Green Chile Pork

 Mexican restaurants were a long time coming to Oregon.  Taco Bell opened in Portland circa 1965 - I was totally hooked on tostadas: the crunch of the corn tortilla, creamy refried beans, crisp lettuce, grated cheese and hot sauce. However tame is seems now, it was Yum.

My taste for Mexican food broadened during the 80s when I was introduced to Green Chile Pork by a friend who learned to make it growing up in Colorado. Anaheim Chile was the primary green, along with onions and garlic.  It was delicious.  We'd cook up huge batches for parties and it was always a hit.  The recipe morphed into a soup with the addition of cooked beans.  Delicious.

Then came 2021 and a weekly CSA share, (community-supported agriculture,) from Gathering Together Farm, an organic farm-stand a couple miles from my house.  Using the various seasonal veggies takes planning.  

There were tomatillos, poblano chiles, jalapeños, onions, garlic, and cilantro last week.  Then entirely by chance I watched an episode of America's Test Kitchen, where they made Green Chile Pork with all the above ingredients!  


Recipe


Broil vegetables on a sheet pan, rack set 6" beneath broiler

Tomatillo, 1-1/2 lbs, papery peeling removed, rinsed

Poblano Chile, 5, Stemmed & Seeded

Jalapeños, 1, Sliced in half.  Don't deseed at this time

Onion, peeled and cut into 8 wedges

Garlic, 5 unpeeled cloves.

Drizzle oil over all veggies.  Broil until skin is charred.


Let cool.  Remove skin from all,  Place in food processor and coarsely grind, 4 -5 pulses.


Pork shoulder roast 2 - 3 lbs.  Remove visible fat and place in dutch oven.  Chop meat into 1-1/2" pieces.  Toss with 1 TBL Kosher salt.  Store meat in fridge 1 hour.

Meanwhile, render fat in the dutch oven.  Add 1 cup water.  When fat is rendered, remove crackling for another use, Henry ate the other use in this case...  Pour off fat, reserving 2 TBL.

Over medium high heat, bloom 

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp ground cumin

1/8 tsp cinnamon

1 pinch ground cloves

for 30 seconds or so, just until you can smell the herbs.


Add veggies from food processor

2 bay leaves 

2 tsp sugar

1 tsp black pepper

1 tsp kosher salt


Add the pork.  Bring to a simmer.


Place uncovered in oven @ 325 degrees for 90 minutes.  

Let rest 10 minutes.  Remove the bay leaves.  

Chop 1 cup fresh cilantro, add to the pot.




Serve with toasted corn or flour tortillas.  Enjoy!





 

 


(Photo shot just before baking, the meat will brown while baking and be fork tender.)   



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