GOOD GRIEF! Are you ready for the best chili recipe of your life?! (that’s no joke). This chili is beanless, and you won’t miss them one bit. The flavor achieved here is nothing short of “out of this world,” as we noted on the top of this recipe after making it. Tomatillos add a subtle sweetness but mostly flavor, and poblanos and jalepenos lend the heat (go easy on those if you aren’t a fan of some good heat, because that is what you’ll get if you add all the chilis called for. We suggest tasting your jalepenos for heat before adding them and then only using what you think you can handle. Ya baby. JUST KIDDING!). This chili tastes amazing the next day, so make it the day ahead since it is pretty intensive and has a long cook-time. You can break it up even more by broiling, peeling and chopping the peppers, tomatillos and tomatoes beforehand and setting them aside or in the fridge until you can make it to the next step. Cooking the pork can be done this way as well – cook as directed and set aside or in the fridge until you can finish up. You can serve this chili with the chunks of pork in tact, but we enjoy it best when the pork is shredded a bit.
Tip: Wear gloves when handling these peppers (seriously. We didn’t and our hands stung till the next morning). To make this meal even more impressive, we suggest serving this chili with blue corn muffins, which take some time themselves, so making the chili the day before and the muffins fresh is a great way to have your cake and it too.
Have your kids top the chili bowls with cheese and green onions. As you prepare and enjoy this meal with your family, teach them about some of the health benefits of some of the ingredients:
- Tomatillos can help boost your immune system.
- Tomatoes are good for your skin.
- Cumin helps you digest food properly.
This chili is very “southwest” to us, so here are a few facts about Arizona:
- Arizona has the largest percent of Native American-designated land.
- The Havasupai Indians still live in the Grand Canyon.
- Roadrunners run amok, even in parking lots (we know, we live here!)
- It gets so hot in Arizona in the summer, you want to die. But then fall comes and you remember why you live here.
Adapted slightly from: Pork and Tomatillo Chili
Find the recipe for Bobby Flay’s blue corn muffins here.
- 1 pound tomatillos, husked and rinsed
- 2 plum tomatoes
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- 4 poblano chile peppers
- 2 jalapeno peppers
- 3 pounds boneless pork shoulder, trimmed of excess fat, cut into 2-inch pieces
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 2 tablespoons ground cumin
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1 onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, chopped
- 2 tablespoons cornmeal
- 4 cups chicken STOCK
- Sliced scallions, pickled jalapenos and/or grated cheddar cheese, for topping
- Preheat the broiler. Toss the tomatillos and tomatoes with 1 tablespoon vegetable oil on a baking sheet and push to one side. Put the poblanos and jalapenos on the other side of the baking sheet. Broil, turning the vegetables occasionally (and removing the ones that are done as you go), until charred, about 10-15 minutes. Transfer the tomatillos and tomatoes to a cutting board and let cool. Put the peppers in a bowl and cover with a plate; set aside 10 minutes. Pull the skins off the tomatoes, then core and chop them along with the tomatillos. Peel, seed and chop the peppers; set all the vegetables aside.
- Toss the pork with the chili powder, cumin, 2 teaspoons salt and a few grinds of pepper in a large bowl. Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a large Dutch oven or pot over medium heat. Working in batches, add the pork to the pot and cook, turning, until browned, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
- Add the remaining 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, the onion and garlic to the pot; cook, stirring, until softened, about 3 minutes. Sprinkle in the cornmeal and cook, stirring, until lightly toasted, about 1 minute. Add the broiled tomatillos, tomatoes and peppers. Stir to combine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Add the broth and pork and any collected juices, then bring to a simmer.
- Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the pork is tender, about 1½ hours. Uncover, season generously with salt and continue simmering, stirring occasionally, until the liquid reduces slightly, about 30 more minutes. Remove from the heat and let stand about 10 minutes; spoon off any excess fat from the top. Season the chili with salt and pepper and serve with toppings.
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