Homemade Mexican Chili Verde (Updated)

Linda Lou

My Homemade Mexican Chili Verde (Updated) is slightly different from my original recipe in that it features two types of meat.

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Cook Time 7

Inactive (custom time) Prep Time, for Prep Time: see the notes 1

Total Time 1 7

Course Main Course

Cuisine Mexican

Servings 12 servings

Calories 570 kcal

Equipment

1 chef's knife
1 cutting board
1 cutting board Meat-safe
1 food processor 10-cup
2 rimmed baking sheet pans
1 saute pan 12-inch
1 slow cooker 7-quart
1 cheesecloth A large piece
1 slotted spoon
1 mesh sieve
3 mixing bowls Large
3 air-tight containers Tight-fitting lids
parchment paper
1 liquid measuring cup 2-cup
1 set measuring spoons
1 set dry measuring cups
kitchen twine

Ingredients

Ingredients for the Pork Butt and the Ground Pork:

1 5 1/2 pound bone-in pork butt (pork shoulder) The fat cap scored
1/4 cup Adobo seasoning
2 onions Spanish white onions, quartered
2 cloves garlic Thinly sliced
1 cup orange juice No pulp
1/2 cup chicken broth Unsalted
2 pounds ground pork
2 tbsps extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp kosher salt
1 tsp black pepper Freshly ground
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 1/2 tbsps ground cumin
1 tbsp dried oregano

Refer to note #3:

2 1/2 cups pork stock from the slow cooker Strained and stored

Ingredients for the Chili Verde Pureè:

2 tbsps extra virgin olive oil
1 Spanish white onion Outer skin removed and roasted
9 Poblano peppers Roasted and seeded
1 bulb garlic Roasted
2 tbsps jalapeno (1 jalapeno), roasted, seeded, and diced, optional, refer to the notes
1 1/2 cups fresh cilantro Including the stems
2 tbsps Agave nectar
2 tbsps fresh lime juice
2 tbsps kosher salt
2 tsps black pepper Freshly ground
1/2 cup pork stock

Ingredients for the Slow Cooker:

2 15.5-ounce cans cannellini beans rinsed and drained
1 15-ounce can black beans rinsed and drained
1 12-ounce package Frozen Birds Eye Roasted Corn Thawed
2 1/2 cups tomatillos Quartered (8 large tomatillos)
4 cloves garlic Sliced
2 tbsps Mexican chocolate Freshly grated
1 cup Poblano peppers 3 Poblano peppers, seeded and diced
1 1/2 cups white Spanish onions 1 large white Spanish onion, diced
2 tbsps jalapenos 1 jalapeno, seeded and diced, optional
1 tbsp kosher salt
1 tsp black pepper Freshly ground
1 1/2 tbsps ground cumin
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 1/2 tbsps dried oregano
10 sprigs cilantro Tied with kitchen twine
2 fresh bay leaves Substitute dried ones
1 cup orange juice No pulp
2 cups chili verde pureè
2 cups pork stock
2 pounds cooked and seasoned ground pork Grease removed
3 pounds cooked and seasoned pulled pork Onions removed

Optional Toppings:

sliced avocados
shredded cheese Your choice
pickled jalapenos Substitute fresh sliced jalapenos
red onion Finely diced
sour cream
tortilla strips Substitute Cantina-style chips
cilantro leaves
lime wedges

Instructions

Starting 3 days before serving:
On a rimmed baking sheet, use a sharp knife to score the top fat cap of the pork in a criss-cross pattern. Sprinkle the Adobo seasoning all over the pork on all sides. Transfer to the fridge and leave uncovered for 24 hours.
2 days before serving:
Remove the dry-rubbed pork butt from the fridge and bring it to room temperature.
In the meantime, on a rimmed baking sheet, lay out the ground pork. Season with garlic powder, dried oregano, ground cumin, kosher salt, and fresh ground black pepper. Over medium-high heat, add the 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the sautè pan. Add the meat to the pan and cook the ground pork for 12-15 minutes or until no pink remains, and it is cooked through.
On a plate lined with paper towels, transfer the cooked, seasoned ground pork using a slotted spoon to the plate, draining off as much grease as possible. Once cooled, store in a container with a tight-fitting lid and refrigerate.
In the slow cooker, add two quartered onions and the sliced garlic. Place the seasoned pork butt on top. Pour in 1 cup of orange juice and the 1/2 cup of chicken broth. Set on the low setting to cook for 8 hours. After 6 hours, check to see if the pork is fork-tender and the bone releases easily from the meat. After the 6-hour mark, I checked the pork, and because of its size, it was ready to come out. Transfer the pork butt to a sheet pan. Remove the fat cap and any large pieces of onions; they've done their job. Shred the pork using two forks, and place it inside a large zip-lock bag and transfer to the fridge.
The pork drippings left in the slow cooker pour into a large bowl. Place the bowl in the fridge for 4 hours, allowing the fat to separate, solidify, and come to the top of the bowl. Next, using a spoon, discard all the fat from the top. Pour the pork stock through a mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth into a container. Place a tight-fitting lid on the pork stock, and refrigerate until ready to use.
Preheat the oven to 425°F.
On a rimmed baking sheet, arrange the Poblano peppers and the peeled onion. Drizzle 2 tablespoons of olive oil over the peppers and onion.
Next, season with 1 tablespoon of kosher salt and 1 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper. Specifically for the garlic, cut off the top third of the bulb and place it onto a piece of aluminum foil. Drizzle a little olive oil, and season with a sprinkling of kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper. Wrap the garlic up tightly in the foil and place it on the sheet pan.
Roast poblano peppers, jalapeno (optional), and garlic for 20-25 minutes until the skin is blackened and blistered. After cooking, place them in a covered bowl for 10-15 minutes to steam, which makes the skin easy to peel. Open the garlic packet to make sure the garlic is lightly golden brown in color and soft. If it's not, place the packet back in the oven and cook for another 10 minutes.
After 15 minutes, peel and seed the Poblano peppers. In a food processor, add the roasted peppers, all the roasted garlic cloves (squeeze them into the processor), the quartered roasted onion, and the roasted jalapeno (optional). Next, add the juice of 1 lime, the agave nectar, cilantro, the remaining kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, and 1/2 cup of the strained refrigerated pork juices. Pulse until it's purèed and there are no large lumps left. Refer to the above picture.
Day of serving:
Remove both meats and the strained pork juice from the fridge and bring them to room temperature.
Have all the vegetables prepped on a large plate and ready for the slow cooker. Have the beans, spices, roasted corn, bay leaves, meats, cilantro, orange juice, chicken broth, chile verde pureè, and pork drippings readily available. Set the rinsed black beans aside; they will get added last.
Set the slow cooker to the browning setting.
If your slow cooker does not have this setting, you'll want to sautè the vegetables, sliced garlic, and the quartered tomatillos in a separate pan first before adding them to the slow cooker.
Add the diced vegetables, sliced garlic, bay leaves, and quartered tomatillos first. Sautè until soft, allowing them to get a little color. Add the ground cumin, dried oregano, garlic powder, kosher salt, fresh ground black pepper, and the grated Mexican chocolate. Stir and cook for 5-7 minutes.
Add the ground pork and pulled pork to the slow cooker, 1 cup of orange juice, 2 cups of the chili verde mixture, and 2 cups of strained pork stock. Finally, add the drained and rinsed black beans. Give everything a good stir to combine, and heat up on high until everything is hot, about 30 minutes.
Serve hot with your favorite toppings.
There you have it, my Homemade Mexican Chili Verde (Updated).

Notes

1) For the best results, please read through the full post before beginning the recipe.

2) The "prep time". This dish requires some planning, and I took my time to complete it. During the 6 1/2 hours it took to cook the pork, you could prepare all the other components for this recipe. I didn't, and I'm sure you don't want to spend all kinds of hours in the kitchen where you can't get anything else done. That said, I'm writing this recipe exactly the way I did it. Preparing all the components over three days, everything was then put into the slow cooker on the third day.

3) Once the pork comes out of the slow cooker. Place the pork stock into a large bowl and let it cool until the fat has settled to the top. Remove as much fat as possible using a large spoon. Next, strain the broth through a mesh sieve using cheesecloth. Transfer to a container with a tight-fitting lid until needed.

4) In this dish, I left out the roasted and diced jalapenos because I was bringing this to an event. I did, however, set up a side of pickled jalapenos if you wanted to make your bowl of chili spicier. Refer to the pictures above to see how I set up all the toppings for this dish.

5) You can freeze cooked chili for 4 to 6 months for the best quality, though it remains safe to eat for a longer period. To ensure the best taste and to prevent freezer burn, use airtight containers or freezer bags. Cool the chili completely before freezing, and label the containers with the date.

6) The "Kcal count" is configured by the "slow cooker ingredients" and does not include toppings. Linda Lou Hamel is not a nutritionist or dietitian, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and nutritional value are important to you, I recommend running the ingredients through the online nutritional calculator of your choice. Calories and values can vary depending on the brands you choose.

How to freeze cooked chili:

Cool it:
Let the chili cool completely before freezing to prevent condensation and freezer burn.

Portion it:
Divide the chili into meal-sized portions in freezer-safe containers or freezer bags.

Seal it tightly:
Use airtight containers or remove as much air as possible from freezer bags to prevent exposure to air.

Label it:
Always include the date the chili was frozen so you can keep track of how long it has been in the freezer.

Freeze it:
For best results, freeze the portions by laying them flat onto a baking sheet first in freezer bags, which also makes them easier to store.

Keyword chili verde, Mexican chili verde, poblano peppers, pulled pork, roasted corn