Colorado-Style Pork Chile Verde

Colorado-Style Pork Chile Verde

This is one of those big-batch, crowd-pleasing recipes that fills Colorado homes with amazing smells and keeps everyone coming back for seconds. It takes a little time, but most of it is hands-off simmering, and the end result is totally worth it.

Ingredients

• About 7 ½ cups of Green Chiles (mild, medium, or spicy—pick your heat level!)
• 2 tbsp Olive Oil
• 1 REP Pork Shoulder Roast (approx. 3-4lbs)
• Salt and Pepper
• 4 Garlic Cloves, minced
• 1 Onion, diced
• 1 tbsp Cumin
• ½ tsp Smoked Paprika
• 10 cups Chicken Broth
• 1 Russet Potato, diced
• 1 cup Masa Harina (flour works too, but masa makes it extra delicious)
• 1 cup Butter
• Pinch of Cayenne or Fresh Jalapeño (optional, if you want more kick)
• Juice of 1 lime
• Shredded Cheese, Sour Cream, Guac, Diced Onion, Crushed Tortilla Chips, Cilantro, Jalapeño Slices—pile it on!

Directions

1. Prep the chiles. If you’ve got frozen ones, just thaw and dice (most are already chopped). Fresh or frozen gives the best flavor, but canned will do in a pinch.
2. Brown the pork. Heat olive oil in a big pot over medium-high. Season your pork roast with salt and pepper, then sear on all sides until it’s got a nice crust (about 4–5 minutes per side). Pull it out and set aside.
3. Cook the veggies. Toss in the diced onion, let it soften for about 5 minutes, then add the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.
4. Build the stew. Put the pork back in, then add the chiles, cumin, smoked paprika, black pepper, chicken broth, and diced potato. Bring it to a gentle boil, then lower the heat, cover, and let it simmer until the pork is fall-apart tender—about 2–3 hours.
5. Shred the pork. Once the pork is cooked, take it out, shred it with two forks, and toss any bones.
6. Thicken it up. In a skillet, melt the butter and whisk in the masa (or flour) until smooth—this makes a simple roux. Stir that back into the pot with the shredded pork and let it all simmer another 5–10 minutes until the stew thickens.
7. Taste and finish. Add a little cayenne or fresh jalapeño if you like it spicy. Squeeze in the lime juice for brightness.