Cerdo en chile verde

Ingredientes

• 4 pounds boneless pork shoulder (trim excess fat and cut into 1-inch pieces)
• 2 tablespoons light flavored olive oil
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt (divided)
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (divided)
• 1 large yellow onion (chopped into ½-inch pieces, about 1½ cups)
• 6 cloves garlic (minced)
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 3 cups water
• 1 tablespoon chicken base
• 2 pounds fresh tomatillos (husks removed)
• 4 fresh poblano chiles (sliced in half with stem and seeds removed)
• 2 fresh jalapeno peppers (sliced in half with stem and seeds removed)
• ½ bunch fresh cilantro

Preparación

1. 1

   Warm the oil in a Dutch oven over high heat. Add the pork and season generously with 1-2 teaspoons of salt and about a teaspoon of pepper on all sides. Brown the pork on all sides, and then remove from the pot and set aside in a bowl.

2. 2

   Add the onion to the pot and saute until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for about a minute until fragrant. Return the pork to the pot, sprinkle with cumin and oregano. Stir to coat and add the water and chicken base.

3. 3

   Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for about 3 hours.

4. 4

   While the pork is cooking, set the oven to BROIL and place a rack in the center of the oven. Lightly oil a baking sheet and set aside.

5. 5

   Wash and pat dry the tomatillos. Slice in half and place them cut-side down on the baking sheet. Wash and pat dry the peppers. Slice them in half and remove the stems and seeds.

6. 6

   Place in the oven and broil for about 7-10 minutes or until browned. Combine the peppers, tomatillos, and any juices on the pan in the blender along with the cilantro. Puree until combined.

7. 7

   When the pork has been cooking for 3 hours and is almost tender, pour the tomatillo mixture over the pork, cover again, and cook an additional 30-90 minutes until the pork pieces can be pulled apart with a gentle tug. (The pork should not be soft enough to shred.)