Ingredients:

  • 4 kg (3 lb) Boneless Pork Shoulder (Pork Butt), trimmed of excess fat and cut into 3 cm (1.25 inch) cubes
  • 2 tsp (10 g) Kosher Salt, divided
  • 1 tsp (5 g) Freshly Ground Black Pepper
  • 2 Tbsp (30 ml) Olive Oil, or Lard/Neutral Cooking Oil (for searing)
  • 900 g (2 lb) Tomatillos, husked and rinsed thoroughly
  • 3 Medium Poblano Chillies (approx. 300 g / 10 oz), stems removed
  • 2 Jalapeño Chillies, or 1 large Serrano Chilli (adjust to desired heat level)
  • 1 Large Yellow Onion (approx. 250 g / 9 oz), peeled and roughly quartered
  • 8 Cloves Garlic, peeled (keep them whole)
  • 250 ml (1 cup) Chicken Stock (low sodium) (for blending)
  • 1 Tbsp (15 ml) Neutral Cooking Oil (for spices)
  • 1 tsp (5 g) Ground Cumin
  • 1 tsp (5 g) Dried Mexican Oregano
  • ½ tsp (2.5 g) White Pepper
  • 1 Bay Leaf (optional, but highly recommended)
  • 1 litre (4 cups) Chicken Stock (low sodium), plus more if needed (for simmering)
  • 1 Tbsp (15 ml) Cider Vinegar or Fresh Lime Juice (for finishing)

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 220°C (425°F). Place the tomatillos, chillies (Poblanos and Jalapeños/Serranos), quartered onion, and whole garlic cloves onto a baking sheet. Drizzle lightly with oil.
  2. Roast the vegetables for 20–25 minutes until they are beautifully charred, especially the tomatillos and chilli skins. Remove the tray and allow the vegetables to cool for 5 minutes.
  3. While the vegetables cool, season the cubed pork pieces thoroughly with 1 tsp salt and the black pepper.
  4. Transfer the roasted tomatillos, chillies, onion, and garlic (but not the oil/juices from the tray) to a blender. Add the measured 250 ml (1 cup) of chicken stock. Blend until completely smooth.
  5. Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat with 2 Tbsp oil. Working in batches, sear the pork cubes until nicely browned on all sides (3–4 minutes per batch). Remove seared pork and set aside.
  6. Reduce heat to medium. Add 1 Tbsp of fresh oil if the pot is dry. Stir in the cumin, Mexican oregano, and white pepper. Cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
  7. Pour the blended green sauce into the pot, scraping up any delicious browned bits (the fond). Bring to a simmer.
  8. Return the seared pork to the pot. Add the remaining 1 litre (4 cups) of chicken stock and the bay leaf. The liquid should cover the pork.
  9. Bring the chili to a gentle simmer. Cover the pot, reduce the heat to low, and cook for 2 hours to 2 hours 30 minutes, or until the pork shreds easily with a fork.
  10. Remove the bay leaf. Use two forks to gently shred about half of the pork directly in the pot. If the sauce is too thin, uncover and simmer vigorously for 10–15 minutes to reduce.
  11. Stir in the remaining 1 tsp of salt and the cider vinegar or fresh lime juice. Let the chili rest for 15 minutes off the heat before serving.