Authentic Mexican Pork Chili Verde is a stew made with pork ribs and a spicy tomatillo sauce. It’s hearty and delicious, with rice and warm corn tortillas!
I am fortunate to have a Mexican supermarket a short drive from the house. Every Saturday, without fail, I leisurely roam its aisles for hours, inhaling all the wonderful food I discover. It was on one such Saturday months ago when I learned how to make this amazing pork stew.
I was poking around at the store when I overheard two customers planning on pork chili verde to serve for a party. My curiosity got the best of me, and I unabashedly stuck my nose into their conversation. I asked for a quick tutorial; what spices they use, what cut of meat, and all that good stuff.
Thank you for good people! Not only did the kind ladies accompany me to various parts of the store to find the ingredients, one of them even wrote the recipe on a scrap piece of paper for me to refer to.
Pork cut to use
The version I was familiar with and extensively enjoyed in the past at my favorite Mexican restaurant was made from hefty chunks of pork shoulder. However, my two newfound besties said costillas (pork ribs) are best, and right they were!
The big potful I made was amazing! It’s so much more delicious to gnaw on snippets of meat attached to bones while sopping up the robust green sauce with soft corn tortillas. Give it a try, and I bet you’ll agree.
Cooking notes
- Roast the tomatillos and peppers to bring out their full flavor. You can roast them on a dry skillet over medium heat for about 8 to 10 minutes or on a baking sheet in a 400 F oven for about 10 to 15 minutes. You can also broil them for about 6 to 8 minutes.
- Make the salsa verde using roasted tomatillos and peppers, or substitute your favorite store-bought salsa verde brand for ease and convenience.
- Sear the pork until lightly browned. Caramelizing the meat adds rich flavor and color to the finished dish.
- Slow cook until pork is fork-tender. Long, low-temperature cooking helps break down tough protein fibers and allows better flavor distribution.
Quick tip
To easily peel the charred peppers, place in bowl and cover with lid or in a bag and tie it loosely. Let stand for about 10 to 15 minutes to cool completely and allow the escaping steam to loosen the skins.
Serving suggestions
- For a lunch or dinner meal that’s big and bold in flavors, nothing beats a generous bowl of pork chili verde served with rice and warm tortillas!
- Debone and shred the tender pork ribs and use as a filling for burritos, enchiladas, or tacos.
- Or use the shredded meat to top on crisp nachos with sour cream and chopped fresh cilantro for a quick appetizer.
Storage instructions
This hearty stew is the perfect addition to your meal planning as the recipe can be doubled or tripled easily, and it makes great leftovers.
- Allow the leftovers to cool completely and transfer to an airtight container. Refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 2 months.
- Thaw overnight, if frozen, and reheat in a saucepan over medium heat or microwave at 2 to 3-minute intervals to 165 F, stirring well to distribute heat.
In the mood for more Mexican food? Try tacos de lengua, coctel de camarones, caldo de res, and nopales con huevos!
Ingredients
- 3 pounds pork spareribs
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 1 onion, peeled and chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
- 1 cup water
For the Chili Verde Sauce
- 2 pounds large tomatillos, husks removed
- 4 cloves garlic
- 3 jalapenos
- 1 bunch cilantro, stemmed
To Serve
- limes, cut into wedges
- warm corn tortillas
Instructions
- Trim spareribs of excess fat and cut between bones into 1-1/2 to 2-inch cubes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- In a pot over medium heat, heat about 2 tablespoons oil. Add pork ribs and cook, turning once or twice, until lightly browned on all sides. Cook in batches as needed.
- Add cumin and continue to cook for about 1 to 2 minutes or until meat is coated. Remove meat from pan and keep warm.
- Add onions and garlic and cook, scraping bottom and sides of the pan, until softened.
- Return pork ribs to pot. Add 4 cups chili verde sauce and 1 cup water. Bring to a boil.
- Lower heat, cover, and cook for about 2 to 3 hours or until ribs are fork-tender. Add water in 1/2 cup increments if the sauce is drying out before the meat is fully tender.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot with lime wedges and corn tortillas.
For the Chili Verde Sauce
- On a foil-lined baking sheet, arrange tomatillos, jalapenos, and garlic in a single layer. Roast in a 400 F oven for about 10 to 15 minutes or broil for about 6 to 8 minutes or until softened and skins are lightly charred.
- Place jalapenos in a bowl and cover with a lid. Allow to cool completely and peel skins.
- Carefully peel garlic.
- In a food processor or blender, combine tomatillos, garlic, jalapenos, and cilantro. Pulse a few times until coarsely smooth. Makes about 4 cups.
Nutrition Information
“This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.”
Darling says
Hello. I have been making this recipe for about two years now and it always turns out great. The meat comes out super soft and the sauce is simply amazing. The ingredients are so simple, yet the way they are cooked makes the most of them. Everybody in my house loves it. This is one of my best dishes because it’s delicious and it always comes out good.
nancy says
when you say “cut between bones into 1-1/2 to 2-inch cubes” are you basically deboning and cutting up the meat? Is there another kind of meat you can use so you don’t have to deal with the bones?
Elizabeth says
I love green chili and this look like a great recipe. I am going to see if I can find the chilis and give it a try.
Erin @ Platings and Pairings says
Ooohh – This chile verde looks fab! This will be perfect for football tailgating! Yummy!
Lalaine says
This keeps well in a crock pot for low maintenance parties. I set the crockpot out along with rice and tortillas and guests are happy to serve themselves 🙂
Melanie @ Nutritious Eats says
Oooh I bet this is delicious. I love all those ingredients!
Lalaine says
Yes, it’s sooo good! Hope you give it a try, perfect with rice and warm tortillas 🙂