Hatch Chiles. Yes, you can find mild ones, but I like them hot. I buy them fresh, then roast them on top of my gas stove. But if you don’t feel like going to all that trouble, no problem. Check out Bristol Farms, they have weekends devoted to roasting them and selling them ready to go.
Every year I experiment with a new hatch Chile recipe and I think I finally have one that will be my new favorite. So if you’re in a part of the world experiencing a blistering end-of-August heatwave, and the thought of a hot meal, let alone cooking in a hot kitchen, doesn’t sound great right now, save this recipe for later. I promise, you’ll be really glad you did!
Don’t let the number of ingredients scare you. This is super easy to make even for the novice chef.
Hatch Chile Verde with Pork
Ingredients
- 3 lbs. pork tenderloin, trimmed and cut into 1 1/2" cubes
- 2 cups onion, chopped (1 large onion)
- 3 cloves garlic, chopped
- 2 jalepenos, chopped, with seeds optional
- 3 tbs olive oil
- 1 box Pomi chopped tomatoes 750 grams
- 1 tbs flour
- 5 whole roasted hatch chiles more if you want it hotter
- 2 cups chicken broth more, if needed
- 1 handful cilantro, chopped
- 1/2 lime, juiced
- 2 15 oz. cans pinto bean, rinsed
- salt and pepper to taste
Seasoning for Pork
- 2 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp chipotle chile powder
- 1 tsp chile powder
- 1/2 tsp coriander
- 1/2 tsp hot Mexican chile powder
- dash cayenne pepper
- 2 tsp salt
Toppings for stew
- avocado
- radishes, sliced thin
- lime slices
- cilantro, chopped
- tortillas, corn or flour
- jalepeno, sliced
Instructions
- Place meat in a Ziploc bag and toss with seasoning. Allow to rest as you continue.
- If you're roasting your chiles, place them directly on the flames. Turn with tongs until they are completely blackened. Then put in paper bags and let them rest. I like to rinse off the charred part, but you can leave it on. Coarsely chop the chiles. MAKE SURE YOU WEAR GLOVES WHEN WORKING WITH THE HOT CHILES.
- Heat oil in large Dutch oven on medium heat and begin browning the meat. It might take 2 batches–you don't want to crowd the meat. Add a little more oil for second batch if needed.
- Add the onion and garlic. Cook for 3-4 minutes. Sprinkle the flour over the meat and stir constantly for 2 minutes.
- Stir in the chopped tomatoes. Add the chopped chiles.
- Mix in 1 cup chicken broth, salt and the jalepeno, if you're using it. Add the cilantro, lime juice and salt, if needed. Cook about 1 hour, taste and adjust seasoning.
- Add the pinto beans and cook until meat is fork-tender, about 1 more hour.
Notes
I’ve made versions of this before–I’m always tweaking my recipes–and I think this is my best!