Here we are again, another Halloween, and for many the start of the Holiday season. I remember as a kid, Halloween always marked the time when the weather turned cold. Maybe it’s because it was the one night a year I was allowed outside after 8 pm! The Fall has always had a special place in my heart. It’s a time when the world changes direction and everything seems to slow down just a little. It’s almost as if we get a chance to prepare for the winter. I have a fondness for soups and stews as you might know from reading this blog, so instead of talking about candy and Tricks or Treats, I’m going to give you a delicious recipe for New Mexico style Green Chili Stew.
Green chilis are amazing in many ways. You can stuff them, fry them, eat them plain or put them on almost anything and they’ll enhance the flavor of that item. Green chilis can be spicy hot but the ones used in most recipes are mild with that distinct chili flavor. Hatch New Mexico is home to some of the best green chilis you can find, but I do like the Anaheim chilis as well. The ones I bought for this recipe are from Wilcox Arizona and I picked them myself, ( that’ll be another post). Regardless of where your green chilis come from this recipe will keep you warn and happy on the cooler nights, that are here to stay for awhile. I’m adapting a recipe I received from the state of New Mexico, so you know it’s authentic, with a little Boone Appétit twist. One thing I like to remind everyone about , is the fact that you don’t always have to follow recipes exactly. It’s ok to add or subtract an item or two, some people don’t like certain spices or herbs for example. You can leave it out and see if you like it. Always play around with a recipe and make it your own. However, for this recipe if you’re using fresh green chilis, you have to roast them. It’s ok to used canned and omit this step, but if you don’t roast the green chilis you’ll have the tough outer skin to deal with floating around in your stew and it won’t have that yummy fire roasted flavor.
- New Mexican Green Chili Stew
- 1½ to 2 pounds beef chuck or pork butt (shoulder), cut in ½-inch cubes. (pork is traditional)
- 2 medium onions, diced
- 4-6 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 to 1.5 pounds red potatoes, peeled or unpeeled, and diced
- 5 cups beef or chicken stock, have more on hand if needed.
- 4-5 cups of diced green chilis. You can use more or less to taste. To roast the chilis cook them on your BBQ grill until blistered evenly on all sides. Remove from the grill and place in either a wet towel or a plastic bag. I like to then place them into the fridge to cool faster. This helps the charred skin to slip off very easily.
- 1 cup corn kernels, fresh or frozen, ( You may also use hominy)canned or fresh. If using fresh you should cook it with the stew so it absorbs all of the flavors, you’ll need to add more broth.
- 1 cup carrot chunks, or 1 diced red bell pepper, optional
- Salt and pepper to taste. You’ll need at least a tablespoon of salt, surprisingly.
- 1-2 jalapeños or serrano peppers (use only if you wish to spice up the dish!) OPTIONAL
- Sear the meat in a Dutch oven or large heavy saucepan over medium-high heat until it browns. You can add oil to help brown if desired.
- Stir in the onions and garlic and cook for several minutes, until the onions become translucent. Pour in the stock and scrape the mixture up from the bottom to loosen browned bits.
- Sprinkle in the salt and pepper, reduce the heat to a low simmer, and cook uncovered for 1¼ hours.
- Stir in the chili and any of the optional ingredients and continue cooking for another 45 minutes to 1 hour, until the meat is quite tender, the vegetables are soft, and the flavors have blended together.
- Serve in bowls with warmed flour or corn tortillas or corn chips or my cornbread! Recipe is here
This recipe can also be done in a slow cooker, but you have to brown the meat first just to be safe. Some slow cookers take a long time to get up to a safe cooking heat. I have done this recipe both ways and couldn’t tell the difference. I do like the slow cooker simply because you can go away and do things and come home to the house smelling like green chili heaven. The extra step of searing the meat is a precaution but if you know your slow cooker you might be able to forgo that step. I’ll leave that one up to you.
It’s time to get ready for all the little ghosts and goblins that might be appearing at my door tonight. Thank you for stopping by and I hope you give this recipe a try. As always, if you have any questions or comments, please leave them in the box below. Have a safe and spooky Halloween! Until next time Boone Appétit!
