Editor’s note: Although the name clearly identifies this as a chili verde, or green chili, the pictures clearly show it as a chili colorado, or red chili. If you are a purist, feel free to call it what you will.

This is one of those meals I wish that each of you could literally taste through the screen. It is unbelievable. And after eating it, I went into mourning realizing how many years I’ve lived my life without it.

Dramatic? Possibly. True? Absolutely.

The depth of flavor in this pork is helped along by a simple browning step before everything is thrown into the slow cooker (or roasted in the oven). After the pork has finished cooking, the sauce is reduced on the stovetop, which allows for an even deeper, flavorful sauce as the ingredients reduce and meld together.

Smothered in the smoky, delicious sauce, the fall-apart-tender pork soaks up all the heartiness of the liquid and is an undeniably perfect meal folded into soft tortillas and smothered with cheese, sour cream, tomatoes, lettuce and avocados.

This pork would be absolutely perfect in everything from enchiladas to burritos to quesadillas. You could even get all crazy and use it to top a delicious, crisp romaine salad. I have a feeling it is spectacular in any venue!

Chili Verde (Mexican Stewed Pork)
Yield: Serves 8-10

Note: don’t even think about skipping the step of reducing the sauce. It is absolutely essential to the flavor of the sauce! Just make sure to plan ahead — the roast takes 8-9 hours on low in the crockpot (or 3-4 hours in the oven) and an additional 30 minutes to reduce the sauce.

Second Note: I forgot to mention that the leftovers freeze excellently. After the pork has cooled, I put it in a ziploc bag, freeze it, then take it out and let it thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Then reheat on low on the stovetop or in the oven.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons canola oil

• 5 pounds boneless pork roast, trimmed of as much fat as possible

• Salt and pepper for seasoning roast

• 2 yellow onions, chopped

• 5 cloves garlic, finely minced or crushed

• 1 (15 oz.) can green enchilada sauce

• 2 (4 oz.) cans diced green chiles

• 2 (14 oz.) cans diced tomatoes with green chiles

• 1 beef bouillon cube (or 1 teaspoon beef bouillon granules)

• 1 teaspoon ground cumin

• 1 teaspoon dried oregano

• ½ teaspoon black pepper

Directions

1. Cut the roast into 3-4 large chunks. Season the pork generously with salt and pepper on all sides. In a large heavy pot, the oil over medium heat until the oil is shimmering and hot. Add the pork, being careful not to crowd the pot (brown the pork in shifts, if needed). Brown the pork on all sides until golden and well-browned, about 30 seconds to a minute on each side. Leave the roast in the pot and add the onion and garlic. Cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring often.

2. Place the pork and garlic and onions in the slow cooker (read below for oven-roasting method). Stir in the rest of the ingredients to the slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 8-9 hours. After the roast has cooked for the allotted time, remove the roast. Shred it into bite-size pieces and set aside, covered with foil to keep warm.

3. Pour the remaining liquid and ingredients from the slow cooker into a large saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil on the stove, and simmer vigorously over medium-low or medium heat for 20-30 minutes, stirring often to prevent sticking or burning, until the mixture considerably reduced and thickened. Add the pork roast and sauce back to the slow cooker. Stir to coat the pork with the sauce. Turn the crockpot to low or high and allow the pork to heat through again.

4. Serve with warm tortillas and desired toppings, such as sour cream, cheese, avocados, lettuce, tomatoes.

5. Oven-roasting instructions: When beginning the recipe, make sure to use an oven-safe pot for the browning (such as a large enameled cast-iron pot). Follow the recipe up until the point of adding the pork to the slow cooker. Instead, keep the pork in the oven-safe pot. Add in all the other recipe ingredients plus 1/2 cup water. Stir to combine. Cover the pot and cook in the oven at 300 degrees for 3-4 hours. When finished cooking, remove the roast as directed in the above instructions. Follow the recipe to reduce the sauce.

Recipe Source: adapted from Erin at The Sister’s Cafe