Description
Mexican chili verde combines tender pork with a tangy green sauce, creating a hearty meal that sings with authentic southwestern flavors. Spicy, aromatic ingredients blend seamlessly, promising you a delicious journey through regional culinary traditions.
Ingredients
Scale
Protein:
- 2–3 pounds pork shoulder
Vegetables and Herbs:
- 1.5 pounds tomatillos
- 2 poblano peppers
- 1–2 jalapenos
- 4–6 garlic cloves
- 1 large onion
- 1 bunch cilantro
Liquids and Seasonings:
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 2 bay leaves
- salt to taste
- pepper to taste
Instructions
- Brown pork shoulder in a large pot over medium-high heat until golden on all sides, developing a rich caramelized exterior. Remove and reserve meat.
- In the same pot, sauté diced onions, minced garlic, and chopped green chile peppers until vegetables become translucent and fragrant, approximately 5-7 minutes.
- Add quartered tomatillos to the vegetable mixture, cooking until they soften and begin to break down, releasing their tangy liquid.
- Reintroduce the browned pork to the pot, incorporating ground cumin, kosher salt, black pepper, and bay leaves for robust seasoning.
- Pour chicken broth over the ingredients, ensuring the meat is mostly submerged. Cover and reduce heat to low, allowing the chili verde to gently simmer for 2 hours.
- Check meat tenderness after 2 hours; if needed, continue cooking an additional 30 minutes until pork easily shreds with a fork.
- Remove bay leaves and discard. Shred the pork directly in the sauce using two forks.
- Finish the dish by stirring in freshly chopped cilantro and a splash of lime juice, which will brighten the flavors and add a final layer of complexity.
- Serve hot, garnishing with additional cilantro if desired.
Notes
- Meat Selection Matters: Choose a well-marbled pork shoulder for maximum tenderness and rich flavor that melts in your mouth.
- Low and Slow Technique: Gentle simmering transforms tough meat into incredibly soft, succulent bites that easily pull apart with a fork.
- Spice Flexibility: Adjust heat levels by varying the type and quantity of peppers, using jalapeños for mild or serrano for extra kick.
- Make-Ahead Magic: This dish tastes even better the next day as flavors intensify, making it perfect for meal prep and advanced cooking.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 235 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 450 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 7 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 22 g
- Cholesterol: 75 mg