Get ready for this recipe for green chile stew! It will soon become your go to cold night remedy.

This New Mexico green chile stew is loaded with the good stuff: tender pork, potatoes, cilantro and lots of roasted green chiles simmered in a cumin and oregano spiced broth. It is hearty, a little smoky and bound to be a hit.

The Best New Mexico Green Chile Stew (with Pork and Potatoes)

My first trip to New Mexico was to check out the grad school I eventually ended up attending. We hiked the beautiful NM desert and tried lots of delicious food.

One thing NM is known for is its green chile. We eat it on everything out here. Pizza, burgers, eggs, tacos and even some desserts; you name it and I’m sure there is a green chile version! Most people don’t realize that almost every little town in NM grows its own chiles, and they all claim to be the best! We even have some green chiles growing in our garden right now.

After living in NM for several years, you come to realize that chile from different parts of the state has different tastes. Late August and September is one of the best times to be in NM. Not only do you get lots of rain from the monsoons, but it’s chile harvesting and roasting time. Most grocery stores and many roadside stands will sell chile by the 20 to 30 pound bag and roast it on the spot for you. If you’ve never smelled 30 pounds of chiles roasting, you are missing out.

My husband and I eat lots of green chile, and one of our favorite ways to eat it is in green chile stew. There are tons of ways to change up this recipe, but we agree this is probably one of the best we’ve had.

Why You’ll Love This Green Chili Stew

Real New Mexico flavor. Roasted green chiles give smoky, earthy heat.
Hearty and filling. Tender pork and soft potatoes make it a full meal in a bowl.
Flexible. Seasonings, broth, heat level and add ins are all easy to adjust.
Perfect for cold nights. A big, warm bowl is exactly what fall calls for.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Exact amounts are in the recipe card below.

Pork butt (pork shoulder): Cubed. Shoulder has enough fat and connective tissue to turn tender during the long simmer. Cubing it is the most time consuming part, since you need to cut out the bone and trim lots of fat. Buying a 4 pound shoulder, freezing half and making a double batch with the rest is a smart move.
Olive oil: For browning the pork. Browning builds a deep, savory base for the broth.
Ground cumin and Mexican oregano: Earthy, warm spices that are classic in New Mexican cooking. Mexican oregano is more citrusy and floral than Mediterranean oregano.
Tomato bouillon: Knorr tomato bouillon (powder or two cubes) adds savory depth and a little color.
Salt and pepper: All the seasonings are estimates, so use as much or as little as you want.
Garlic and yellow onion: Softened in the pot after the pork browns to build flavor.
Beef broth: About 1 1/2 cans. Beef broth adds a rich flavor, but chicken or vegetable broth works fine.
Russet potatoes: Peeled and cubed. Russets turn soft and release some starch, which helps thicken the stew.
Roasted New Mexico green chiles: The star. You need about 2 pounds of raw chiles to make 1 pound roasted. Fresh is best, but canned green chile works if you can’t find fresh. Scrape out the seeds after roasting for a milder stew.
Jalapeño: Diced, for a little extra fresh, grassy heat. Leave the seeds in for more kick or remove them for a gentler stew.
Cilantro: Stirred in at the end for a bright, fresh finish. Adding it late keeps its flavor and color lively instead of cooked down and dull.
Cornstarch or flour: Optional, for thickening if needed.

How to Make New Mexico Green Chile Stew

Brown the pork. Heat olive oil in a heavy saucepan over medium high heat. Add the cubed pork, oregano, cumin, tomato bouillon, salt and pepper. Cook and stir until the pork is browned on the outside and smells toasty.
Add aromatics and broth. Add the onion and garlic and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Pour in the beef broth, bring to a boil, then reduce to low. Cover and simmer for about 30 minutes.
Add the potatoes. Stir in the cubed potatoes, cover and simmer for another 45 minutes, until the potatoes are tender and the pork is soft.
Roast the chiles. Meanwhile, if your chiles aren’t roasted, set the oven rack close to the broiler and heat the broiler on high. Arrange the chiles on a foil lined baking sheet and broil until black, then flip and blacken the other side, no more than 15 minutes total. Keep the kitchen well ventilated.
Steam and peel. Seal the hot chiles in a zip top bag for at least 20 minutes. The steam makes the skins practically fall off. Wear gloves, then peel and chop.
Finish the stew. Add the chiles and jalapeño. When the potatoes are soft and the pork tender, add the cilantro, cook about 5 minutes more and serve.

Tip: If the stew isn’t as thick as you want, mix cornstarch or flour with a little water and stir it in a tablespoon at a time until it reaches the thickness you like.

Ways to Customize Green Chile Stew

Add vegetables. Tomatoes, green beans or corn all fit right in.
Top it. Crispy tortilla strips add crunch to every bowl.
Change the heat. Keep the chile seeds for more fire, or scrape them out for a mild stew.
Swap the broth. Chicken or vegetable broth works in place of beef broth.

Green Chile Stew FAQs

What is New Mexico green chile stew? It is a hearty stew of pork, potatoes and roasted green chiles in a seasoned broth. It is a staple in New Mexico, especially during the late summer chile roasting season.
Can I use canned green chiles? Yes. Canned green chile works if you don’t have fresh chiles to roast, but fresh is best.
How many raw chiles do I need? About 2 pounds of raw chiles make 1 pound of roasted chiles.
How do I make it less spicy? Scrape out the seeds after roasting the chiles and leave out the jalapeño.
What if the stew gets too thick or too thin? If there isn’t enough liquid near the end, add water or more broth. If it is too thin, stir in a cornstarch or flour slurry a tablespoon at a time.
How do I store leftovers? Cool the stew and refrigerate it in an airtight container within 2 hours. Eat within 3 to 4 days and reheat until it reaches 165°F and is steaming hot.
What should I serve with green chile stew? Warm flour tortillas are the classic New Mexico side for dunking. Cornbread or a simple green salad also round out the meal.
Can I freeze green chile stew? Yes. Freeze it in airtight containers and thaw overnight in the fridge. The potatoes may soften a bit after freezing.

New Mexico Pork Green Chile Stew Recipe - No Diets Allowed #Food #Foodie #Stew #Pork

New Mexico Green Chile Pork Stew

Lisa

New Mexico green chile pork stew made with browned pork shoulder, potatoes and roasted green chiles simmered in a cumin and oregano spiced broth. It is hearty, smoky and easy to adjust for heat.

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Prep Time 30

Cook Time 1 15

Total Time 1 45

Course Stew

Servings 2

Ingredients

1 tbs olive oil
1 lb pork butt cubed
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp dried Mexican Oregano
2 tsp Knorr Tomato Bouillon (or two cubes)
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp Pepper
4 cloves garlic minced
1/2 large yellow onion chopped
1.5 cans beef broth ~21.5 ounces (about 2 2/3 Cups)
3 medium russet potato peeled and cubed
1/2 lb roasted New Mexico Green Chiles peeled and chopped*
1 jalapeno diced
cilantro
corn starch or flour for thickening if needed
*If purchasing raw chiles you will need approximately 2 lbs to make 1 lb of roasted chiles

Instructions

Heat olive oil in heavy saucepan over med-high heat. Add cubed pork, oregano, cumin, tomato bouillon, salt and pepper. Cook and stir until pork is browned. Add in onion and garlic, cook until softened about 5 minutes. Pour in beef broth, bring to a boil and reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for approximately 30 minutes. Add cubed potato, cover and simmer for another 45 mins, or until tender.
Roast your chiles during this time if they aren’t already roasted. To roast your chiles, preheat your oven’s broiler on high. Make sure to move the oven rack so it is close to the broiler. Arrange the chiles in a single layer on a foil lined baking sheet and put it in the oven. Roast the chiles until they are black, then flip them and blacken the other side. The whole process should take no more than 15 minutes. Try to have the kitchen well ventilated since the smoke from roasting can get pretty intense. Other roasting options include over an open flame on a gas stove top or a bbq. After roasting, stick the peppers in a Ziploc bag and let them rest for at least 20 minutes. This will steam the chiles and make the skins practically fall off. When handling the chiles wearing gloves is advised.
Once roasted, peel and chop the chiles and add them to the stew along with the jalapeno pepper. When the potatoes are soft and the pork tender, add the cilantro. Cook for ~5 mins, then remove from heat and serve.

Notes

I usually end up buying a 4lb pork shoulder, freezing half of it and then making a double recipe with the remaining 2lbs. Cubing the pork shoulder is the most time consuming part because you will have to cut out the bone and cut off lots of fat.

All the seasonings are estimates! Use as much or little as you want. If you don’t have beef broth on hand, chicken or vegetable broth will work fine, I just like the rich flavor the beef broth adds.

If for some reason there isn’t enough liquid near the final stages of cooking add some water or more broth. I find a lot of the time the opposite is true and the stew isn’t as thick as I want it, so I will add a thickener. Just add cornstarch or flour mixed with a little water and then add it to the stew a tablespoon at a time until it reaches the desired thickness.

If you don’t have chile to roast you can buy the canned green chile, but fresh is best! Also, if you don’t want the stew to be too spicy, scrape out the seeds after roasting the chile.

This recipe is so versatile! You can add tomatoes, green beans, tortilla strips, corn, or anything you love in stew and it will still taste delicious!

Made this green chile stew? Leave a star rating in the recipe card and share how it turned out in the comments below. Your feedback helps other cooks, and it’s fun to hear which add ins you tried.

This recipe was shared by Lisa. Visit her blog, A Table Full of Joy, for more recipes.