Cooking Lesson #386: Pork Chili Verde (Green Pork Chili)

… from the California Kitchen

How you doin’? There is a Mexican restaurant in West Los Angeles called Don Antonio; we go there fairly regularly. You can count on the ever-predictable Joan to always order Chili Verde. I must admit it is one of the best in Southern California. My Pork Chili Verde is a great hack on this restaurant’s entrée. It’s great served with grilled corn tortillas, a little red Mexican rice and refried beans.
 
Usually made with pork shoulder Pork Chili Verde is a stew that originated in Northern 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.
 
Pork was brought to the new world by the Spanish conquistadors. By late in the 1840s the average Mexican ate chicken, beef and pork and needed a quick, delicious and easy way to prepare the meats. They would sauté some meat in an iron skillet over an open fire, add the Chile Verde sauce, simmer and serve until tender.
 
There are a number of variations on the basic recipe and purists will usually argue that their version is “authentic.” In fact, like many ethnic dishes, chili verde is prepared in a variety of ways in its native country, so it is safe to say that whichever version a person likes the best is probably authentic enough. My Pork Chili Verde is a very authentic, great hack on the restaurant entrée, and is even better when garnished with Pickled Red Onions (see recipe below).
 
Prep time:  20 minutes
Cook time:  2 hours
Yield:  4 to 6 servings
 
Ingredients 
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 pounds boneless pork shoulder, cut into 2-inch pieces
1 cup diced yellow onion
2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
10 fresh tomatillos
3 green jalapeño chile peppers, seeded
1 poblano chile pepper, seeded
3 tablespoons garlic
1/2 cup packed cilantro leaves
2-1/2 cups chicken stock, or more as needed
1 bay leaf
1-1/2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, quartered
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup sour cream
pickled red onions, garnish (optional)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish
 
Directions

1. Heat the 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. Turn pieces over and brown on the other side, 4 to 5 minutes.
2. Add onion and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring until onions turn translucent, about 5 minutes.
3. Add oregano, cumin, coriander and cayenne. Stir and cook until seasonings are fragrant, about 2 minutes. Reduce heat to low.
4. Remove paper husk from tomatillos and rinse. Cut into quarters.
5. Place the tomatillos in blender with the jalapeño pepper, poblano, garlic, cilantro and chicken broth. Pulse on and off until pieces start to break down.
6. Then blend until the mixture has liquefied, about 30 seconds.
7. Stir the sauce in with the meat mixture.
8. Add 1 teaspoon of the salt and bay leaf.
9. Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low to maintain a slow but steady simmer for about 1 hour. Add the potatoes, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and black pepper. If mixture has reduced to where potatoes are not immersed, add more broth to cover.
10. Simmer until meat and potatoes are tender, 45 minutes to 1 hour.
11. Garnish individual servings with a dollop of sour cream, some pickled red onions (if desired), and chopped cilantro leaves.

                                                        Pickled Red Onions

Ingredients
2 medium-size red onions, peeled
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
1-1/2 cups red wine vinegar
 
Directions

1. Thinly slice the red onions.
2. Add the salt and sugar, then cover with red wine vinegar.
3. Refrigerate overnight.
4. Use as a garnish on the Green Pork Chili.

ChefSecret: Green Pork Chili can easily be made in an Instant Pot. For tender pork pieces, follow the directions above up to the cook; then load and lock all the ingredients in the Instant Pot and cook on HIGH PRESSURE for 45 MINUTES. NATURALLY RELEASE after 10 minutes. If you are in a rush and don’t want the mess you can skip the pork sauté step.

Quip of the Day: “I’m thinking of taking my wine box back to Target. It said, Once opened it will last 6 weeks. It only lasted me 4 hours.”
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To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, be positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind. Have a wonderful safe and healthy holiday season. If you have a little extra in your pockets to share with others at this difficult time, please consider donating to Feeding America. 

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