It’s the time of summer when we have a lot of chile peppers to harvest from our garden. What to do with a load of Anaheim, pasilla, poblano, jalapeno and serrano chiles? Well, I like to make a hearty pork and chile stew. I usually make a big batch and put the rest in the freezer since this stew freezes very well.  

Ingredients:

• 10-12 Anaheim peppers (you could also add a couple of pasilla or poblano peppers if you’d like)
• 3-4 jalapeno peppers or 2 serrano peppers
• 1/3 cup oil or lard
• 1 1/2 pounds boneless pork stew meat
• 2 Tbsp masa harina or flour
• 1 large diced yellow onion
• 3 minced garlic cloves
• 1 cup diced tomato (optional)
• 3 cups chicken broth or water
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp. red chile powder
• salt and pepper to taste

Method:

1. I use fresh chile peppers for this recipe. Of course, you could substitute canned peppers, but the flavors will not be as rich. If using fresh peppers, begin by roasting them on a grill, over a gas flame or under the oven broiler. Get them nicely charred. Then, seal the peppers in a plastic bag until they cool down enough to handle. The peppers will steam in the bag, making it easy to peel the charred skins.
2. Peel the skins from the peppers and remove the stems and seeds. It’s easier if you do this under running water, but some cooks say it takes away some of the charred flavor from the peppers – your choice. Chop the peppers. For this recipe, I used 8 Anaheim peppers, 2 pasilla peppers and 4 jalapenos. It’s fun to experiment with different types of chile peppers for different flavors.
3. In a bowl, mix the pork with a couple of tablespoons of masa harina or flour. This will help to eventually thicken the stew.
4. Heat the oil or lard in a large pot and brown the pork over medium-high heat.
5. Add the onions and garlic to the pot and continue to cook for a few minutes, stirring frequently. Add the tomatoes, chiles, chicken broth or water and spices to the mix and bring to a low boil. Lower the heat and simmer the stew for 2 hours or more, partially covered, until it thickens and the color becomes noticeably richer.
6. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve with warm tortillas.

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Originally trained as an anthropologist, Ted Scheffler is a seasoned food, wine & travel writer based in Utah. He loves cooking, skiing, and spends an inordinate amount of time tending to his ever-growing herd of guitars and amplifiers.

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