Pork green chili- Colorado style- was a no-brainer with fresh roasted green chilies in the freezer. The famous Colorado green chili recipe can be made countless ways but now you have my take on it! Green chilies, pork and garlic, along with tomatoes, are what gives this quintessential Denver dish traditional appeal. Try it and you'll see what I mean!
There are two things Manservant loves. Green chilies and meat. And of course me, but that is three things!
I adore green chilies, but meat is something I don't really desire. Hence, I love my New Mexican green chile because it tastes like green chilies.
It took me years to make this Colorado version of green chili but I figured it was about time. This version contains pork and tomatoes, which makes this very different from New Mexican green chile.
You find it everywhere in Colorado. Yes, you can eat it in a bowl, but most often it is found smothering enchiladas or burritos or rellenos-or just served on a plate with refried beans and rice.
There are really good versions and then there are some that somehow lack flavor. (Sad, but true.)
Such a waste of ingredients when that happens.
Table of contents
Green Chili Pork Questions
Some consider this pork green chili a stew, but many also consider it a sauce or a soup. Take your pick. Made with green chilies from Pueblo, Colorado, which are similar but different than Hatch green chilies from New Mexico, this version of green chili contains tomatoes and pork.
Hatch green chilies are longer and the pepper flesh is thinner. Hatch refers to the region in New Mexico where they are grown. They taste earthier and smoky. Pueblo chiles are thick and often hotter but both types of chiles come in mild, medium or hot! Some prefer one variety over another so do a taste test if you can find them!
Ingredient Notes
As mentioned there are a million varieties of any green chili recipe. Each cook has their own version.
Some change up the spices or the amounts of chili or pork or garlic.
Get the picture? Make this according to your tastes.
Pork- I used a boneless pork shoulder roast and sliced it in thick slices then cut it into large-ish cubes. It shrinks while cooking. Some recipes suggest pork tenderloin but I think a bit of fat adds more flavor.
Onions- I love onion so I always tend to add more. This is up to you. And yes, I used a white onion!
Garlic- You may notice this wasn't in my photo of ingredients. But you can see this recipe calls for a lot of garlic. Don't be shy.
Tomatillos- These tart, citrusy green beauties not only add flavor they help thicken the green chili. I used fresh but feel free to add canned if you want.
Spices- A little or a lot? If you are worried about the 2 teaspoon thing then cut it back to 1 teaspoon. You can always add more! Coriander is the one most people are not familiar with. Coriander is the seeds from cilantro, after it flowers. Tastes totally different than cilantro. Very citrusy, woodsy and fresh. I think it gives this green chili Colorado some punch. Cumin adds warmth and a touch of sweetness and oregano adds an herby depth. Use what you like, just make sure your spices and herbs are fresh. Sometimes folks have a way of not cleaning out their spice cabinet!
Roasted green chiles- Though I have seen many use green chilies from the can, this really isn't the recipe to do that with. The flavors will change and this pork green chile will not be the same. Order chilies by mail if you can't get your hands on some.
Pro Tip: I buy a bushel of green chilies each year and I should probably buy more! After I peel and deseed them-never using water- I pack them into 4 or 8 ounce sizes and freeze them in zip lock bags. When I'm ready to use them I take them out of the bag and chop them while they are frozen. Really easy and no need to thaw for this green chili recipe.
Chicken stock - I make my own using Better Than Bouillion by just whisking it into hot water. But feel free to buy a box if you want.
Knorr chicken bouillion powder- yes, this is really just MSG. MSG got a bad rap while I was growing up, but it's back and I like it. Just a sprinkle of this amps up the flavor of most anything. No you don't need it, but I think you will find yourself using it a lot. And no, my fingers didn't swell up!
Flour or cornmeal for thickening - Some simmer their green chili long enough so it gets thick. If you've waited long enough and it still isn't as thick as you would like it, stir in a starch water mixture and it will thicken pretty fast.
Pro Tip- Keep the lid on if you don't want your chili to boil away. While simmering I leave the lid off until it gets to the consistency I want and then place the lid back on when I'm keeping it warm, so all my hard work doesn't boil away! Of course if this happens just add more chicken broth and I promise your green pork chili will still be good. My guess is restaurants do this all the time!
What to Serve With Green Chili Colorado
I served this savory, saucy kind of stew with refried beans and Spanish rice, with flour tortillas on the side.
Or use it as the sauce on burritos, enchiladas or rellanos.
Great over eggs, as part of chilaquiles, and some even like it over steak. Actually it's great on chicken, too.
This pork green chili is fabulous with most everything. Even as a side for nachos, instead of salsa, or as a dip for quesadillas; I hope you can see that this heavenly green chili is fabuloso!
If you are serving green chili as a stew feel free to add potatoes towards the end of the cooking time for a heartier meal. No need to thicken if you do this.
Green chili can be garnished with scallions, sliced radishes and more minced onion.
Some like to add a squeeze of fresh lime, a sprinkle of cilantro and even a sliced avocado.
There are so many ways to go with this! Just be sure to always check for salt and salt as you go-an important tip for anything you cook!
How To Store Green Chili
Green chili can be stored in an airtight container and frozen. I recommend freezing it in small containers for individual servings.
It can also be kept in the fridge for about 5 days. Green chili tends to go sour if kept too long.
I love making any variety of green chili. There are so many ways to make it and so many ways to use it.
I'd love to hear your tips and tricks and oh yeah...Trick or treat-this make a perfect meal before you get ready to serve the trick or treaters!
PrintRecipe
Colorado Pork Green Chili
- Prep Time: 25 Minutes
- Cook Time: Varies
- Total Time: 0 hours
- Yield: 4-6 Servings 1x
- Category: Soup
- Cuisine: Mexican/American
Description
Colorado pork green chili made with green chilies, garlic, tomatoes and tomatillos are what makes this common Denver dish so appealing!
Ingredients
2 -4 lbs boneless pork shoulder cubed and dried with a paper towel (if you like this meaty use the larger amount)
3 T olive oil
1 large onion diced or 2-3 cups
⅓ c minced garlic or about 6-8 cloves
8 diced tomatillos
2 t ground cumin
2 t ancho chile powder
2 t coriander
Salt
1 t oregano
1 14 oz can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
2-4 c roasted green chiles, chopped
8 c chicken stock
Knorr chicken bouillion powder (optional)
2 T flour
Instructions
In a large Dutch oven over medium high heat brown pork cubes in olive oil until golden. Do not overload your pot or the pork will steam and not brown. If you are using a lot of meat you may have to do this in several batches.
Add onions, tomatillos and garlic. Cook several minutes until onions are translucent.
Stir in seasonings. Let cook about 1 minute until you smell them! Remember you can always add more if you want more flavor.
Reduce heat to medium and add diced tomatoes. Stir the pot well to deglaze. Add the chicken broth and chilies. (I prefer the larger amount of chilies but if you want this to taste more like pork, use the smaller amount.)
Bring mixture to a simmer, sprinkle with a little Knorr chicken bouillion if using, and turn down heat to simmer 1 -2 hours. Coloradoans prefer a thinner green chili so watch your pot! If you want it thicker, simmer longer and add a mixture of 2 T of flour to ¼ c water. Stir in and let cook until it thickens. Even if it gets too thick you can always add more stock or water to achieve your desired thickness.
After this has cooked I used an immersion blender to break this down a bit. I prefer less chunky green chili, but you do you! If you are happy with the chunks of pork there is no reason to bring out the immersion blender. The pork can also be shredded with a fork. After simmering the pork should be very soft- if it isn't you probably overcooked it- which means it dried out. Doesn't happen often but it could!
You can garnish the green chili with limes, diced onions, cilantro and avocado if you like. Depending on the heat of the chilies you used you may want a dollop of sour cream.
Notes
Please see above post for serving suggestions and ingredient tips.
More Green Chile Recipes
Green Chiles and Cheese Latkes
I Love Comments!