Chili Verde

Chili verde, also known as cerdo en salsa verde, is an authentic Mexican stew made with pork shoulder, tomatillos and chili peppers. The tomatillo, a close cousin of the tomato, has a tangy, citrus flavor that is refreshing and distinct. When shopping, choose small, bright green tomatillos that are firm and free of defects. Roasting the tomatillos before adding to the stew gives them a rich, earthy flavor that is worth the extra effort.

This is a delicious dish that freezes well and can easily be made in large batches. It also great for small budgets as pork shoulder and tomatillos are usually very inexpensive (I picked up 4 pounds of pork shoulder for $5.00 and tomatillos at $0.99 per pound).

INGREDIENTS

• 3 1/2 to 4 pounds pork shoulder (also called pork butt), cubed
• 3 lbs fresh tomatillos
• 1 large yellow onion, chopped
• 5 garlic cloves, not peeled
• 2 jalapeños, seeds and ribs removed, chopped
• 2 Poblano chilis
• 1 bunch cilantro leaves, washed and chopped
• 2 Tbsp of chopped fresh oregano or 1 Tbsp of dried oregano
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• Pinch of ground cloves
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Canola oil

DIRECTIONS

1. Remove papery husks from tomatillos and rinse well. Cut in half and place cut side down, along with unpeeled garlic cloves, on a foil-lined baking sheet. Place 2 lbs of tomatillos under a broiler for about 5-7 minutes to roast and lightly blacken the skin. Remove from oven, let cool enough to handle. Coarsely chop remaining raw tomatillos and set aside.
2. Roast poblanos and jalapeños over a gas flame or under the broiler until blackened all around. Let cool in a bag, remove the skin, seeds, and stem and chop coarsely.
3. Place roasted tomatillos, skins included, into blender. Remove the now roasted garlic cloves from their skins, add them to the blender. Add chopped poblanos, jalapeños and cilantro to the blender. DO NOT add the raw tomatillos to the blender. Pulse until all ingredients are finely chopped and mixed.
4. Season the pork cubes generously with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed skillet over high heat and sear pork cubes. Work in batches so that the pork is not crowded in the pan and has a better chance to brown well. Using a slotted spoon, remove pork from pan and set aside.
5. Pour off excess fat, anything beyond a tablespoon, and place the onions in the same skillet and cook, stirring occasionally until translucent.
6. Place all ingredients into a slow cooker and simmer on high for 2-3 hours uncovered until pork is tender.
7. Adjust the seasoning to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with warmed corn tortillas.