Pork Chili Verde

Can I just say this might be the best chili I've ever made.  It was so incredibly good!  My friend at work came in last Monday and told me about this fantastic chili her and her boyfriend made over the weekend.  (I absolutely love having a friend at work to talk recipes with!)  Anyway she told me the basics and I thought I could recreate it pretty easily.  I did a search in order to find out how to made a tomatillo salsa and found this recipe via Simply Recipes. 

I followed it pretty closely, but if you don't like spicy I would suggest using just one jalopeno to start out.  You never know how spicy they will be!  I didn't end up adding any pablanos because we used some spicy jalopenos.  The pork was so tender and the flavors were awesome!  I added some pinto beans and Corey also added rice to his.  We served it with yummy corn bread muffins which were the perfect side (or crumbled on top)!  We also topped it with sour cream, but it would be really yummy with avocado too if you wanted!

tomatillos before removing the husks

ready to roast my veggies

salsa verde

searing the pork

seared, not cooked through

 Ingredients:

1 1/2 pounds tomatillos

5 garlic cloves, not peeled

2 jalapenos, seeds and ribs removed, chopped

2 Anaheim or Poblano chiles (optional)

1 bunch cilantro leaves, cleaned and chopped

3 1/2 to 4 pounds pork shoulder (also called pork butt), trimmed of excess fat and cut into 1 to 2-inch cubes

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Olive oil

1 yellow onions, chopped

3 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped

2 Tbsp of chopped fresh oregano or 1 Tbsp of dried oregano

2 1/2 cups chicken stock

1/2 teaspoon cumin

Pinch of cinnamon
1 can pinto beans

1 Remove papery husks from tomatillos and rinse well. Cut in half and place cut side down, along with 5 unpeeled garlic cloves and jalopenos, on a foil-lined baking sheet (and pablanos if using). Place under a broiler for about 5-7 minutes to lightly blacken the skin. Remove from oven, let cool enough to handle, remove the skin, seeds, and stem.

2 Place tomatillos, skins included, into blender. Remove the now roasted garlic cloves from their skins, add them to the blender. Add chopped Jalapeño peppers, other chilies (if you are using them), and cilantro to the blender. Pulse until all ingredients are finely chopped and mixed.

3 Season the pork cubes generously with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a stockpot over medium high heat and brown pork chunks well on all sides. Work in batches so that the pork is not crowded in the pan and has a better chance to brown well. Using a slotted spoon or tongs, lift pork out of pan and place in bowl, set aside.

4 Pour off excess fat, anything beyond a tablespoon (I didn't have any), and place the onions and garlic in the same skillet and cook, stirring occasionally until limp, about 5 minutes. Add the pork and the oregano to the pan. Add the tomatillo chile verde sauce to the pork and onions. Add the chicken stock (enough to cover the meat). Add the cumin and a pinch of cinnamon or cloves. Add a little salt and pepper.

5 Bring to a boil and reduce to a slight simmer. Cook for 2-3 hours uncovered or until the pork is fork tender. Add the beans and warm through.  Adjust the seasoning to taste with salt and pepper, chili powder, garlic, or whatever else you may like. Serve with cornbread, avocado, sour cream, or shredded cheese.