Brown the Pork

Start by seasoning your pork with salt and pepper on all sides.

Heat a large stockpot over high heat, add the oil, and once it’s shimmering, sear the pork pieces until they’re brown. Depending on the size of your stockpot, you may need to work in batches so the meat sears instead of steams.

Once browned, remove the pork and set it aside.

Build the Flavor Base

If the pan looks a little dry, drizzle in a touch more oil.

Add the chopped onion and sauté until softened and translucent, about 2-3 minutes. Stir in the minced garlic and cook just until fragrant — about 30 seconds.

Sprinkle in the cumin and oregano, then stir to coat the onions in all those warm spices.

Return the pork to the pot and stir, then pour in the chicken broth. Give everything a stir, cover, and lower the heat to medium-low.

Let it simmer gently while you are making the sauce. Once the sauce is made, add to the pot and simmer for 2 to 4 hours, or until the pork is tender and easily pulled apart with a fork. The length of time it takes will depend on the size of your pieces of meat.

Roast the Vegetables for the Sauce

While the pork is simmering, make the roasted green chile sauce that gives this dish its signature flavor.

Preheat your oven to high broil, and place a rack on the middle setting.

Line a baking sheet with sides with foil, or you can use a baking dish lightly oiled.

Slice the tomatillos and both types of peppers in half. Remove the seeds and the white veins inside the peppers for a mild version of the sauce. You can see the note below about spice level. Do not remove the seeds from the tomatillos.

Lay out your halved poblano peppers, jalapeños, and tomatillos (cut side down).

Broil for about 7–10 minutes, until the skins are blistered and lightly charred.

Once they’re done, place the hot peppers in a plastic bag or bowl covered with plastic wrap for about 5 minutes to steam. This makes the skins easy to remove. Peel off the outer skins and discard them. If you find you can’t remove the skins from the peppers, don’t worry, just add them to the blender in tact and blend extra long.

Blend the Sauce

Add the roasted peppers, tomatillos, and fresh cilantro to a blender and puree until smooth.

Pour this green sauce into the pot and stir to combine. Add 2 Tbs of Sugar or honey and 2 Tsp sea salt to the pot and stir. Let everything simmer together allowing the flavors to meld beautifully until pork is tender ans sauce is done.

Serve and Enjoy

Serve your homemade chile verde warm with soft tortillas, Mexican rice, and refried beans. It’s the perfect family-style meal — simple, nourishing, and full of flavor.

Spice Level Guide 🌶️

Very Hot: Leave all the seeds and veins in your jalapeños.

Medium-Hot: Leave them in one pepper.

Mild: Leave seeds in half a pepper.

Extra Mild: Remove all seeds and veins.

Make-Ahead Tip

You can absolutely make this dish ahead of time. Follow the recipe till the sauce is done, let it cool, then refrigerate uncovered until chilled. Cover tightly and store for up to 3 days.

When you’re ready to serve, bring it back to a gentle simmer, and serve. The flavor actually gets even better the next day!