepan and warm to medium heat. Add onion and saute until well softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and saute for an additional minute, then add the flour and continue cooking for another 1 or 2 minutes. Mix in the chile, tomatoes and tomatillos and saute for 5 minutes. After pork has simmered for an hour, add the ingredients from saucepan. Taste and adjust cumin and oregano as necessary. Reduce heat to a low simmer and cook for another hour, or until pork is tender. REMEMBER - the stock will reduce, so resist the urge to add salt at this point. About 15 minutes before ready, taste and add salt if needed. If you like your green chile thicker, take 2 tablespoons of cornstarch and mix with liquid from pot in small bowl. Mix together and add to pot. Taste and serve with warmed flour tortillas and refried beans.

PORK CHILI VERDE (GREEN PORK CHILI)

Steps:

• Heat vegetable oil in a pot over high heat until it's nearly smoking. Add pork shoulder cubes in a single layer. Let sear until brown on one side, 4 to 5 minutes. Mix and turn pieces over and brown on the other side, 4 to 5 minutes. Add onion, 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring until onions turn translucent, about 4 minutes. Add oregano, cumin, coriander, and cayenne. Stir and cook until seasonings get fragrant, about 2 minutes. Reduce heat to low.
• Remove paper husk from tomatillos and rinse. Cut into quarters. Place in blender with garlic, jalapeno pepper, poblano, cilantro, and chicken broth. Pulse on and off until pieces start to break down. Then blend until mixture has liquefied, about 30 seconds. Stir sauce into the meat mixture. Add 1 teaspoon salt and bay leaf. Increase heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low to maintain a slow but steady simmer for about 1 hour. Add potatoes, 1/2 teaspoon salt, black pepper. If mixture has reduced to where potatoes are not immersed, add more broth to cover. Simmer until meat and potatoes are tender, 45 minutes to 1 hour.
• Garnish individual servings with a dollop of sour cream, some pickled red onions (if desired), and cilantro leaves.

TOMATILLO PORK BRAISE WITH PICKLED CHILIS (PUERCO EN SALSA VERDE

Steps:

• Scoop the tomatillos into a slow cooker and spread them in an even layer. Scatter on the garlic, jalapenos and half of the cilantro. Sprinkle evenly with 1 ½ tsp salt.
• In a large bowl, combine the pork and Worcestershire sauce, mixing until the cubes are well coated. Distribute the meat over the tomatillo mixture. Cover and slow cook on high for 6 hours.
• With a pair of tongs, remove the pork to a bowl. Tip or ladle the sauce mixture into a blender and add the remaining cilantro. Cover loosely and blend until smooth; return the mixture to the slow cooker. Stir in the drained beans, taste and add salt as necessary; Stir in a little water if the sauce has thickened beyond the consistency of a light cream soup. Add a little sugar if the sauce is too tart. Return the meat to the pot, let everything warm through and serve.
• Variations:.
• This dish can be cooked in a Dutch oven instead of the slow cooker. In a medium large (4 to 6 quart) heavy pot or Dutch oven, layer the tomatillos, flavorings and meat as described above. Cover with the sauce, set the lid in place and braise in a 3000F oven for 2 ½ to 3 hours, until the pork is completely tender. Complete the dish as described above.
• The beans can be replaced with potatoes or small sweet turnips (cut into wedges) or carrots (2 inch lengths cut into sticks). Toss them with a little salt and place them on top of the sauce ingredients before layering in the pork. Take them out with the meat while you finish the sauce.
• Add a big handful of spinach to the blender when pureeing the sauce; a few Tbsp of Mexican Crema or heavy cream works magic on this spinach enhanced sauce. Epazote may be used in place of the cilantro.
• This dish is perfect made with 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs. Or replace the pork shoulder with 1 inch pieces of beef chuck; double the cilantro and use 2 poblanos. The beef will benefit greatly from browning before slow cooking.
• Either brown the cubed pork in a little oil in a single layer in a large skillet, or spread it out on an oiled baking sheet (with sides) and slide it close up under a broiler. Slide the browned meat into the slow cooker.