Chili Verde (Mexican Stewed Pork)

You all know how I feel about the Mexican food here in North Carolina.  It is simply horrendous.  Stuffing a Poblano Pepper with hamburger and Velveeta does not a Chili Relleno make.   There were so may choices for a true, authentic Chili Relleno smothered with ridiculously SCRUMPTIOUS pork green chili when we lived in Colorado....Hacienda Colorado, Los Dos Patrillos, Brewery Bar, just to name my favorites.  So, what's a girl to do??  Experiment and try a billion recipes until she comes up with a winner.  As far as pork green chili goes, this is a winner.  It is much thicker and much more meaty than the smothering kind, but OH SO FLAVORFUL!  We enjoyed this stuffed in flour tortillas and topped with cheese, sour cream, and lettuce.  My daughter (who comes by her obsession with Chili Rellenos honestly) made a cheese and green chili quesadilla and used it almost as a scoop.  Brilliant I tell ya! 
However you choose to eat it, just eat it.  It is spectacular!

Chili Verde, aka Mexican Stewed Pork
Recipe slightly adapted from:  Mel's Kitchen Cafe

• 2 TBSP vegetable or canola oil
• 5 pounds boneless pork roast, or boneless country ribs, trimmed of as much fat as possible
• Salt and pepper for seasoning roast.  I used salt and Montreal Steak Seasoning.
• 2 yellow onions, chopped
• 5 cloves garlic, finely minced or crushed
• 1 (15 oz.) can green enchilada sauce
• 3 (4 oz.) cans diced green chilies
• 3 (14 oz.) cans diced tomatoes with green chilies
• 1 beef bouillon cube (or 1 teaspoon beef bouillon granules)
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• ½ teaspoon black pepper

Cut the roast into 3-4 large chunks. Season the pork generously with salt and pepper on all sides. In a large heavy pot, the oil over medium heat until the oil is shimmering and hot. Add the pork, being careful not to crowd the pot (brown the pork in shifts, if needed). Brown the pork on all sides until golden and well-browned, about 30 seconds to a minute on each side. Leave the roast in the pot and add the onion and garlic. Cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring often. Place the pork and garlic and onions in the slow cooker. Stir in the rest of the ingredients to the slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 8-9 hours. After the roast has cooked for the allotted time, remove the roast. Shred it into bite-size pieces and set aside, covered with foil to keep warm. Pour the remaining liquid and ingredients from the slow cooker into a large saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil on the stove, and simmer vigorously over medium-low or medium heat for 20-30 minutes, stirring often to prevent sticking or burning, until the mixture considerably reduced and thickened. DON'T SKIP THIS STEP!!!  Reducing the sauce is essential in deepening the flavor of the sauce.  Add the pork roast and sauce back to the slow cooker. Stir to coat the pork with the sauce. Turn the crockpot to low or high and allow the pork to heat through again. Serve with warm tortillas and desired toppings, such as sour cream, cheese, avocados, lettuce, tomatoes.

This recipe has been linked up at:
This Chick Cooks
Simply Sweet Home
Tidy Mom
The Country Cook
.