This here, my pretties, is truly happiness on a plate, well, at least, for me and my family. Paris (Hello in heaven,sweet girl), as much as she may want a taste, will get no such thing. It’s mine, bwa ha ha! But, you, gentle reader, should you like to follow the recipe, can savor bite after bite. I’m going to put on my teacher hat here and ask that you read the whole recipe before you start, because it is done in stages. You’ll see.
Colleen’s Green Chile Burritos
2-4 pound pork shoulder roast, cut into 1″ chunks, removing as much fat as you can
28 oz diced green chiles (use more or less, to your taste). If you like it SPICY use some 505, jarred green chile.
2 fresh poblano peppers (optional)
2 dried ancho/pasilla chile (a dried poblano with different names – very dark and wrinkly)
2 dried New Mexican chile (dark red and slightly translucent)
1 large onion, diced
8 cloves garlic, diced or 1 T garlic granules
2 teaspoons salt (I use smoked sea salt fantastico!)
1 teaspoon mild New Mexico chile powder (optional)
1 teaspoon cumin
1 cup dried pinto beans
1 piece kombu seaweed (optional)
water
tortillas
grated cheddar or monterey jack cheese
other toppings of your choice – lettuce, sour cream, avocado, black olives
For the beans: The night before you want your burritos, get the beans soaking. I use the same pot I will cook them in. Use enough water to allow the beans to triple in volume. Once the chile is going, drain the soaking liquid from the beans, and add enough water to cover by about an inch. Add the kombu – it is supposed to help with the dreaded after-effects of beans, and truth be told, I think it works. Whenever I make beans without it, I’ll be honest – there is more farting. I bought mine at New Seasons ages ago, but I’ll bet an internet search will reveal more sources; the package lasts forever – unless you’re big on beans. Getting back to it. Add two cloves of diced garlic. Cook on low heat for 2-3 hours, adding 1 teaspoon of salt at the END. Add it too soon and the skins will be tough. Strain the excess liquid along with the kombu (It will be slimy and likely in a few pieces) and keep warm.
For the green chile: Brown the cubed pork in a little oil on medium high heat, working in batches to keep from overcrowding the pan. Place in crock or instant pot on low heat. In the rendered fat of the pork, saute onion until soft. Add to the crock pot. Add the canned green chiles to the pan, filling the empty can(s) with water to get all of the chile goodness and adding to the pan to deglaze. Add this mixture to the crock or instant pot.
Chile Peppers: Chop the dried peppers into small bits with a very sharp knife, discarding the stem. OR, even better, whirl the peppers, seeds and stems removed, in a food processor until they are thoroughly pulverized and kind of powdery. Add to crock pot. If using fresh poblanos, I turn on a burner and hold the pepper over it until the skin gets blackened, rotating it to get it even. Your kitchen will smell like chile heaven. Once all sides are good and dark, place in a paper bag until cool. Remove the skin by rubbing it with your fingers (don’t touch your eyes, ouch!). Dice the peppers, discarding the stem, keeping the seeds if you like it a little more spicy. Add to pot. Add cumin, chile powder, garlic, and 1 teaspoon salt. Add 1 cup water. Cook for 2-3 hours, until the meat is tender and thoroughly flavored. If using an instant pot, pressure cook for seven minutes on normal-low and switch over to slow cook on normal until you are ready to eat.
Putting it all together: Take a tortilla and set it on a burner turned on medium heat, rotating quickly to keep from sticking or burning. Once it has softened a little, turn over and do it all again. Add beans, a layer of pork, and a handful of grated cheese. Roll up, um, like a burrito, tee hee. Add another handful of cheese, and top off with another ladle of green chile goodness. Add your favorite condiments and enjoy!
Added info – I don’t know how much this makes – I’d say at least ten burritos, but I don’t know if you are a Gregory burrito – MONDO or a Colleen burrito – just right. Let’s put it this way – the recipe fills half of my crock pot, which holds 6 1/2 quarts. Also, if you want your chile thick, like a stew, turn the pot to high about a half an hour before you want to eat. Once it is bubbling mad, take a ladle full of the chile and add 1/4 to 1/2 cup of flour, stirring thoroughly to avoid lumps. Put back in crock pot and quickly incorporate it. Keep the the lid off. It should thicken in a few minutes. I really don’t do this anymore, but some people prefer this texture.
