4clovesgarlicpeeled, 2 of them minced, 2 left whole
1 1/2cupschicken stock
1/3cupcilantro
1/2teaspoonground cumin
1/2teaspoononion powder
Salt and pepper
Oil
Fresh limes for garnish
Instructions
Prepare the Chile Verde:
Place the tomatillos, poblano peppers and Serrano peppers on a baking tray and broil for about 10 minutes, rotating halfway through for even charring.
Remove the tray from the broiler and cover it with foil to sweat the vegetables, about 15 minutes.
Peel the skin off the poblano peppers and Serrano peppers. Slice open the Serranos and remove the seeds if you want less heat
In a blender puree the following: the tomatillos, poblano peppers, Serrano peppers, two cloves of garlic, cilantro, two pinches salt
Transfer to a bowl and set aside. This will make roughly four cups.
Prep the Pork: (This step is optional, See Note)
Rinse the pork chunks a few times in cold water until the liquid is pretty clear.
Transfer the rinsed meat to a large pot and just enough water to barely cover the meat, about 2 cups.
Boil the meat and water for a few minutes until the pork has released most of the scum/impurities.
Rinse the meat again in cold water (I wash the pot, too) and return to the pot.
Cook the Stew:
Turn on the heat to medium high, add two to three tablespoons of oil to the meat in the pot and also a pinch or two of salt and pepper.
Cook the pork, stirring occasionally, to allow to brown a little. It’s not important to get all sides or all pieces of meat brown—the goal is just to build a little color and flavor. Add a tablespoon or two of oil, as needed. The browning process will take about five to six minutes.
Once the meat is colored, add the diced onion, the remaining two cloves of minced garlic, onion powder and ground cumin and cook, stirring, for an additional 2 minutes or until fragrant. Watch your heat and reduce to medium if you have to. You don’t want the garlic to burn.
Add the pureed Chile verde, bring to a boil, cover and simmer for 1 1/2 - 2 hours, until the pork is tender. You will need to stir the stew from time to time to avoid the bottom of the pot sticking and burning. If your stew dries up at any time during the simmer process, add 1/2 cup of chicken stock at a time. I ended up adding 1 1/2 cups of stock to mine. Taste also for additional seasonings. You may need to add a bit more salt. The stock will also help to cut the acidity in the tomatillos. I let mine sit for about thirty minutes after turning off the stove and the acidity was markedly reduced. You can add the lime juice if you want to bring some of it back.
Serve warm with rice and beans and/or tortillas.
Recipe Notes
Note: This is how I treat my chicken and pork before I make stock or stews to remove as much of the impurities from the meat as possible.