Now that chile season is upon us, it’s the perfect time to make chile verde! Chile verde is a hearty Mexican stew, one that simmers on the stove all day so you get nice tender chunks of pork shoulder in a rich tomatillo and chile sauce. It’s a great meal to make on a weekend.

What you’ll need for this recipe:

• 8-10 large tomatillos, or 1 large (28 oz) can of tomatillos
• 1-2 jalapenos
• 8-10 Anaheim peppers, or 2 small cans of chopped green chiles
• 1-2 large poblano peppers (optional)
• 2-3 lbs pork shoulder, cubed
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 tbsp ground cumin
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1 large bunch cilantro
• juice of 1 lemon
• juice of 2 limes
• 2 cups diced white potato (optional)
• blender
• large stock pot or dutch oven

You’ll want to have some roasted peppers and tomatillos for this recipe.You can definitely used canned tomatillos and green chiles, but  you won’t get quite be the same roasted flavor. In the end, though, it’s hard to tell the difference. Roast or broil the tomatillos and peppers and set them aside in a bowl under plastic to cool for peeling.

Next, cut the pork shoulder into 1″ cubes

Saute the pork in batches in some vegetable oil, until they are just browned all over.

Saute the onions, garlic and cumin in the leftover oil/fat from the pork (add a little oil if you need to). You could also add some dried oregano here as well.

Now add all the pork back into the pot and add 4 cups of chicken broth, and simmer for 30 minutes or so.

While the meat is simmering, peel and chop the tomatillos and peppers (or open the canned tomatillos and peppers), and throw them in the blender with a generous bunch of cilantro.

Add the blended tomatillos, peppers and cilantro to the meat and chicken stock. Check for seasoning and add salt and pepper to taste.

After simmering for a few hours, the meat should be fall-apart tender and at this point you can add some diced white potatoes and cook until they are tender. The potatoes are absolutely optional, but work great as a thickener for the sauce if you only have time to simmer for about 2 hours. Otherwise, you can let the stew simmer for at least 4 hours, which will cook down the sauce and make it thcker.

Add in the juice from 1 lemon and 2 limes just before serving.

We sometimes serve the chile verde over cilantro rice, with avocado and sour cream and some tortillas. It also makes for a great breakfast with some poached eggs the next morning too!