First things first. You need burritos, right? OK, that’s a no brainer. Just use my Saturday night Bean and Cream Cheese burritos (with or without ground beef) and you’re in business!
Next, the main event. CHILE VERDE!!! This meal is a labor of love and each cook puts his or her own stamp on each batch, so take your time and show your style. You decide the texture, the amount of chile, the added spices, etc. All I’m giving you is the basics. A traditional, homestyle Chile Verde recipe that’s been in my family for generations. So here it is….
Pork Chile Verde:
1 1/2 – 2 lbs. pork cushion meat, cubed (some fat is ok) – $4.59
6 Green Chile, roasted, peeled & diced (In a pinch, you can use canned green chile) – $1.67
1/2 small onion, diced – $.25
2 – 3 Tbsps flour (until meat is coated) – pantry
3 – 4 cups water
Salt & pepper to taste
(optional) 1/2 to 1 tsp garlic powder, cumin, oregano – pantryCOST: $6.51
Cut pork into cubes, about 1 to 2 inch in size. Brown meat, deeply. If there’s not a lot of fat, add a tsp or so of lard or oil. Make sure meat is nice and browned, not just cooked. Do the browning on high heat.
Once meat is browned, add roasted chile and onion. Stir and cook for a bit. Next, sprinkle meat, chile and onions with flour. Cook for a minute or two, but do not brown. Now add water to pan, stir, add garlic powder (if you desire) and bring to simmer. Cook for 45 minutes to an hour minimum. Add salt and pepper to taste, about midway through cooking.
Once chile verde is cooked, it’s time to assemble your burritos. Serve with whatever you have leftover or all alone. You don’t need fixings. I had some leftover lettuce and tomato from a taco night, so I used that, but it’s not necessary. I guarantee, there won’t be a leftover in sight. Chile verde has that tummy power. You just can’t stop!
GRAND TOTAL: $6.51 + $3.47 (Burritos) = $9.98
