For a host of reasons, by damn it’s chili season.
Given that most of the country is still held in winter’s icy grip, and with the superbowl teams set for their dance in just under ten days, visions of a great chili simmering away on the stove are dancing in many a head these days.
Having grown up as Texicans, and having spent influential time in our youth in New Mexico, when we talk chili at our house, part of that discussion involves the long-standing “red vs green” (chili) debate.
I became a New Mexico Green Chile Stew devotee pretty early on in life, through one of those almost life changing new cuisine exposures I’ve written about before.
We keep a jealously guarded stock of green chiles in the freezer after buying a bushel or two every fall when they’re available out of Hatch, NM, though the canned green chiles you can pick up almost anywhere these days aren’t too shabby.
To help round out your stock of chili recipes, try this Green Chile Stew in the next few weeks, and you’ll reach for it again and again if you’ve never stirred together something like this before. (We’ll post another favorite traditional red chili recipe next week for those of you gearing up to cook for your superbowl shindig too.)
By the way, to our palates, this just doesn’t quite taste like Santa Fe unless there’s a whiff of cumin in the recipe, but you can certainly try it both ways in your camp. Likewise, if company shows up unexpectedly, throwing a potato or two into the pot, along with some corn extends the goodness just a little further.
3-4 lb pork butt or shoulder, trimmed and cut into 1-inch cubes
1/2 cup flour
2-3 tbsp olive oil or bacon fat
2 medium onions, chopped
4 cups cored, peeled, and chopped fresh tomatoes
4 cups fresh roasted, peeled, and chopped green chiles (or 4 8-ounce cans)
3 garlic cloves, minced
1-2 fresh jalapeno peppers, seeded and chopped
2 tsp salt (or more to taste)
1-2 tsp Mexican oregano
1 tsp brown sugar
2 cups chicken stock
Optional: 1-2 tsp ground cuminServe with: Chopped cilantro, shredded cheese, sour cream
Heat the oil in your trusty Dutch oven; while it’s heating up dust the cut meat with the flour, then sauté until beginning to get nicely browned with some crispy edges.
Now add the onions and garlic and cook for another several minutes until they being to soften, then add the tomatoes, green chiles, jalapenos, salt, oregano, cumin, brown sugar, and broth/stock.
Stir well, bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 1 and 1/2 to 2 hours until the meat is tender and beginning to fall apart.
Serve hot, with fresh corn tortillas and your favorite chile toppings – which means cilantro, cheese, and sour cream around our campfire – along with a dollop or two of the table salsa or pico we’ll have stirred together while this is simmering on the stove.
Enjoy.
