New Mexico Hatch Chile Pork Chili

New Mexico Hatch Green Chile Pork Chili

It's New Mexico Hatch Green Chile season! Whoo hoo! Hatch Green Chiles are grown in a certain part of New Mexico and they get trucked into California and other states only in August/September. They are great tasting chiles.

I've been to a Hatch Chile roasting in 2010 - see this post. It's a good time and the smell is freaking amazing. Recently, Frieda's Produce sent me a few fresh samples. (Frieda's sell produce to many stores - I'm sure you've purchased something from them in the past).

Hatch Green Chiles can be roasted then frozen to enjoy all year long. You can use them in salsas, chilis, egg dishes and so much more. Frieda's has some recipes here.

There is one more weekend of Hatch Chile Roasting! It is much easier to have them roasted for you in the parking lot. Then you can bring them home and repackage into small freezer bags so you can enjoy them all year. Find a roasting event in California, Texas and some midwest/northeast states here.

If you don't have a roasting event near you, find Hatch Chiles in your local grocery store (I've seen them at Ralphs, Sprouts and Whole Foods in Los Angeles) and roast them yourself at home. You can do this in the oven, but I prefer the gas stove method. Roast until charred, then...

...place the charred chiles in a plastic bag to sweat it out for 15-20 minutes. Then you can easily scrap off the skin. If you wish, you can also remove the seeds because that is where a lot of the heat is located.

Hatch chiles are produced in Mild, Medium and Hot varieties. I usually get the medium and that's plenty spicy for me...I also remove the seeds.

I made a Pork Chile recipe that's based on a dish my Auntie Joy brings each year to our annual Mochi Day.

It's really simply! Brown some pork (I found this package of "Lean Pork Stew Meat" at Sprouts for less than $3.00, but my cousin suggests using a fattier meat such as pork butt or shoulder) and add chopped tomatillos, tomatoes and Hatch Chiles. Cook until softened and enjoy! 

Serve anyway you want...
With tortillas (I love a rolled up corn tortilla)
In a tortilla (dude, it makes a great burrito filling)
Over rice (dude, I'm Asian and this works for all types of food)
With tortilla chips (yes, deep fried anything goes with chili, right?)

Recipe:
New Mexico Hatch Green Chile Pork Chili

Thanks Auntie Joy for the inspiration for this recipe

1/2 pound pork, cut into small pieces (suggestion: pork butt or shoulder)

1 pound tomatillos (about 10 pieces), chopped

1 large or 2 small tomatoes, chopped

2-3 Hatch New Mexico Chiles, charred with skin removed (optional: keep or remove seeds)

Olive oil

Salt & pepper

In a medium pot, heat olive oil and brown pork pieces over high heat.

Toss the tomatillos, tomatoes and chiles into the pot. Lower heat to a simmer.

Simmer for 45-60 minutes, until everything has broken down and it's a hot mess of yumminess.
Enjoy!

Note #1: Freezes very well.
Note #2: Do not add any liquid. The tomatillos and tomatoes express enough liquid for the dish.

What if you don't have Hatch Chiles at your disposal? You can use those canned green chiles but it won't be nearly as delicious. Really. Go out and get the Hatch Chiles, roast & freeze 'em!

Disclosure: Frieda's Produce sent me Hatch New Mexico Chiles to sample (less than 2 pounds). I was not compensated and opinions are my own.