Please help with this recipe!

[SethMc]

Hi All,

My dad has a great recipe for Chile Verde that we have used forever. While I really like this recipe I feel like a few ingredients are missing that would make it great. I will post the full recipe below and please let me know of anything that you think would make this yummy, easy recipe better.

1-2 lb pork roast (cubed),
8-12 diced tomatillos,
Large can of La Victoria green enchilada sauce,
6 cloves of garlic,
Large can of hominy
1 large onion
Salt and Pepper to taste.

Let all of this run in the crockpot on high for 3-4 hours or until the pork is cooked through and the vegetables are softened.

Thanks!

 

[Andy M.]

Difficult to say if you don't know what's in the canned enchilada sauce. When I make chili verde, I include tomatillos, several different green chiles, onion, garlic, cumin and oregano.

I roast some of the veggies and add some fresh. I sear the pork butt and simmer until the pork is tender.

 

[Steve Kroll]

The basic recipe sounds good. I would probably add cumin and oregano. In dishes like this, I also like to have something that provides kind of a smoky element, for example, some fire roasted chiles or a little dried chipotle powder.

 

[buckytom]

powdered cumin! add powedered cumin to taste, and taste often. you sometimes need to add more; sometimes less. adding less is tricky if you've added too much already. lol. i guess.

but seriously, freshly ground cumin is from 10 to 100x stronger than a jar that's been sitting around, and since it's really critical in most american style chilies, just add it piecemeal until you get it strong enough to notice but not overtaking everything.

and yup, a hot spice like dried hot peppers willl help. anywhere from just a pinch to a good coupla tbsps.

chipolte has the heat plus added smoke flavour ( it's a smoked, dried jalapeno), so that's nice to grind and add.

 

[Kayelle]

Cumin is real important, but if you don't have Mexican Oregano it just will not taste how it should. It is very important that it's Mexican Oregano. I add red wine to mine..anything you would drink.

 

[Kayelle]

Looking back, are you in Chico California? If so, you should be able to find both spices in your local grocery for a fraction of the cost in cellophane packages in your local grocery.

 

[CraigC]

Do you brown the pork before it goes in the crock pot? If not, you are missing the opportunity to add some serious flavor. I would skip the canned sauce and use freshly roasted pablano chilis that have been stemmed, skinned, seeded and chopped. If you can get Hatch, even better. These chilis can very from mild to some really good heat, so depending on where you want to go heat wise, you may need to add some fresh serranos (my choice) or other hot chilis. Char off the tomatillos and garlic (skins on) when you roast off the chilis to add some additional smokiness. ALWAYS toast and freshly grind the cumin seed! Use Mexican oregano and be sure to rub it between the palms of your hand when adding it. I add the chilis, tomatillos, garlic, oregano, cumin and enough chicken stock to ease the grinding to a blender and blend to a smooth consistency. At this time you can add salt and pepper to taste and adjust your heat level if needed. You can also 1/4 and roast the onion with skin on, then add it to the blender with the other ingredients, skin removed.

 

[salt and pepper]

Cumin & fresh cilantro.

 

[larry_stewart]

LA VICTORIA® GREEN ENCHILADA SAUCE Ingredients

Water, Green Chiles, Green Tomatoes, Vinegar, Modified Food Starch, Salt, Soybean Oil, Garlic, Sugar, Spices, Dry Onion, Monosodium Glutamate, Onion Powder, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Corn Starch, Textured Soya Protein (Soy Flour, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Salt, Nat & Art. Flavors), Natural & Artificial Flavors, Colors (Annatto, Fd&C Yellow #5 and 6), Yeast Extract, Calcium Silicate (Anticaking Agent), Garlic Powder, Disodium Inosinate and Guanylate), Citric Acid. Contains: Soy.

 

[PrincessFiona60]

Hatch makes a fantastic green enchilada sauce. I would also use Herdez green salsa as an easy extender for my base.

 

[jennyema]

I would also use Herdez green salsa as an easy extender for my base.

I like that Herdez sauce too.

I'd definitely add some cumin and Mexican oregano as well as fresh green chiles and some cilantro.

And some beer.

 

[taxlady]

Do you brown the pork before it goes in the crock pot? If not, you are missing the opportunity to add some serious flavor. I would skip the canned sauce and use freshly roasted pablano chilis that have been stemmed, skinned, seeded and chopped. If you can get Hatch, even better. These chilis can very from mild to some really good heat, so depending on where you want to go heat wise, you may need to add some fresh serranos (my choice) or other hot chilis. Char off the tomatillos and garlic (skins on) when you roast off the chilis to add some additional smokiness. ALWAYS toast and freshly grind the cumin seed! Use Mexican oregano and be sure to rub it between the palms of your hand when adding it. I add the chilis, tomatillos, garlic, oregano, cumin and enough chicken stock to ease the grinding to a blender and blend to a smooth consistency. At this time you can add salt and pepper to taste and adjust your heat level if needed. You can also 1/4 and roast the onion with skin on, then add it to the blender with the other ingredients, skin removed.

Yup, toasting the cumin seeds before grinding them really brings up the flavour.

Liquid in the blender when grinding spices! Never thought of that. Do you grind them a bit before adding the liquid? I'll bet that would work in a Magic Bullet too. Some days I'm just not up for using the mortar and pestle for spices.

 

[CraigC]

Yup, toasting the cumin seeds before grinding them really brings up the flavour.

Liquid in the blender when grinding spices! Never thought of that. Do you grind them a bit before adding the liquid? I'll bet that would work in a Magic Bullet too. Some days I'm just not up for using the mortar and pestle for spices.

No, no the cumin was ground first in a spice grinder. I'm basically making a replacement for the canned sauce the OP mentioned. There is nothing like the aroma of freshly toasted and ground cumin!

 

[taxlady]

No, no the cumin was ground first in a spice grinder. I'm basically making a replacement for the canned sauce the OP mentioned. There is nothing like the aroma of freshly toasted and ground cumin!

Okay, got it. I had to re-read your post, but you did add the chilies and stuff with the stock. Oh well, back to the mortar and pestle until I find a spice grinder I like. The whirly blade ones don't make it as fine as I like.

 

[Steve Kroll]

I was under the (perhaps mistaken) impression that the OP was looking to take the "yummy, easy" existing recipe and kick it up a notch or two, rather than rebuild something new from scratch.

As far as the canned sauce goes, I think it's a great shortcut. There are many times when I come home from work and have to put a meal together fairly quickly. I would be inclined to make something like this (although I'd probably substitute a quicker cooking protein like chicken or pork tenderloin). In fact, I was thinking of stopping at the store on the way home tonight and picking up the listed ingredients to try this myself.

I'm also a fan of Herdez products, by the way, but I think the La Victoria and Las Palmas lines are pretty good, too.

 

[Sir_Loin_of_Beef]

I would definitely use my own green enchilada sauce:

Green Enchilada Sauce​

Ingredients:

· 2 Tbs light olive oil
· ½ cup chopped onion
· 2 garlic cloves, minced
· 2 Tbs cornstarch
· 4 Tbs water
· ¼ tsp cumin
· ¼ tsp black pepper
· 1½ cups vegetable broth
· 1 cup Hatch chiles, roasted, peeled and chopped
· ¼ tsp dried oregano
· ½ tsp salt
· 1 medium jalapeno, chopped

Instructions:

In a medium saucepan, heat the light olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until the onions are translucent, but not browned. Add the garlic and sauté for 30 to 45 seconds more, just until fragrant.
Mix the cornstarch and water together. Slowly pour in the broth, then add the cornstarch and water, whisking constantly so that is stays smooth.
Add all the remaining ingredients to the onion and broth mixture and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. The sauce should be thickened just enough to coat the back of a spoon. Add more broth to thin it out if it is too thick.
Add salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste.

 

[Kayelle]

I was under the (perhaps mistaken) impression that the OP was looking to take the "yummy, easy" existing recipe and kick it up a notch or two, rather than rebuild something new from scratch.

As far as the canned sauce goes, I think it's a great shortcut. There are many times when I come home from work and have to put a meal together fairly quickly. I would be inclined to make something like this (although I'd probably substitute a quicker cooking protein like chicken or pork tenderloin). In fact, I was thinking of stopping at the store on the way home tonight and picking up the listed ingredients to try this myself.

I'm also a fan of Herdez products, by the way, but I think the La Victoria and Las Palmas lines are pretty good, too.

I think you're right Steve. IIt also sounds to me like he wants to keep it easy.

This is the first recipe of mine that I posted when I came here four years ago. It's excellent and I make it often. When I started adding Mexican oregano it put it right over the top.

http://www.discusscooking.com/forums/f21/my-shortcut-chili-verde-63601.html

 

[Steve Kroll]

I think you're right Steve. IIt also sounds to me like he wants to keep it easy.

This is the first recipe of mine that I posted when I came here four years ago. It's excellent and I make it often. When I started adding Mexican oregano it put it right over the top.

http://www.discusscooking.com/forums/f21/my-shortcut-chili-verde-63601.html

Yours looks like a good recipe, too.

I actually stopped off at the store tonight and picked up all the ingredients in the OP's post. I wasn't able to find the La Victoria sauce, so I had to substitute Las Palmas, but, reading the label, it looks like a similar concoction. I also bought 2 lbs pork shoulder chops, since all of the roasts were in the 4-6 lb weight range.

I plan to make this tomorrow night, with a few of the additions listed in this thread. I have cilantro, cumin seed, oregano (yes, Mexican oregano), new mexico chiles, and chipotle. I picked up a lime, too. Sometimes I add a squeeze of lime right before I serve chili, as it seems to brighten up Mexican flavors and goes well with cilantro. Normally, I've always used white beans when I make chili verde, but I like the idea of hominy in this stew. And since I don't cook with a crock pot, I'll be using a dutch oven.

I also have an ulterior motive for experimenting: I've been craving chili verde for a few weeks now.

 

[PrincessFiona60]

LOL! I picked up Herdez green salsa last night (I like it because of the tomatillos) and cannelloni beans to go with some leftover pork.

 

[GotGarlic]

I thought it was posole that had hominy and chile verde has no beans. Posole is a stew with more liquid, eaten in a bowl, while chile verde has less liquid and is eaten with tortillas.