Green Chili Recipe
If you grew tomatoes this year then you've probably already picked all of them and you're most likely trying to ripen the green ones before they rot. The green ones that are still green by now aint gonna ripen. So what do you do with them? Fried green tomatoes are the obvious solution but I can only take so many of those. Last year I made green tomato pickles out of them. I ended up with at least a dozen quarts. They're fantastic but I still have a ton left. This year I decided to can up some green chili. Someone asked for my recipe in the comments section of one of my other posts so here it is...kinda.
I've said before that I don't follow recipes. I follow guidelines. Green chili, like red chili, is really easy to make without following a real recipe. Here's the basic guideline that I use. You can multiply everything depending on the size of the batch. The amounts don't have to be perfect. There are a lot of mexican spices that you can add to really make it pop but between the cilantro and the peppers most people should be satisfied. Anyway, here's how I usually make it.
1 lb green tomatoes
1 lb pork
1 lb hot peppers
1 medium onion
2 cloves of garlic
1 bunch cilantro
2 cups or 1 14 oz can of chicken broth
For the pork I usually just use boneless pork chops. When there's a sale I stock up on them and load the freezer. This recipe is a great way for me to get rid of the stuff that's been sitting in the back of the freezer for a year. Chicken or venison (or any other meat that you have on hand) would probably work just as good if that's what you have. For the peppers, just use what you like. If you want a mild chili then use bell peppers. I used serranos, pasillas and jalapenos on my last batch and it turned out great. I'm not a picky pepper eater so I just use whatever I have handy. Anyway, on with the process.
Core and chop up the tomatoes. Remove the seeds from the peppers and chop them up as well. Dice the onion, garlic and pork. Pour the tomatoes, peppers and chicken broth into a stock pot or a crock pot and bring it to a boil. At the same time brown the pork and add it to the stock/crock pot. After the pork is done brown the onions in the leftover fat until they're translucent then add the garlic to them. Brown them for another minute or so and then pour them into the stock/crock pot. Once everything comes to a boil drop the heat and add the chopped cilantro. Let simmer for an hour or two or let it sit in the crock pot for a few hours on low if you're not going to can it.
If you're going to can it then follow the normal procedure for pressure canning. You can't water bath can this stuff. While the chili is boiling fill your hot, sanitized jars, seal with your sanitized, unused lids and process for 1.5 hours at 15 lbs of pressure. Refrigerate any jars that don't seal and consume within a few days.
This recipe is pretty basic but I like it. It makes a pretty hearty but not too thick green chili. If you want to thicken it up you can add a teaspoon of corn starch or two or you can add a tablespoon or two of flour to the meat and onions when you're browning them. You can also let it simmer down for a few extra hours.
I've said before that I don't follow recipes. I follow guidelines. Green chili, like red chili, is really easy to make without following a real recipe. Here's the basic guideline that I use. You can multiply everything depending on the size of the batch. The amounts don't have to be perfect. There are a lot of mexican spices that you can add to really make it pop but between the cilantro and the peppers most people should be satisfied. Anyway, here's how I usually make it.
1 lb green tomatoes
1 lb pork
1 lb hot peppers
1 medium onion
2 cloves of garlic
1 bunch cilantro
2 cups or 1 14 oz can of chicken broth
For the pork I usually just use boneless pork chops. When there's a sale I stock up on them and load the freezer. This recipe is a great way for me to get rid of the stuff that's been sitting in the back of the freezer for a year. Chicken or venison (or any other meat that you have on hand) would probably work just as good if that's what you have. For the peppers, just use what you like. If you want a mild chili then use bell peppers. I used serranos, pasillas and jalapenos on my last batch and it turned out great. I'm not a picky pepper eater so I just use whatever I have handy. Anyway, on with the process.
Core and chop up the tomatoes. Remove the seeds from the peppers and chop them up as well. Dice the onion, garlic and pork. Pour the tomatoes, peppers and chicken broth into a stock pot or a crock pot and bring it to a boil. At the same time brown the pork and add it to the stock/crock pot. After the pork is done brown the onions in the leftover fat until they're translucent then add the garlic to them. Brown them for another minute or so and then pour them into the stock/crock pot. Once everything comes to a boil drop the heat and add the chopped cilantro. Let simmer for an hour or two or let it sit in the crock pot for a few hours on low if you're not going to can it.
If you're going to can it then follow the normal procedure for pressure canning. You can't water bath can this stuff. While the chili is boiling fill your hot, sanitized jars, seal with your sanitized, unused lids and process for 1.5 hours at 15 lbs of pressure. Refrigerate any jars that don't seal and consume within a few days.
This recipe is pretty basic but I like it. It makes a pretty hearty but not too thick green chili. If you want to thicken it up you can add a teaspoon of corn starch or two or you can add a tablespoon or two of flour to the meat and onions when you're browning them. You can also let it simmer down for a few extra hours.
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