Chile Verde Recipe

Trim and Season

Pat the pork shoulder dry with paper towels. Trim excess large pieces of fat but leave some for flavor. In a large bowl, combine the pork cubes with kosher salt, black pepper, ground cumin, and dried oregano. Toss to coat evenly and let sit at room temperature for 15 minutes or refrigerate up to 2 hours.

Heat a large heavy-bottomed Dutch oven or wide skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon vegetable oil. When shimmering, add pork in a single layer (work in batches if necessary) and brown on all sides, about 6–8 minutes per batch. Browning builds flavor — aim for a deep golden crust but do not cook through. Transfer browned pork to a plate and repeat with remaining pork, adding remaining oil if needed.

Roast Vegetables

Preheat broiler or set a cast-iron skillet over high heat. Place tomatillos (halved if large), jalapeños/serranos, poblano (if using), quartered onion, and unpeeled garlic cloves on a rimmed baking sheet or directly on the hot skillet. Roast or sear, turning occasionally, until tomatillos are blistered and softened and chiles are charred in spots — about 8–12 minutes under a broiler or on a hot skillet.

Peel and Blend

If garlic or poblano skins are heavily charred, let them steam in a covered bowl for 5 minutes, then peel the garlic and optionally peel the poblano if you prefer less char and grit. Transfer roasted tomatillos, chiles (stemmed; remove seeds if you want milder heat), onion, peeled garlic, cilantro, lime juice, water, and 1 teaspoon kosher salt to a blender. Purée until smooth or slightly chunky, adjusting texture with additional water if needed. Taste and adjust salt or lime; add up to 1/2 teaspoon brown sugar or honey if the sauce is very sharp.

Optional Step — Sauté for deeper flavor: For a rounder, less 'raw' green sauce, heat 1 tablespoon oil in a skillet over medium heat and cook the blended salsa for 4–6 minutes, stirring, until it darkens slightly and the flavors marry. Use this warmed salsa for the braise.

Return all browned pork and any accumulated juices to the Dutch oven. Pour the blended salsa verde over the pork so pieces are mostly submerged. Add chicken or pork stock and the bay leaf. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, then reduce heat to low so the pot simmers very gently. Partially cover and braise until pork is tender and easily shredded with a fork, about 1.5 to 2 hours (time will vary with cube size and pork quality).

Check every 20–30 minutes and stir gently so the pork cooks evenly. If liquid reduces too much, add up to 1/2 cup additional stock or water. About 15 minutes before the end of cooking, taste the sauce and adjust seasoning with additional salt, a squeeze of lime, or the optional 1/2 teaspoon brown sugar to balance acidity. If you prefer a thicker sauce, mash a few pieces of pork against the side of the pot with a spoon or remove lid for the last 10–15 minutes to reduce.

When pork is fork-tender and sauce is flavorful, remove bay leaf. Stir in chopped cilantro and adjust final seasoning. If desired, shred some of the pork into the sauce to thicken and distribute flavor, leaving some chunks intact.

Spoon chile verde into warmed tortillas for tacos or serve over rice. Garnish with diced onion, crumbled queso fresco, sliced radishes, extra cilantro, and lime wedges on the side. Serve hot.

Leftovers: Cool to room temperature, refrigerate up to 4 days or freeze up to 3 months. Reheat gently on the stove or in a low oven; add a splash of water or stock if sauce is too thick.