Green Chili

It is Green Chili time around here again.  Every year about this time, we are out getting our chilies, and I am usually writing a post about it.  On Saturday,  they held the annual Green Chili Festival in Pueblo.  It was also the day we went out to the farms to get our Chilies.  We thought everyone would be at the Chili Festival and it wouldn't be so crowded at the farms, but we were wrong... everyone seemed to have the same idea as we did.  So, we got our Chilies along with quite a few other people this weekend, and  came home and made up a  batch of Green Chili as well as  Quesadilla's loaded with Green Chili.

What I call Green Chili is a dish that has many names.  It is called "Green Chili Stew", "Pork Green Chili", " Green Chili",  "Chili Verde", even "White Chili" falls in this category.   Around here we call it "Green Chili", or "Pueblo Green Chili".  It is a favorite Colorado Dish.  No doubt other States have a claim to a similar dish, and I must say,  even though I like "Pueblo Green Chili" the best,  I have rarely ever eaten a bowl of it in any format  or in any State, that I didn't like.

I posted this dish once before, back in the day when I had a little digital camera and no photography skills at all.  So, since it is Green Chili season around here again, I thought I would repost it with a few updated pictures  and tips... I even went back and updated my older post,  which was in great need of some help (better camera, better skills? hopefully).  It tells how the chilies are roasted and how we store them, you might want to check out. I have a few other Green Chili recipes to share also, so stay tuned for more to come in the next couple of weeks, and you can always look up  the recipes on my "Home Cooking" tab.

Ingredients for Green Chili

3 Tablespoons Oil or Shortening

About 2 lbs or 3-4 Cups chopped Pork or Beef.

2 Cups Chopped Onion

2 Cups Diced Petite Tomatoes

2 Cups Chopped Green Chilies

5-6 Cups Chicken Broth

I often have homemade ready to go in the freezer; 

or you can buy it, or use water.

Saute the meat in the oil in batches; frying in the small batches allows a good browning to develop on the bottom of the pan.  If you cook it all at once, the meat doesn't really brown, it sweats.   I like the browning to help make a good soup base or gravy with.   Just transfer each batch into a stock pot once browned and add the next batch.

Once the last batch begins to brown, add butter and onion.  Brown a little more then add the flour, and stir well.  Slowly pour in 2 to 3 cups of the broth or water, thinning the flour and meat mixture, and scraping up the browning and drippings as you stir. Simmer this for about ten minutes and then transfer to stock pot with the rest of the meat.  Add the rest of your ingredients and simmer for about one hour.  It also tastes wonderful if it cooks slowly in a crock pot, or is rewarmed the next day.  

Serve in bowls topped with cheese and warmed tortillas on the side; or over burritos, enchiladas,  tortilla chips, rice or beans.

Grated Pepper Jack Cheese

The most common way to make Green Chili, is  to use pork for the meat thus some people call the dish "Pork Green Chili".   But any meat works wonderfully.  We often use some nice "Grass Fed Beef", since we have more of that in our house than any other meat.  But use pork, chicken, beef, elk or venison whatever you like; it will all be great.  Also, as always, I am not a stickler on "exacts"  I have measured it out to publish this recipe, but I always cook with flexibility especially with stews and soups.

Green Chili

Ingredients:

3 Tablespoons oil 

2 lbs pork or beef, chopped,  or ground large and chunky

2 cups chopped onions (about 1 medium)

2 Tablespoons butter

3/4 cup flour

5-6 cups chicken broth 

2 cups petite chopped tomatoes 

2 cups chopped green chilis

5-6 cups water

salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

Brown meat in oil in 2-3 batches.  I do it in batches to get a better brown, and thus better drippings for the broth.  As each batch browns, remove it into a large stock pot.  When the last batch of meat is lightly browned, add onions and brown a little more.  Add butter, stir until melted, then add flour to meat and onions, stirring thoroughly.  Slowly add chicken broth to mixture, stirring as you add, and mixing well with flour.  Allow to simmer in the broth until the drippings have come off the bottom and into the broth, and it is slightly thickening.  Pour into the large stock pot and add remaining ingredients including water.  Simmer approximately one hour.  This is also nice in the crockpot and can cook on low 7-8 hours.  Eat in a bowl topped with cheese, like a soup, or over burritos, enchiladas, rice or beans.... it is wonderful.