Fausto, that looks awesome! Thanks for that one... and rallispec, yeah, you're probably right, but I know there's a few old timers on here that maybe have a few minutes a day away from the puter that might be into cooking... lol
Jzero, here ya go... keep in mind that to get the right flavor, you really need to cook this around three days, and the setup is EXTREMELY time consuming. 🙂
I'll try to cut down the proportion, but keep in mind, it's definitely better to make a ton of this stuff and freeze it if you have to. It's best eaten on a warm, homemade
tortilla with a little sour cream and some extremely sharp cheddar. (Cabot's Vermont White is the best in the world!!!)
Panamanian Pork Green Chili (I got it from a lady that had JUST moved here from Panama, so it's definitely traditional... with a few modifications ... 🙂 )
10qt Stock Pot, Crock Pot, or Electric Roasting Pan (It's best to use a crock pot or roasting pan, it just makes it easier on ya.)
8 - 10lbs Pork
(I use trimmed pork tenderloin tips, they're cheaper than the tenderloin, but still an incredible cut of meat.)
6 - 7lbs Chili Peppers
(New Mexico Peppers are the best, but you can also use Jalapenos, Anaheims, or something similar. The Anaheims are a last resort if you can't find anything else)
2 White or Yellow Onions
2 - 3 Med Size Tomatoes
Cilantro (Finely Chopped)
Chicken Stock
(Do NOT use boulion (sp?) or something like that. Try to find Kitchen Basics or Imagine Natural Free Range Chicken Stock. It's got a lower salt content, and a ton of flavor)
1/4 to 1/2 Cup Rendered Bacon Fat
Blender
First thing, trim all the silverskin and fat off the pork, and chop into 1.5" - 2" pieces. Set aside.
Lightly rinse and fire-roast the peppers. (Grill is the best way, but you can also use a butane torch to evenly burn the skin. If you don't have either of those use the broiler in your oven. Just keep an eye on 'em. The idea is to sear and bubble the skin without cooking the peppers too much.)
Immediately place peppers in a large freezer bag. Leave 'em on the counter for 10-15 minutes to sweat the skin off.
Remove from the bag and peel as much of the skin off as you can. Do NOT rinse them again, they'll lose all their flavor!
Follow the same procedure with the tomatoes.
Toss a handful of peppers at a time into a blender or food processor. Do NOT remove the seeds, they add flavor! 🙂 Blend them into a soupy consistency with no discernable chunks left. Add the raw, peeled onions and tomatoes. (The fewer tomatoes the better, they're mostly to calm the heat down a bit)
Set the mixure aside.
Grab a large cast iron skillet and bring to about med to medhigh temp on the stove. Add a Tablespoon of the bacon fat to the skillet. When it's up to temp, start searing the pork. You DON'T want to cook it, just give it some nice color on the outside. You'll have to do multiple batches. Do NOT add too much to the skillet at once or it'll just steam. Add more bacon fat as needed. (Don't worry, it doesn't add much fat to the finished product, just gives it a little flavor)
When that's all finished, remove the last of the pork from the skillet and dump in about 1/4 cup of Chicken Stock while the pan's still hot to deglaze it. You don't want to leave all those bits of pork behind. They're the best part. 🙂 After the stock pulls all the bits off the skillet, dump it all into the crockpot or roasting pan.
Add the pork, the Chili mixture and cilantro. Stir and add just enough stock to make it slightly soupy. Turn the pan on low - medlow and let simmer for around three days. (Yes, you can take it off at night, just start again the next morning) You'll have to keep an eye on it and add chicken stock as it continues to cook down. The idea is to keep cooking it down and concentrating the flavors as it cooks. When it's about ready, don't add more stock, you want it relatively dry and thick. Remove and serve with warm tortillas, homemade pico di gallo, salsa, shredded sharp cheddar, sour cream, homemade guacamole, homemade black beans, etc. etc.
Cooking it so long removes most of the heat but leaves behind an AMAZING taste. Not to mention the pork has pretty much completely shredded itself by that time. It's without a doubt, my most favorite meal in the world. Plus, it's nice having the leftovers so you can throw together a burrito or whatever whenever you want. 🙂 Just don't make the same mistake I did and tell anyone about it... you'll be making this stuff for the rest of your life!