Pork Chile Verde

📝 Ingredients

• 12 Tomatillos (husks and stems removed)
• 4 Poblano Chiles (stemmed, halved, and seeded *see note)
• 1 Large Red Onion (cut into 8 wedges)
• 7 Garlic Cloves (unpeeled)
• 1 Jalapeño (stemmed and seeded **see note)
• 1 teaspoon Pepper
• 1/2 Cup Cilantro (minced, plus extra for serving)
• 4 Pounds Boneless pork butt roast (trimmed and cut into 1 1/2-2 inch pieces)
• 6 teaspoons Kosher Salt (divided )
• 6 Pieces Bacon
• 1/2 Cup Chicken Broth
• 1/2 Cup Water
• 1/2 Cup Orange Juice
• 1 Tablespoon Vegetable Oil
• 1 1/2 teaspoons Dried Oregano
• 1 1/4 teaspoons Ground Cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
• 1 Pinch Ground Cloves
• 2 teaspoons Sugar
• 2 Bay Leaves
• Rice and Beans (for eating over the top of)
• Lime Wedges (for serving)

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1--- For the Verde ---
2. 2Adjust 1 oven rack to lower-middle position and second rack 6 inches from broiler element. Heat to broil. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil.
3. 3Place tomatillos, poblanos, onion, garlic, and jalapeño on prepared sheet and drizzle with vegetable oil. Arrange chiles skin side up and broil until chile skins are blackened and vegetables begin to soften, about 10 to 13 minutes, rotating sheet halfway through broiling.
4. 4Transfer poblanos, jalapeño, and garlic to cutting board to cool a little. Turn off broiler.
5. 5Transfer tomatillos, onion, and any accumulated juices to a blender. When poblanos, jalapeño, and garlic are cool enough to handle, remove and discard skins and add poblanos, jalapeño, garlic and cilantro to the blender. Add the orange juice and pulse the blender until everything is pureed.
6. 6--- For the Pork ---
7. 7Toss the pork pieces with 5 teaspoons salt in a large bowl. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
8. 8Meanwhile, chop the bacon coarse. Add any fat trimmings and 1/2 the bacon to a dutch oven and add the chicken broth and water. Bring to simmer over high heat. Cook, adjusting heat to maintain vigorous simmer and stirring occasionally, until all liquid evaporates and trimmings begin to sizzle, about 12 minutes.
9. 9Add the remaining bacon. Continue to cook, stirring frequently, until dark fond forms on bottom of pot and trimmings have browned and crisped, about 6 minutes longer.
10. 10Using slotted spoon, discard trimmings, and place bacon on a plate. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons fat; set aside pot. Heat the oven to 325.
11. 11Move one of your oven racks to the lower middle position and the other rack 6 inches from the top. Line a baking sheet with foil. Now listen, this can totally be done days in advance, in fact I often double it and freeze half for later using my Food Saver.
12. 12Heat reserved fat in Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add the oregano, cumin, cinnamon, and cloves and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the chicken and brown in batches then pile it all back in the pot along with any juices.
13. 13Add the tomatillo mixture from the blender and add all the remaining ingredients. Stir in the pork and bring to a simmer.
14. 14Cover, transfer to oven, and cook until pork is tender, about 1½ hours. Stir occasionally to release anything stuck to the bottom.
15. 15Remove pot from oven and discard bay leaves.
16. 16Using heatproof rubber spatula, scrape browned bits from sides of pot. Stir in cilantro; season with salt and pepper to taste.
17. 17Serve, over rice and beans with lime wedges.