Pork Chile Verde

I grew up eating green chile pork stew all the time. This is a nod to the meal my dad used to make but with a much smokier flavor because I cooked it over the coals. I also use beans instead of potatoes and scallions instead of white onion because I like to use what is on hand and it came out so delicious.

Ingredients:

2 lb pork shoulder, cut into 1–2 inch cubes

2 cups cooked white beans or 28 oz can

3 Tbsp bacon fat

For the sauce

6 hatch Chiles, Anaheim or poblanos work well too

5 garlic cloves

3 bunches of scallions

2 cups chicken stock

½ cup loosely packed cilantro leaves

1/3 cup lime juice

1 Tbsp Mombacho Cafe Nicaraguan Blend

2 tsp honey

Garnish

Feta

Pickled onions

Avocado

Steps:

1. Heat bbq, charcoal works best for this recipe. Season the pork with salt

2. Char the scallions and remove the roots (easier to do this before you grill but I forgot when making the video)

3. Char the chiles and then put them in a bowl or bag covered to steam, which will make taking the skins off much easier.

4. Sear the pork over the hot coals until beautifully golden brown.

5. Bring a Dutch oven to medium heat on stove or bbq and add the bacon fat.

6. Add the pork to the bacon fat followed by the Mombacho Cafe and remove from the heat to allow the spices to bloom in the oil.

7. Purée the peeled chiles, scallions, garlic cloves, chicken stock, lime juice, cilantro and honey.

8. Pour the green purée over the pork and then nestle on the dying coals to slow cook for 2 hours or roast it in a 300F oven for 2 hours or so.

10. Check every hour to make sure it is not burning, add water if the liquid reduced too much.

11. When the pork is tender, add the cooked white beans.

12. Serve with avocado, feta crumbles, and pickled onions.