Pork Stew with Green Chilies

This is chile verde stripped down to its essentials. Pork shoulder gets browned, dusted with flour, and simmered for hours with green chilies, jalapeno, onions, garlic, and oregano until the meat practically falls apart into the broth.

Browning the cubed pork first builds a crusty, caramelized exterior that holds up through the long simmer. Sprinkling the browned meat with flour before it goes back in thickens the stew naturally as it cooks, so you don’t need a separate roux or slurry.

The green chilies and jalapeno bring a slow, building heat that’s warm without being punishing. Oregano ties it all together with that earthy, slightly floral note that’s a signature of New Mexican cooking.

Cooling and degreasing the stew before serving is a step you shouldn’t skip. Pork shoulder throws off a lot of fat, and skimming it off the top once it solidifies gives you a cleaner, lighter stew.

Pro Tips

• Trim as much visible fat as possible before cubing. The pork shoulder still has plenty of marbling to keep things moist through the simmer.
• Brown the meat in batches so each piece gets proper contact with the hot pan. Overcrowding steams the pork instead of searing it.
• Add salt and pepper only in the last 30 minutes. Seasoning too early in a long braise can concentrate and make things too salty as the liquid reduces.
• For extra chile flavor, roast fresh green chilies over an open flame until charred, then peel and chop them.

Variations

• Add tomatillos to the stew for a tangier, more traditional verde sauce.
• Use a mix of Hatch and Anaheim chilies when they’re in season for layered, complex heat.
• Serve over rice or with warm corn tortillas instead of flour tortillas for a different texture.