The Chef

Restaurants

Meals

Drinks

Restaurants›Mitla Cafe›Carne De Puerco En Chile Verde Recipe

Carne De Puerco En Chile Verde Recipe

Name: Mitla Cafes Carne De Puerco En Chile Verde Recipe
Cook time: 2 h
Total time: 2 h
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 2 lbs bone-in pork shoulder or Boston butt, cut into 1½-inch cubes; 1.5 tbs kosher salt; 1 tsp black pepper, freshly ground; 2 tbs vegetable oil (for browning); 1.5 lbs fresh tomatillos, husked and rinsed; 2 jalapeño peppers, stemmed (seeds removed for milder heat); 1 serrano peppers, stemmed (optional — for more heat); 1 medium yellow onion, quartered; 4 garlic cloves; 1 cup fresh cilantro, packed; 1 tsp ground cumin; 1 tsp dried oregano (Mexican oregano if available); 2 cups chicken or pork stock; 2 tbs fresh lime juice; 1 tbs olive oil (for sauce sautéing); 1 tsp salt (to taste, for sauce); 1 bay leaf; 0 to taste additional salt and pepper (to taste); 0.25 cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped (for garnish); 4 each lime wedges (for serving)

Inspired by Mitla Cafe

Time2h

Serves6

Pork Meat with Green Sauce

Was this page helpful?

Help improve this recipe for others.

Send this recipe to your inbox.

We'll email it straight to you - plus weekly cooking inspiration.

Ingredients

Some product links may be affiliates. If you buy through them, you're supporting the site and Pekin may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

Pork and Marinade

2 lbs bone-in pork shoulder or Boston butt, cut into 1½-inch cubes

1 1/2 tbs kosher salt

1 tsp Black pepper, freshly ground

2 tbs vegetable oil (for browning)

Green Sauce (Chile Verde)

1 1/2 lbs fresh tomatillos, husked and rinsed

2 jalapeño peppers, stemmed (seeds removed for milder heat)

1 serrano peppers, stemmed (optional — for more heat)

1 medium yellow onion, quartered

4 Garlic cloves

1 cup fresh cilantro, packed

1 tsp Ground cumin

1 tsp dried oregano (Mexican oregano if available)

2 cups chicken or pork stock

2 tbs Fresh lime juice

1 tbs olive oil (for sauce sautéing)

1 tsp salt (to taste, for sauce)

Finishing & Garnish

1 bay leaf

0 to taste additional salt and pepper (to taste)

1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped (for garnish)

4 each Lime wedges (for serving)

Method

Pork and Marinade

Prepare and season pork

Pat the pork cubes dry with paper towels. Season evenly with 1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt and 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Let sit at room temperature while you prepare the sauce, about 15 minutes.

Brown the pork

Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a large heavy-bottomed Dutch oven or skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Working in batches so meat is not crowded, add pork cubes and brown on all sides, about 6–8 minutes per batch. Transfer browned pork to a plate and set aside.

Green Sauce (Chile Verde)

Roast tomatillos and peppers

Preheat broiler or a hot cast-iron skillet. On a rimmed baking sheet, arrange tomatillos, jalapeños, serrano (if using), and quartered onion. Broil or roast until tomatillos are blistered and soft and peppers and onion have charred spots, 6–10 minutes, turning once. Alternatively, char them over a gas flame or grill. Let cool slightly.

Blend the sauce

In a blender, combine the roasted tomatillos, roasted peppers, onion, garlic cloves, 1 cup packed cilantro, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, and 1 cup of the chicken/pork stock. Blend until smooth but slightly textured. Taste and add 1 teaspoon salt and 2 tablespoons lime juice. If sauce is too thick, add up to 1 cup more stock to reach a saucy consistency.

Sauté and finish sauce

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in the same Dutch oven (wipe out any burnt bits but leave browned fond). Pour in the blended sauce and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, 6–8 minutes to develop flavor and reduce slightly. Adjust salt and lime to taste.

Simmering and Finishing

Combine pork and sauce

Return the browned pork and any accumulated juices to the Dutch oven with the sauce. Add the bay leaf and the remaining 1 cup of stock to just barely cover the meat (add more if needed). Bring to a gentle simmer.

Braise until tender

Reduce heat to low, cover partially, and simmer gently until pork is fork-tender, about 1 to 1¼ hours. Check every 20 minutes and stir gently; skim any excess fat if desired. If you prefer to finish in the oven, place the covered Dutch oven in a 325°F (160°C) oven and braise for the same time.

Adjust and rest

When pork is tender, taste the sauce and adjust seasoning with additional salt, pepper, or lime juice. Remove and discard bay leaf. If sauce is very thin, increase heat and reduce uncovered for 5–10 minutes to thicken. Let the meat rest in the sauce for 10 minutes off heat to meld flavors.

Serve

Spoon Carne de Puerco en Chile Verde into bowls or onto plates. Garnish with chopped cilantro leaves and serve lime wedges on the side. Accompany with warm tortillas, rice, or beans as desired.