Favourite Chili Verde
Submitted by skot
Pork chili verde slow-cooked with tomatillos, jalapeños, and green chiles, then crisped under the broiler. Tex-Mex burrito and bowl filler with deep, smoky flavor.
YIELD
8 servingsPREP
20 minCOOK
120 minREADY
140 minPork chili verde the slow-cooker way, with cubed pork braised low and slow alongside tomatillos, green chiles, garlic, and a kick of jalapeño. The whole pot mellows together over a few hours until the pork shreds with a fork and the broth turns into a tangy, herbal green sauce.
The clever step here is the finish: separate the cooked pork from the braising liquid, spread it on a sheet pan, and run it under the broiler until the edges crisp. Reduce the sauce in a hot pan while the meat broils. When you reunite them, you get crispy pork bites in a thicker, brighter sauce that holds up inside a burrito without making the tortilla soggy.
Tomatillos are the soul of chili verde. Don’t skip them and don’t sub canned tomatoes; the husked green fruit brings the lemony tartness that defines the dish. A splash of beer is optional, but it deepens the funk and rounds out the heat.
Chef Tips
- Brown the pork hard before it goes into the slow cooker. The fond left in the pan carries the deepest flavor; deglaze it with a splash of beer or stock and pour into the pot.
- Adjust the heat with the number of jalapeños: one for mild, two for medium, three for full Tex-Mex weeknight burn.
- Toast the cumin seeds in a dry pan for a minute before adding to release the oils.
- Trim the pork ruthlessly. Excess fat won’t render fully in the slow cooker and can make the sauce greasy.
Variations
- Use boneless pork shoulder for the most tender, fall-apart texture; pork loin works for a leaner version but stops short of true tenderness.
- Stir in a handful of chopped cilantro and a squeeze of lime at the end for brightness.
- Serve over rice with black beans for a chili verde bowl, or stuff into warm flour tortillas for burritos.
Ingredients
Directions
Coarsely chop and sauté the onion and green pepper in olive Throw into the crockpot.
Also throw in the green chilis. Depending on your propensity for spicy food, you may add from 1 to 3 jalapeños.
Then, throw the tomatillos in the pot.
Trim off all the excess fat you can from the pork, cut into cubes, and brown in the pan that you sautéed the onion in.
Put into the pot.
Now, the seasoning mixture.
I probably would add a dash of beer for obscure reasons.
This crockpots all day, or could be simmered for probably about 2 hours.
The recipe should be easily adaptable for simmering in a pot for a couple of hours instead.
Traditionally, this is served in bowls, with hot flour tortillas, salsa, and cilantro.
You can also have sour cream, grated cheese, olives, and pickled carrots and jalapenos around.
After cooking, separate the meat from the broth, crisp the meat under the broiler, and reduce the sauce in the pan.
This adds a great texture to the meat, and keeps the burritos from being too soggy.
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