New Mexican Green Chile Chili
Slowly roasted roast pork married with favorite Mexican favorite make a zesty chili.
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), divided
- 1 pork shoulder/butt (2-3 pounds)
- Salt and pepper
- 3 medium yellow onions, 2 thinly sliced, 1 chopped
- 1 bottle Negra Modela or other Mexican beer
- Juice of 3 limes, divided
- 4 cloves garlic, sliced
- 1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano (1/3 palmful)
- 1 tablespoon cumin (a palmful)
- 1 tablespoon ground coriander (a palmful)
- 2 cans or 12 fresh tomatillos, chopped, divided
- 4-5 New Mexican green chili peppers or 3 poblano peppers, charred, peeled and seeded
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 4 cups chicken stock (32 ounces)
- 3 tablespoons masa or cornmeal
- 1 can pinto beans (optional)
Toppings:
- Cilantro
- Raw red onions, finely chopped, or pickled red onion rings
- Fritos or corn tortilla chips
- Queso fresco, crumbled, or other mild cheese, shredded
- Lime wedges
Preparation
Pre-heat the oven to 325°F.
Heat a small Dutch oven over medium-high heat with two turns of the pan of EVOO, about 2 tablespoons. Season the pork liberally with salt and pepper and brown on all sides until deep golden in color.
Top the browned pork with a pile of the sliced onion; add the bottle of beer and juice of two limes to the pot. Cover and roast for 2-2 1/2 hours until very tender. Shred the pork with forks and set the meat back into the drippings.
Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat; add the remaining EVOO, two turns of the pan. To the hot oil, add the chopped onions and garlic; season with salt, pepper, oregano, cumin and coriander. Cook to tender.
If using canned cooked tomatillos, add one can of them to a food processor with the roasted chili peppers, seasoned cooked onions, garlic and honey. Puree, then return to the stove top and stir in the remaining can of tomatillos and stock.
If using fresh tomatillos, soften the onions for 5 minutes, then add the tomatillos and cook for 10-12 minutes more until the color of the tomatillos pales and they have cooked down into a thick sauce. Puree the cooked tomatillo sauce with the chili peppers and honey, then return the puree to the pot and stir to combine with the stock.
Marry the pulled pork and its drippings to the chili base; stir in the masa and pinto beans, if using. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 45-60 minutes to thicken. Serve in shallow bowls with the toppings of your choice and wedges of lime.
