All right, readers, now that I’ve surrendered to Autumn*, it’s time for a comforting bowl of chile. That would be chile with an “e.” We Westerners get our panties in a bit of a wad if you spell it with an “i”. Chili with an “i” is red chili. The ground beef, kidney bean, tomato kind of chili that you eat in front of the SuperBowl in January.
The “e” variety of chile is green. You don’t top it with cheese, and you don’t crumble crackers in it, and ground beef can just take a hike because it’s not welcome here. Green chile is vegetarian, or studded with pork, or even chicken, but no cow parts in this swimming pool, okay?
Good. Glad we got that cleared up.
Green chile is also one of the few reasons I look forward to sweater season, because in my neck of the woods, when October says howdy and the pumpkin patches open, so do the chile roasters. Gobs and gobs of plump green chiles are plopped into big cages, turned over and over underneath a hot fire, perfuming the air with spice and char. You can smell them for miles, and it’s a heady scent, let me tell you. Then the blackened bounty gets parceled into bags, labeled “medium” or “hot,” and sold to the salivating public in Godzilla-like quantities.
In Autumn, you’ll find me sneaking to the local pumpkin patch at least once a week, shifty-eyed and greedy, bypassing the pumpkins and heading straight for roasting cages. Double-fisted, I’ll carry my bags of warm, steaming treasure back to the car and stash them in the bowels of my freezer.
Then, in mid-winter, when I’m so blue that I can’t even summon the enthusiasm to eat, let alone cook, I’ll open the freezer and paw around, hoping madly that I have a bag lurking in the back. And if I do? Better than diamonds.
Now I realize that I’m spoiled. Not all of you in this fine nation have access to chile roasters or Hatch green chiles, and for that I really am sorry. But no worries. You can still make a mean bowl of green with the chiles from your grocery store; it’ll just mean a little more work for you, although roasting them really isn’t that hard. Plus, you’ll infuse your house with that delicious roasty-good scent, and that’s a bonus.
Then the fun part begins, because once your pot of chile is bubbling, you’ll get to decide how to eat it. Ladeled into a bowl, adorned by a few crunchy corn chips and a sprinkling of cilantro? In huevos rancheros, topped with some sliced avocado? As a topper for a pan of cheesy enchiladas? Ah, the possibilities.
When I make a batch, I always go for the bowl method first. I’m gluttonous that way. But do it your style.
This recipe is once of many green chile recipes I turn to in chilly weather. It’s by far one of the easiest ones, because it’s done in a slow-cooker. If you don’t have a slow cooker, no worries. Just leave your chile simmering on the stove all afternoon and you’ll be tucking into a bowl in no time.
Old-Fashioned Colorado Green Chile (with an “e”)
serves 8-10
recipe courtesy of Anita Edge
2 pounds cubed pork (shoulder works well)**
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon pepper
3 tablespoons flour
2 cups diced fresh tomatoes (or one 14-ounce can) seeded if desired
1 can chicken broth (14 ounces)
1 cup water
2 1/2 cups diced, roasted green chiles (about 20) seeded and skinned
2 cups diced onion
salt and pepper to taste
1 (14-oz) can white beans, drained and rinsed (optional)
Brown pork, garlic and pepper in a large skillet. Add flour; stir and cook 2 more minutes. Place all ingredients except beans in a crock pot and cook on low 2 to 3 hours. If desired, stir in beans half an hour before serving and warm through.
**Boneless, skinless chicken thighs work well, also.
* Autumn, my fat fanny!! As I write this, we have 8-inch drifts of snow in our backyard. Whaddaheck?! I finally bite the bullet and accept Autumn, and Mother Nature decides to smack down some winter on my butt. Argh! *shaking fist at the sky* Go home, winter! I’m not ready to deal with you yet, and we’ll have some grim little goblins over here if you don’t shoo by this weekend. Off with you!
{ 61 comments… read them below or add one }
So, green chiles are like the white wine of vegetables? I always learn something here, Kitch. =>
I had no idea “you guys” differentiated like that with the i’s and the e’s…and what the differences were. I have to agree with you on the fact that I would totally look forward to this time of year and a big bowl of chile, as well.
Tell you what: I’ll send you a bag of real Belgian Chocolate and you send me a bag of those chiles. Deal?
Tempting!!
I give up. I had PROMISED myself that I wouldn’t subscribe to any more blogs, lest I forget to actually have a life. Figured that I would periodically check in with my favorites, and not have them showing up in my email box demanding to be read. But. . .after reading these last three posts (and insisting that my husband listen to me read your Pasta Arrabiata post out loud to him at breakfast, even tho I was choking with laughter through every line), I realize that I don’t want to miss another essay — or recipe — of yours. Going to make the Kalamata olive dressing tonight, if I can scrounge up a few final tomatoes.
Katrina,
I am the same way–I vow to streamline my Google reader and not add ONE more thing, but then I’ll stumble across someone who catches my fancy and cannot resist. I’m honored that you’re coming here.
Oh you are definitely worth the read!
I think maybe the East Coast equivalent of your pumpkin patch gold is the Cider Donut. I’ve only ever seen them in the fall and then they seem to only be available at pumpkin patches and picking orchards.
Never roasted a chile in my life! This looks fabulous…I’ve had chili, but never chile. :)
Guess I better do something about that. Now, if we’d just have a little more fall down here!
I laughed when you mentioned the “e” versus the “i.” I’m was born in Colorado and moved to Florida as a child but can remember going to Mexican restaurants with my grandparents in Denver and ordering green chile. Later on they came to Florida for a visit when I was a teenager and we took them to our favorite Mexican place for dinner as we thought it covered all the requirements of a “good” Mexican place. The restaurant had mismatched dishes and flatware and the requisite chipped red plastic glasses. Unfortunately it all went down hill when grandpa ordered a burrito smothered with chile and he got a burrito smothered with red chili. He didn’t think he had to clarify what he meant and I felt so bad for the waiter that had to go back and explain what happened. Thanks for the memory, the great looking chile and the laugh this morning.
Jennifer,
Chili on a burrito? Eww! He must have been horrified! I love the story!
I went to the pumpkin patch to get a funnel cake and a sweet tea. What does that say about me? Can we still be friends?
I do love my chili with pinto beans and beef. But I’ve got to say your chile looks quite yummy. How does one roast the chiles? On the grill or in the oven?
Erica,
I like to do it on the grill–much easier and faster. Just heat the grill to medium-high, stick the chiles on and shut the hood, and blacken the tar out of ’em. Remove from the grill, place in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let sit for 10 minutes. Then the skins should slide right off. You can also use the oven broiler to do it, with good results.
I feel so deprived. I’ve never even HEARD of chile roasters before. Why don’t they bring them to Chicago???
Jenna,
You’re missing out! But then again, you have Chicago dogs and Petersen’s ice cream, so I don’t feel TOO sorry for you.
I’m totally down with slow cooker recipes and this one sounds like a winner. Bookmark!
That is very interesting. Being from Texas I’ve only ever heard of the red chili, which is totally yum by the way, but this looks very interesting.
You know what sucks? My mom and dad live there, but she can’t cook for shit. I don’t think she even knows this exists. After all, they don’t make it at Costco.
How are you doing? How’s mom?
Nancy,
You crack me up! Promise me that you’ll swing down my way the next time you visit! I’ll cook for you sans Costco.
ps: stage 4 :(
My store routinely had pork stew meat on sale for $1.99 a pound – now I know what to make with it! And I’d like mine with Fritos and lots of cilantro.
But here in the midwest – not sure I’ve ever seen a pepper labeled “green chile.” We have serrano, jalapeno, poblano – what’s the heat level of your green chiles??
Biz,
Good question! They’re poblanos, I believe. But the Hatch ones pack a lot more flavor and heat that a normal poblano, so I’d throw in some serranos for heat, if you’re making this at home!
If it turns out that I can eat peppers again, this recipe will be first on my list!
I hear you on the snow thing. My mother just told me that it’s coming down in her part of Texas. We’re both soup fiends, so I’ll pass this on to her to ward off the white-weather blahs.
MMMM….I’m in a cooking mood these days, must be the darn nesting instinct taking over, and the temps are falling…this may be our Halloween dinner.
Sending warm, snowless thoughts your way:)
I’ve never added beans to my green chili but I will now!
Snow? Already? That’s why I live in Texas. :-)
No chile roasters in this neck of the woods unfortunately, I love chillies. Looks an amazing recipe, thanks for sharing. :)
One of the neverending debates in the foodie world Chili, Chile, Green, Red, what meat, beans? for a bunch of people speaking the same language (more or less) there is a mess of different meanings.
This looks great my friend, I am buying poblanos and giving this one a try
Apparently I have only ever had chili not chile…I must remedy that!
Your chile rocks! The thick brown gravy it produces looks soulful.
Stay warm. I have noted that you guys might be skipping Autumn and heading directly to winter.
Cheers.
Velva
We have pumpkin patches but I have never seen chili roasters. Maybe I haven’t looked. But I think not…you have 8 inches of SNOW?????? It was 50 in Michigan…
Very sorry to read the stage 4 comment.
Is there some distinction between Westerners and West Coasters? If not, then I guess I suck because I’ve never heard of chile except as a produce/spice item. Crap! ; ) (And heck, don’t you hail from North Dakota or some such *Midwestern* state?!) I’m tryin’ this!
Stephane,
There is no chile in North Dakota, unless it involves a krumcake. But we Coloradans love our green!
I do not like green chilE… I avoid New Mexico during green chilE time. . .I can’t take the smell of chilE roasting on an open fire. It’ s everywhere…in the mountains, on trains, At Walmart, in everyone’s kitchen…Happy Meals hamburgers at McDonalds have green chilE on them. Women dab the juice behind their ears, men add it to their after shave.
My parents have green chilE on the premises at all times and it’s in their freezer year around. Nothing is as good as it could be without a little chilE verdi. Cole love it like it is candy. What is wrong with you people :-)
Love Hatch red enchilada sauce and bring it home every time I visit my parents. It’s not easy but I escape with out a single bag of green chilE.
I also have lots to say about the Midwestern custom of add creamettes to ChilI .
SNOW?!
Katybethh,
Creamettes? I must know the details?! And I hate to say it, but I think green chile is a great perfume. Can we still be friends?
My mouth is agape! Oh sure, there’s the 8″ of snow, but chili with an E? I thought it was someplace one visited… had no idea that it’s something one eats, too. All of those chiles and only one can of beans? WHOA! That sounds like serious stuff. (#4 grandson would love it. Remember that when that headliner band, The Minxes and the Grands, hits Colorado.)
Mary Lee,
You are right–it’s not a chile for wimps, although if slathered over enchiladas, it’s a beautiful thing. And yes, The Minxes and The Grands will happen someday–Miss D. has perfected Blondie’s “Call Me” on Rock Band (I am dying of pride) and is ready for her close-up! :)
Thank you for sharing this recipe! I’ll be trying his next weekend when I visit my mom!
I have a really hard time finding decent green chile in Colorado Springs. Unless I make my own. :)
Know why I love being in New Mexico? When you order a sandwich they offer green chile. When you order a burger they offer green chile. When you order chile it has pork and Hatch. Mmmmm.
Now do a veggie posole and I’ll love you forever.
Posole is awesome. I had my first great posole in Colorado Springs. Which seems odd when I can’t find good green chile here. (Except Margharita @ Pine Creek.)
I do not like green chile… I avoid New Mexico during green chile time. . .I can’t take the smell of chile roasting on an open fire. | :P
You always make me feel like an even-lower-budget Sandra Lee. I love “green chili” which must be different from “green chile” because I make it with a bottle of salsa verde, pulled chicken, and a can of white beans. (However, people eat it up like I’m the Paula Dean of chili. Imagine if I made it the real way!)
TKW-
Thanks for posting this! We too love Chile! I have actually visited the Holy Land of Hatch to purchase it directly. We have a dish that Kurt makes where is does have beef in a nice thick sauce, served with his homemade flour tortillas and a big pot of beans… it’s my comfort food. :-) Love you and miss catching up more but love reading here!
Its like you learn my mind! You seem to know so much approximately this, like you wrote the ebook in it or something. I think that you just can do with some p.c. to force the message house a little bit, however instead of that, that is great blog. A fantastic read. I will certainly be back.
hi!,I like your writing very much! proportion we keep up a correspondence more about your post on AOL? I require an expert on this house to solve my problem. Maybe that’s you! Looking forward to see you.
Wonderful site. A lot of helpful info here. I am sending it to a few buddies ans additionally sharing in delicious. And certainly, thanks in your effort!
Heya i am for the primary time here. I came across this board and I in finding It truly helpful & it helped me out a lot. I am hoping to give something back and aid others such as you helped me.
Pretty great post. I just stumbled upon your blog and wanted to mention that I have really loved browsing your weblog posts. After all I will be subscribing to your feed and I’m hoping you write once more soon!
Hello my loved one! I wish to say that this article is awesome, great written and come with approximately all vital infos. I’d like to look more posts like this .
hello there and thanks for your information ? I’ve definitely picked up anything new from proper here. I did however experience a few technical issues using this web site, since I experienced to reload the web site lots of instances prior to I may get it to load correctly. I have been considering in case your web hosting is OK? Now not that I am complaining, however slow loading instances occasions will very frequently affect your placement in google and could harm your high-quality rating if ads and marketing with Adwords. Well I am adding this RSS to my e-mail and could glance out for a lot extra of your respective interesting content. Make sure you replace this again very soon..
I simply couldn’t go away your site prior to suggesting that I really enjoyed the usual information an individual supply in your guests? Is going to be again often in order to inspect new posts
You’re in point of fact a good webmaster. The site loading speed is incredible. It seems that you’re doing any distinctive trick. Furthermore, The contents are masterpiece. you’ve performed a fantastic activity on this matter!
TZWoyC Fantastic article.Really thank you! Keep writing.
Saludos, solo decirte que me ha encantado encontrar tu pagina web en yahoo. saludetes!
Woah this weblog is fantastic i really like reading your articles. Stay up the good work! You know, lots of individuals are searching round for this information, you can aid them greatly.
Pretty portion of content. I simply stumbled upon your website and in accession capital to claim that I get in fact enjoyed account your weblog posts. Any way I will be subscribing to your feeds and even I success you get entry to consistently fast.
Wonderful issues altogether, you simply received a brand new reader. What would you suggest in regards to your post that you simply made a few days ago? Any certain?
Hey, I just stopped in to visit your site and thought I’d say thank you.
ASCCWJVTTTC ASCCWJVTTTC ASCCWJVTTTC 667362 ASCCWJVTTTC
HTjKKl Really informative article. Will read on…
Hello There. I discovered your blog using msn. This is an extremely smartly written article. I will be sure to bookmark it and come back to learn more of your helpful information. Thank you for the post. I will definitely comeback.
Wonderful items from you, man. I have have in mind your stuff prior to and you are just too wonderful. I actually like what you’ve received here, really like what you are saying and the way in which by which you are saying it. You make it enjoyable and you still take care of to stay it smart. I can not wait to read much more from you. That is really a terrific web site.