Everything Green Chili Verde

Everything Green Chili Verde os so lip-smacking good! To me, it is one of the most deserving of foods to be awarded the "comfort food" tag. Served on warm tortillas with a dab of sour cream and some Chipotle Tomatillo Salsa, it will definitely warm your heart and soul. 

Everything Green Chili Verde

Ingredients:

1 (2 1/2 - 3) pound pork shoulder roast, cut into 1-inch cubes
unbleached all-purpose flour for dredging
2-3 T. bacon drippings (from range-fed pig,with no nitrates or nitrites)
2 (11-oz.) jars nopalitas (cactus), drained,
or two paddles fresh nopales, cut into 1-inch squares
1 green bell pepper, seeds and membrane removed, cut into 1-inch squares
2 fresh pasilla or pabalno peppers, seeds and membrane removed, cut into 1-inch squares
1 fresh jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped (wear rubber gloves)
12 med. sized tomatillas, hush removed and cut into quarters
1 bunch green onions, chopped
1 bunch cilantro, washed well and chopped
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1/4 c. filtered water
real sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
warm corn tortillas

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

2. Cover nopales with water and soak while browning meat (browning the meat is the next step - see below).

3. Dredge meat in flour.

4, Heat a heavy-bottomed Dutch oven (with a tight-fitting lid) until hot (but not smoking).

5. Add 2 T. of drippings to pan and immediately add pork.

6. Lower heat. Brown meat on all sides over medium-high heat, adding more bacon drippings as needed.

7. Add all other ingredients, including nopales (drained of water) to the pot along with 1/4 c. water.

8. Cover pot with lid and place in oven.

9. Let cook for 4-5 hours, checking occasionally to make sure no steam is escaping and there is plenty of liquid in the pot.

10. Serve with warm corn tortillas.

Makes 8 servings.