Chili Verde
Ingredients
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- 2 pounds tomatillos – husked and rinsed (~28 medium tomatillos)
- 2 poblano peppers – stems removed, seeded
- 2 jalapeño peppers – stems removed, seeded for milder heat
- 1 serrano pepper – stem removed
- 1 white onion – roughly chopped
- 6 cloves garlic – peeled
- 1 cups cilantro – leaves and tender stems, roughly chopped
- 2 cups chicken stock – low-sodium
- 3 pounds pork shoulder – cut into 1.5-inch cubes, excess fat trimmed (~4.5 n/a pork shoulders)
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt – divided
- 1 teaspoons black pepper – freshly ground, divided
- 2 tablespoons lard
- 1 teaspoons Mexican oregano – crushed
- 1 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 tablespoons lime juice – freshly squeezed
- corn tortillas – warmed (for serving)
- lime wedges – for serving
Instructions
1. Position an oven rack 6 inches from the broiler and heat the broiler on high. Husk and rinse the tomatillos, then place them on a foil-lined sheet with the poblanos, jalapeños, and serrano.
2. Broil until the chiles are blistered and the tomatillos are softened and beginning to leak, turning once, 8–12 minutes. Transfer the chiles to a bowl, cover, and let steam 10 minutes.
3. Slip the skins from the poblanos and jalapeños and discard stems and most seeds. In a blender, combine the roasted tomatillos, peeled chiles, onion, garlic, cilantro, and 1 cup chicken stock; blend until smooth.
4. Pat the pork shoulder dry and season with the kosher salt and black pepper. Heat the lard in a large heavy pot over medium-high until shimmering, then brown the pork in 2–3 batches, 6–8 minutes per batch; transfer browned pork to a bowl.
5. Pour the blended salsa verde into the pot and cook, stirring and scraping up browned bits, until slightly thickened and a shade darker, 5–7 minutes. Stir in the remaining stock, Mexican oregano, ground cumin, and bay leaves.
6. Return the pork and any accumulated juices to the pot. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the pork is fork-tender, 1.5–2 hours.
7. Uncover and simmer until the sauce reduces to a spoon-coating consistency, 15–20 minutes. Discard the bay leaves.
8. Stir in the lime juice and adjust seasoning to taste. Let rest 5 minutes off heat.
9. Warm the corn tortillas and serve the chili verde with the tortillas and lime wedges.
Chili Verde is a comforting pork stew bathed in a tangy, vividly green sauce built from roasted tomatillos and green chiles. The sauce balances brightness and gentle heat, wrapping tender cubes of pork in layers of roasted, herbal, and lightly smoky flavors. It is hearty yet fresh, equally at home ladled into bowls or tucked into warm tortillas.
Rooted in Mexican home cooking, the dish draws on techniques that predate the modern kitchen: charring chiles to deepen flavor, simmering tough cuts until yielding, and finishing with herbs and acid for lift. Over time, regional and cross-border adaptations have appeared, but the essence remains a salsa verde cooked with pork until the two become one. Its enduring appeal lies in that marriage of rustic technique and lively, green acidity.