Mexican
Gluten free
SpicyPuerco en salsa verde
Pork in green tomatillo sauce
Carne de puerco en salsa verde: tender pork shoulder braised in tangy tomatillo and green chilli sauce
Puerco en salsa verde is a staple of Mexico City fondas and family kitchens, the kind of dish that turns up for a weekday comida with rice, beans and a stack of tortillas, and fills tacos the next day. Chunks of pork shoulder are browned, then braised in a sharp sauce of tomatillos, serrano chillies, garlic and coriander until the meat is spoon-tender and the sauce is thick and glossy. Some cooks add potatoes or nopales to stretch it. The common mistake is crowding the pan when browning: the pork releases water and boils grey instead of browning, which robs the sauce of depth. Brown it in two batches. It is ready when the pork breaks apart with a fork and has passed 71 °C. Chef's tip: boil the tomatillos only until they turn from bright to olive green; if they split, they go sour and watery.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 90 min
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Serves
- 5
- Per serving
- 470 kcal
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ lb boneless pork shouldercut into 4 cm chunks
- 2 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp sunflower oil
- 1 ½ lb tomatilloshusked and rinsed
- 1 white onionhalf chopped, half sliced
- 1 bunch fresh coriander
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- 1 cup water
- 3 small potatoes (optional)peeled and quartered
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Pat 2 ¼ lb boneless pork shoulder dry and season with 1 tsp salt.
1 minStep 2: Heat 2 tbsp sunflower oil in a heavy casserole over a medium-high heat. Brown the pork in two batches, 5–6 minutes each, until golden on several sides. Set aside.
12 minStep 3: Meanwhile simmer 1 ½ lb tomatillos and 3 serrano chillies in water for 6 minutes until olive green. Drain.
6 minStep 4: Blend the tomatillos and chillies with the chopped half of 1 white onion, 3 garlic cloves, 1 bunch fresh coriander (stalks too), ½ tsp ground cumin and the remaining 1 tsp salt until smooth.
Step 5: Cook the sliced half of the onion in the pork fat for 4 minutes until soft. Pour in the salsa carefully, as it splutters, and fry for 5 minutes until it darkens slightly.
9 minStep 6: Return the pork with its juices, add 1 cup water and 3 small potatoes, cover and simmer gently for 60–75 minutes, stirring now and then, until the pork is tender enough to break with a fork and has passed 160°F.
70 minStep 7: Uncover for the last 10 minutes if the sauce is thin. Serve with rice, beans and warm tortillas.
10 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 470 kcal
- Protein
- 42 g
- Carbs
- 14 g
- Fat
- 26 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does puerco en salsa verde take?
- About 110 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 90 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 5 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Is it very spicy?
- It has some heat. Use less chilli for a milder version, or more if you like it hot.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of white onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
- What can I use instead of garlic cloves?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
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