Green Chili Pork Tostadas

5 from 3 votes

Green Chili Pork Tostadas are made with tangy tomatillos, poblano and jalapeño peppers, and savory pork that cooks down in the sauce.

Prep Time30

Cook Time2 10

Total Time2 40

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American, Mexican

Servings:

Calories: 335kcal

Set the oven to broil.
Remove the husks from the tomatillos, rinse, slice in half, and place cut side down on a large baking sheet.
Cut the poblano peppers and jalapeños in half, seed them and place them cut side down on the baking sheet.
Add the garlic to the baking sheet (cloves separated, ends trimmed, but peels on).
Place the baking sheet with the tomatillos, peppers and garlic in the oven and roast under the broiler for 5-10 minutes or until lightly blackened on top.
Once cooled, remove the garlic from the peels.
Working in batches if needed, blend the roasted tomatillos, garlic removed from the peel, poblano peppers and diced jalapeño peppers in a blender.

Remove the excess fat from the outer portion of the pork butt. This cut of pork has plenty of fat. Even after trimming the excess fat from the outside there will be plenty of fat on the inside, which cooks down and contributes to the flavor of the dish. Cut the pork into 1-2 inch cubes and season with salt. Let sit for 15 minutes.
Bring a large Dutch oven to medium heat and add a couple tablespoons of olive oil. Working in batches, sear the pork on 2-3 sides. Be careful not to overcrowd the pan. Remove and set aside. Repeat with any remaining pork.
If you have the space and an extra heavy bottomed pot, you can have 2 pans going at the same time. It’ll help the process go a little faster.

If there is excess fat in the Dutch oven, remove the excess fat (leave about 2 tablespoons). Bring the pot to medium heat and add the diced onion. Cook for 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally until soft.
Add the tomatillo sauce, pork, oregano, cloves, and 1 cup of chicken stock to the Dutch oven. Add extra chicken stock as needed until the pork is covered in the sauce. Simmer for 2 hours or more as needed until the meat is fork tender and starts to fall apart.
Add salt to taste.

Bake the Tortillas: Preheat the oven to 400°F. Brush the tortillas with olive oil and bake for 10 minutes until lightly golden brown and crispy.
Alternatively Pan Fry the Tortillas: Bring a large sauté pan to medium heat and add a couple of tablespoons of olive oil. Add 2-3 tortillas depending on how much space is in the pan and fry until crispy and golden brown on both sides. Set aside on a paper towel to cool.
Top the crispy tortillas with refried black beans, green chili, sour cream, and guacamole as desired.

Pork Butt: This is a specific cut of pork with lots of fat and flavor and great for slow cooking. It is not the same as pork shoulder. Be sure to purchase pork butt, or check with the butcher.
Trim the Fat: When cutting up the pork, trim the extra fat. There is plenty of fat throughout the meat that the extra fat really is extra and can be trimmed and removed.
Don't Overcrowd: When searing the pork, it is crucial to not overcrowd the pan. Work in batches to avoid the pork steaming, rather than searing.
Jalapeño and Poblano Peppers: The recipe calls for both to be seeded, but if you want a spicier sauce, you can include the seeds. Anaheim peppers can be substituted if you can't find poblano peppers.
Tortillas: Corn tortillas can be substituted for flour tortillas. Use small street sized tortillas.
Time Investment: This recipe is certainly an investment in time, but you'll end up with lots of leftovers, which are great for being turned into other dishes: chili bowl, tacos, juevos rancheros, etc.