Beer green chili recipe

Seeing RED - eating GREEN.  Smoked beer is a terrific addition to green
chili recipe.  Photos by Charlie Papazian

I like it hot and I like it with beer.  Who says you can’t have it both ways? Pork green chili is an art form.  It goes without saying that the best ingredients make for the best quality.

When it comes to beer and the other ingredients, don’t skimp.  It’s your life. You deserve everything you do for yourself.  Enjoying great beer and green chili are just two things in life that are in the top of my list.

So let’s cut the shuck and jive and get on with the recipe.

First and foremost go out and treat yourself to the beer you’re craving.  It’ll help improve your attitude.

Recipe for My Favorite Beer Green Chili

Ingredients:

• 2  lbs. pork shoulder or pork butt – sliced into strips and small 1/2 to 3/4 inch pieces
• 1  large green bell pepper
• 1 large red bell pepper
• 1  large sweet onion
• 10  cloves of fresh garlic
• 1 lb. gold or yellow tomatoes
• ½ lb. fresh tomatillos
• 6 large green New Mexican style Anaheim chili peppers (Hatch, etc)
• 3 fresh Poblano chili peppers  (feel free to mix in other of your favorite chilies)
• Assorted  wee hot fresh chili peppers to taste
• 2  bottles of German style smoked lager beer (Aecht Schlenkerla is a great choice) or whatever is available.  If there’s a choice use smoked beers that are less hopped. 
• Olive oil
• 1 tablespoon whole coriander seed
• 1 1/2 teaspoons whole cumin seed
• 1/2  teaspoon Mexican orgegano.  Don’t’ overdue this strongly flavored ingredient 
• Fresh cilantro; stems and leaves 
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons of fresh squeezed lime juice
• Salt to taste

Ingredient preparation

• Roast, peel and remove seeds (keep seeds if you like it really hot) of all large chili peppers. There are many ways to do this.  See the two preceding links.  Slice into 1 to 2 inch strips about 1/4 inch wide.  Set aside in a bowl. This will take some time, so have plenty of beer for your disposal.  You can do this the day before.  If you are fortunate enough to find frozen fresh roasted peeled chilies you can use them.  Canned green chilies are not appropriate for this recipe.  The best are fire roasted over an open wood fire.  Instead of roasting marshmallows roast chilies and freeze for later use. Your kids will think it’s cool.  Break out the root beer.
• Cut meat and set aside in a bowl
• Slice onions into medium sized rings.  Don’t chop.
• Slice red and green bell peppers into strips.  Don’t’ chop
• Peel and thinly slice garlic.
• Finely chop 3 tablespoons of cilantro stems. Set aside.
• Chop tomatoes and tomatillos into small pieces or pulse chop in food processor. Set aside.
• Dry pan roast whole cumin and coriander in a small frying pan until they begin to turn dark color and just short of smoking.  Don’t over roast.  Set aside in a small bowl to cool for a few minutes then grind in a mortar and pistil or in coffee grinder.  Set aside.

Have a beer and get ready to…

Cook the ingredients

In a very large skillet sauté onions and bell peppers in olive oil on medium heat until they begin to go limp.  Add half of garlic last 2 minutes of sautéing.  Don’t brown or burn garlic.  Remove onions, bell peppers and garlic and set aside in a bowl.

Sauté pork in whatever oil remains in pan.  Brown all sides with medium high heat.  When brown pour off any excess fat, but retain juices.  Then add into the pan (or larger vessel) the sautéed onions/garlic/bell peppers, chopped tomatoes and tomatillos, ground dry roasted spices, cilantro stems, and 12 ounces of smoked beer.

Cook by stewing these ingredients on medium low heat for 45 minutes.  Add soy sauce and then taste for determining additional salt to add.   Add more beer as needed to maintain a thin stew consistency.  Place lid on skillet or lower heat if evaporation is happening too quickly.

Ten minutes before serving add the remaining garlic, lime juice and chopped cilantro leaves to taste.

Serve with warm tortillas of your choice.  Have plenty of your favorite beer around.  Smoke beer will do.  So will a good pilsener or pale ale; even a moderately hopped dark lager or brown ale.

Leftovers get better the next day.  My favorite green chili freezes well too, so make a double batch. Serves 4 and leftovers.