Green Chile Carnitas Mac Recipe
House-made Green Chile, Slow Roasted Pork
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Ingredients
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Carnitas (Slow-Roasted Pork)
House Green Chile
Mac & Cheese
Breadcrumb Topping & Garnish (Optional)
Method
Carnitas (Slow-Roasted Pork)
- 1
Season and sear
Preheat oven to 300°F (150°C). Pat the pork shoulder pieces dry. In a small bowl, mix kosher salt, black pepper, ground cumin and dried oregano. Rub the spice mix all over the pork. Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear pork pieces 2–3 minutes per side until browned (do not overcrowd; sear in batches if needed).
- 2
Roast low and slow
Add the halved onion, smashed garlic cloves, bay leaves and 1 cup chicken stock to the Dutch oven with the pork. Bring to a simmer, cover tightly with a lid, and transfer to the preheated oven. Roast for 3 to 3 1/2 hours, or until pork is very tender and easily pulls apart with forks.
- 3
Shred and crisp
Remove pork from the oven and transfer to a rimmed tray. Reserve 1/2 cup of the pan juices and discard bay leaves. Using two forks, shred the pork into bite-sized pieces. To develop crispy bits (traditional carnitas texture), spread shredded pork on a baking sheet, drizzle with a little reserved pan juice and roast at 425°F (220°C) for 8–10 minutes, or alternatively, sauté in a hot skillet in a tablespoon of oil until edges crisp. Keep warm until assembly. Measure out about 3 cups shredded pork for the mac; reserve any extra for other uses.
House Green Chile
- 4
Roast chiles and tomatillos
Heat broiler or gas flame and roast the Anaheim/Hatch chiles until blistered on all sides, then place in a bowl covered with plastic wrap for 10 minutes to steam (this loosens skins). Roast tomatillos and the quartered onion until slightly charred. Peel and seed the chiles once cool enough to handle. Remove tomatillo husks and any papery skin.
- 5
Blend and season
In a blender or food processor, combine peeled chiles, roasted tomatillos, roasted onion, garlic cloves, cilantro leaves, ground cumin, dried oregano, 1 cup chicken stock and kosher salt. Puree until mostly smooth (leave a little texture if desired).
- 6
Simmer to finish
Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Pour in the chile-tomatillo puree and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook for 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens slightly and flavors meld. Taste and add lime juice if desired to brighten. Keep warm; measure out 1 cup for the mac and reserve the rest for serving.
Mac & Cheese
- 7
Cook pasta
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook 1 lb elbow macaroni according to package instructions until al dente (usually 7–9 minutes). Reserve 1 cup pasta cooking water, then drain pasta and set aside.
- 8
Make the roux
In the empty pasta pot or a heavy saucepan, melt 3 tablespoons unsalted butter over medium heat. Add 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour and whisk continuously for 1–2 minutes to cook the raw flour, creating a blond roux—do not brown.
- 9
Add milk and cream
Slowly whisk in 3 cups whole milk and 1/2 cup heavy cream, a little at a time to avoid lumps. Continue whisking and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook 4–6 minutes until sauce thickens and coats the back of a spoon. If too thick, whisk in up to 1/2 cup reserved pasta water.
- 10
Finish cheese sauce
Lower heat to low. Stir in 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar and 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack a handful at a time until fully melted and smooth. Add smoked paprika, mustard powder, 1 tsp kosher salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
- 11
Combine pasta, pork and green chile
Add the drained pasta to the cheese sauce and stir to coat. Fold in about 3 cups shredded carnitas and 1 cup prepared green chile, stirring until everything is evenly combined. If the mixture seems too thick, add a splash of reserved pasta water to loosen to your preferred consistency.
- 12
Bake (optional) or serve stovetop
For a browned top, preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Transfer mac mixture to a 9x13-inch baking dish or individual ramekins. If not baking, skip to garnish step.
Breadcrumb Topping & Finish
- 13
Prepare topping
In a small skillet, melt 1 tablespoon butter over medium heat. Add 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs and toast, stirring, until golden, 2–3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in 1/4 cup grated Parmesan. Sprinkle evenly over the mac in the baking dish.
- 14
Bake until bubbly
Bake assembled mac with topping for 12–15 minutes at 400°F (200°C), until sauce is bubbly and breadcrumbs are golden. For extra crisped pork edges, broil 1–2 minutes watching carefully to avoid burning.
- 15
Garnish and serve
Remove from oven and let rest 5 minutes. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro and serve with lime wedges on the side. Spoon extra reserved green chile at the table for those who want more heat. Serve 6 portions.
