My wife does not do well with spice. I love being married to her, so I honor her preference. She calls his "medium." I'm a spice head, and I call this "mild." But it has great flavor!
I like using Hatch chilies, but fresh ones are pretty much impossible to find outside of New Mexico. That said, I think these are the bomb-diggitty: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00J55DG2A..._Pf4iEbCJ9K72K
| Chili Verde Ingredients * 3-4 pounds trimmed pork shoulder * Kosher salt (1/2 teaspoon per pound pork * 2 - 3 tablespoons (or to taste) sazón spice rub (recipe below) * 1 large onion, cut in slices * 1 bottle (16 ounce) 505 Southwestern Hatch Valley flame roasted green chilies * About 15 medium tomatillos (2 pounds), husks removed * 6 medium garlic cloves, peeled * 2 jalapeño peppers, stems removed, split in half lengthwise * 3 tablespoons vegetable oil * 2 cups loosely packed cilantro leaves * 1 quart chicken stock * Serve with: tortillas, diced onions, sour cream, cheese, cilantro, and lime wedges ---- Sazón Spice Rub Ingredients * 1 tablespoon ground coriander * 1 tablespoon ground cumin * 1 tablespoon ground annatto seeds * 1 tablespoon garlic powder * 2 teaspoons dried oregano * 1 teaspoon onion powder Method * Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and mix until the spices are evenly distributed. * Store seasoning at room temperature for up to 1 year. ---- Method Sprinkle pork with salt until thoroughly coated. Refrigerate an hour (8 or more hours if you have time), and then rub with sazón spice rub. Smoke pork and sliced onion at 225°F, just enough to pick up flavor: about 30 minutes for the onion and about 2 hours for the meat. (Confession: I usually smoke the pork to an internal temperature of 131°F so I can snack on it while I work.) While meat and onions are smoking, preheat broiler to high. Shake tomatillos, garlic, jalapeños, 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, and 1 teaspoon kosher salt in a gallon freezer bag until evenly distributed. Transfer vegetables to a baking sheet lined with foil. Turn once halfway through cooking (about 5 minutes), and cook about 10 minutes total until charred, blistered, and softened. Transfer tomatillos, garlic, and jalapeños to the food processor, along with exuded liquid. Add 2 cup of cilantro and Hatch chilies to the food processor, and pulse mixture until it is roughly pureed, about 8 to 10 one-second pulses. Salt and pepper to taste. Chop the pork into one inch cubes. Coarsely chop the onion. Preheat oven to 225°F. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in large Dutch oven over high heat until smoking. Add half of pork and cook without moving until well browned, about 3 minutes. Stir pot and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until well browned on all sides. Add remaining pork and onions. Cook, stirring frequently, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan for about 4 minutes. Onions should be tender. Add chicken stock and pureed chili-tomatillos mixture to pot, and stir to combine. Bring to a boil. Cover and transfer to oven, leaving lid slightly ajar. Cook until pork shreds easily with a fork, about 4 to 5 hours. Remove from oven. Skim off excess fat. Adjust to desired consistency by adding water or boiling. Stir remaining cilantro into pot and season to taste with salt. Serve immediately with warm tortillas, diced onions, sour cream, cheese, cilantro, and lime wedges. |
