Pork

We Love this #1 Hatch Green Chile Stew

January 20, 2025 by Becky Spoon

We Love Traditional Hatch Green Chile Stew

Traditional Hatch Green Chile Stew has been a family favorite for years. I mean WE really love Traditional Hatch Green Chile Stew! It is loaded with tender pork, some potatoes, a beautiful gravy created from long and slow simmering, and of course the Hatch Green Chile.

This is just one of those stews that you may not be familiar with unless you have traveled to New Mexico. The Hatch green and red chile are unique to the area and they are amazing in taste, both of them, and we absolutely love both. You can get mild, medium or hot. I tend to use a combination of mild with a medium or a hot. We like a little kick, but not too hot to eat!

The harvest of the green Chile is seasonal. When you are in New Mexico, and even now in Texas you will find fresh green chilies and they will roast them for you. I store them in individual bags in the freezer for future use. You have to try them if you haven’t already! One of our favorite uses of the frozen green Chile in the freezer throughout the year is the Hatch Green Chile Stew! I’ve ordered them online when I have missed the harvest.

Roasted Hath Green Chile — Roasted Hatch Green Chile

I’ve ordered them form Hatch Chile Store many times. You can get them fresh or roasted, you can get them peeled and chopped, frozen which I prefer these days.

Green chile, just like Red chile is available in mild, medium, or hot. If you aren’t familiar with these chiles, I’d start with mild and medium. I have used Hot before and have not been able to eat it because it was fire. So I usually buy mild and medium and depending on the heat of the medium, I’ll add some medium because a little heat is good. You may be able to handle a lot of heat. My husband could…..but I can’t do too hot.

You can actually get 505 Southwestern brand from Amazon. https://amzn.to/4h5svb4. I think you can get these also from HEB also and I have used this brand often.

We Love Traditional Hatch Green Chile Stew

I make a lot of recipes with New Mexico Hatch Green Chile. Another recipe I have on the blog is my green chile enchiladas. Here’s the link. We Love New Mexico Hatch Green Chile Beef Enchiladas

New Mexico Hatch Green Chile Beef Enchiladas

I like both recipes. They are both absolutely delicious. You need nothing to serve with this stew except for some flour or corn tortillas. You’ll need a lot of tortillas to sop up the ever last bite of this Chile goodness!

What do you need for this dish?

olive oil or vegetable oil
pork shoulder
onion
garlic
flour (if you are gluten free a masa slurry will work)
fresh tomatoes
Hatch green chiles
jalapeno
salt
pepper
sugar
chicken or beef broth
*Potatoes are optional…they are not traditional, but I love the addition of potatoes

Here’s the recipe! Let me know what you think!

Traditional New Mexico Green Chile Stew

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Course dinner, Lunch, Main Course

Cuisine Mexican, new mexico

Servings 6 Servings

Ingredients

2 tbsp olive oil or vegetable oil
2 lbs pork, cut into 1-inch pieces (I use pork butt, shoulder)
1/2 Cup onions, chopped
1 clove Garlic, minced
1/4 cup Flour (if you are gluten free a masa slurry will work perfectly after the pork is tender and your stew has completed)
2 cups fresh tomatoes, peeled and chopped
2 Cups fresh green chiles, roasted, peeled and chopped or 2 cups frozen green chiles (or good quality in a Jar like 505 Southwestern)
1 fresh jalapeno pepper, chopped
1 tsp salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp sugar
1 cup Chicken or beef broth (more if needed)
2-3 large russet potatoes, cut into the size of your choice The potatoes are optional…they are not Original, but I like my stew with potatoes

Instructions

Heat olive oil in 4-quart Dutch oven with cover. Add pork and cook until lightly browned. Add onion and garlic and stir with meat. Add flour and stir 1-2 minutes. Add tomatoes, green chiles, jalapeno (if using), salt, pepper and sugar. Mix to incorporate. Add broth. Lower heat. Cover pot and simmer for 1- 1 1/2 hours until meat is tender. Serve with flour tortillas, or corn if you prefer.

Keyword green chile, green chile stew, hatch, hatch green chile, New Mexico, new mexico green chile stew, pork, traditional

a simple cajun-spiced, boneless pork roast.

August 30, 2021 by Becky Spoon

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a simple cajun-spiced, boneless pork roast.

This boneless pork roast was really hard to photograph! Haha! They are really so bland looking! But they are so delicious! I honestly prefer a pork roast over a beef roast. I love a good chuck roast with lots of marbling, but sometimes I want that pork roast with cajun spices and gravy. Spices like:

salt
garlic powder
paprika
ground black pepper
onion powder
cayenne pepper
dried oregano
dried thyme
red pepper flakes (Optional)

Honestly, in this case I was cooking such a small roast, about 2 pounds, I just sprinkled the roast individually with the seasonings. In the recipe I’ll try to list a specific about for a roast that small. Ideally, a mixture of these spices kept in a container is great. Then you can use as needed.

Because this roast was boneless, part of it had a “natural” opening where they had removed the bone that I could season the inside of the roast and the outside.

a simple cajun-spiced, boneless pork roast.

I cooked this pork roast in the instant pot. The technique will not change, just the cooking time. If you don’t have an Instant Pot, I encourage you to look at it as a purchase because they are well worth it. The prices are much lower now and it will cut hours out of your cooking time. https://amzn.to/3BmXwBZ

I seasoned this roast in every area I could and then I tied it. Because it did have a boneless roast I wanted to tie it so that it would cook evenly. Another thing I did was after it was finished cooking, I wrapped it up and chilled it. Because of that I was able to get nice slices, rather than “shredded pork” which I didn’t want. After it was completely chilled I removed from the refrigerator, sliced it, wrapped it in foil, then heated in the oven at 250 until just heated. I didn’t want to cook, just heat. When heated, I placed on a platter or serving dish and poured some of the roast gravy over. The first meal was with mashed potatoes, gravy of course and roasted carrots! Absolutely delicious!

What I’m going to make with leftovers is a hash that I will have for breakfast with homemade buttermilk biscuits.

This hash is absolutely delicious for breakfast. Mixed with fried potatoes, green onions, green peppers, red peppers on a homemade biscuit and toped with a fried egg is just delicious and makes a great breakfast.

a simple cajun-spiced, boneless pork roast.

Here’s the recipe for this great pork roast with a delicious gravy.

a simple cajun-spiced , boneless pork roast.

Print Recipe

Course Breakfast, dinner, Lunch, Main Course

Cuisine American

Equipment

Instant Pot

Ingredients

For the Cajun Spice Mix

2 tsp salt
2 tsp garlic powder
2 1/2 tsp paprika
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 1/4 tsp dried oregano
1 1/4 tsp dried thyme

For the Pot Roast

2 -3 lb Pork Roast
Cajun seasoning
flour for coating the roast
1 yellow onion, sliced or diced
olive oil for browning the roast
chicken stock
2-3 carrots, sliced

Instructions

Combine the spices together and store in an air tight container.
Remove the pork roast from the refrigerator. Place it on a sheet pan or tray. If you are using a boneless roast there will be a pocket where the bone was. Season this area, close and generously season the roast on all sides. Allow the roast to sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes.
Set the Instant Pot to sauté. Add some olive oil to the insert pan to cover the bottom and allow to heat.
In the meantime, generously flour your roast all over, rubbing it in a little so it will adhere. Place in the hot insert pan. Allow to brown on the first side, then turn and brown on all sides. This will take several minuets, but makes all the difference in the world for those spice flavors to intensify.
Remove the browned roast to a dish. Add your onions and cook for a couple of a minutes, stirring frequently to prevent burning and to start breaking up the bits at the bottom of the pan that are loaded with flavor. Then the onions are a little translucent, add 2 tablespoons flour. Whisk until the flour has cooked through.
Add the chicken stock, whisking continuously until combined and starts to thicken. Add the roast back in. Set the Instant Pot for 45 minutes.
After the 45 minutes, quick release the steam, being very careful. I always place a kitchen towel over it and it won't spray everywhere.
At this time check the doneness of the roast by inserting a fork. You want your roast to be fork tender. If there's still resistance, I'd place the lid back on and set the timer for an additional 30 minutes. After that, allow the roast to naturally release the steam.
After it has released, add the carrots, replace the lid and cook 10 minutes. Quick release.
Remove the roast and place on a platter. Allow the roast to rest for about 15 to 20 minutes. You should have a very nice thickened gravy left in the pan. Check for seasoning. Add more salt and pepper if needed.
To serve, slice the roast onto a platter and ladle the gravy over the roast. Great with mashed potatoes or rice. Make good use of that gravy! Bon appetite.

Keyword cajun spices, Instant Pot, main course, pork, pork, roast, pot roast

easy mexican spiced pork tenderloin tacos.

July 21, 2020 by Becky Spoon

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Just look at these mexican spiced pork tenderloin tacos! I had this pork tenderloin in my freezer and felt I needed to make it and because Allen loves tacos of any kind I decided to add some mexican spices and make tacos with it. So glad I did because he loved the tacos. Just look how juicy this tenderloin looks!

Pork tenderloin is so tender if you don’t over cook it. First you sear the meat on all sides, then place in the oven until the internal temperature reaches 145 degrees for medium rare, the recommended temperature for pork tenderloin.

easy mexican spiced pork tenderloin tacos.

I marinated the tenderloin brushed with olive oil and a mixture of spices that will be left on while cooking. It’s basically ready to cook when you brush with the oil and rub with the spices, but I wanted it to sit for at least an hour before cooking. That just adds to the flavor. You want to cook the meat at room temperature, so I just allowed it to marinate on my counter with the oil and spices to come to room temperature.

If you want a quick spice blend, I love Tajin and it’s perfect for pork. It’s got a little heat and has a lot of lime…so it would work perfectly.

Here’s a link for the Tajin. https://amzn.to/30usoQe

I used flour tortillas and i love to buy the flour tortillas that have not been cooked yet. They aren’t always easy to find, but if you do be sure and get some. https://amzn.to/2OHGt7p

I also served Herdez Guacamole Salsa with these. So good. Here’s a link for the Herdez salsa. https://amzn.to/2Ctekyu

If you don’t want tacos with this pork tenderloin, it would be perfect with my smashed potatoes and a side dish like a salad or a green vegetable. Here’s the recipe for my smashed potatoes: https://the2spoons.com/delicious-smashed-potatoes/

Want another taco recipe? Try these Spicy Chicken Tacos! https://the2spoons.com/spicy-chicken-tacos-with-broccoli-slaw/

Here’s the so easy recipe for the pork tenderloin!

easy mexican spiced pork tenderloin tacos

Print Recipe

Course dinner, Lunch, Main Course

Cuisine Mexican

Servings 4 servings

Ingredients

1 pork tenderloin
olive oil
salt and pepper
1/4 tsp each garlic powder, paprika, red chile powder, cumin, mexican oregano.

For the Tacos

8 flour tortillas
shredded lettuce
diced tomatoes
grated cheese of your choice, I used Monterrey Jack
Salsa of your choice.

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375.
Combine all the spices, excluding the salt and pepper, crushing the Mexican oregano.
Pat the pork dry and rub with olive oil. Lightly salt and pepper on all sides. Add the spice blend to all sides.
Allow to sit at room temperature for about an hour. Heat a cast iron or similar skillet to medium high heat.
Add a little oil to the skillet and add the pork. Brown on all sides, turning as it browns.
When all sides are browned, place the skillet into the oven and cook until the internal temperature reaches 145 degrees. This may take 15 minutes to 20 minutes, but I start checking at 10 minutes especially if your tenderloin is not very thick.
Remove the pork from the pan onto a cutting board or plate, tent with foil and allow to rest for at least 15 minutes.
Slice and serve in tacos like I did or with your favorite side dishes. .

For the Tacos

Slice the tenderloin into thin slices after you have allowed it to rest. Heat your tortillas. Add the pork, lettuce, tomatoes and cheese to the tortillas. Serve with your favorite salsa. I used Herdez Guacamole Salsa!

Keyword for tacos, mexican, mexican spiced, mexican spiced pork tenderloin, pork tenderloin

the best – chicken fried pork steak with cream gravy.

July 18, 2020 by Becky Spoon

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I think this Chicken Fried Pork Steak with Cream Gravy is as good as beef Chicken Fried Steak! We know our chicken fried anything in Texas and these are amazing!

Just like a requirement in chicken fried steak, I used cubed pork steaks. They really are a good buy right now because beef is so expensive. As of today the tenderized pork steak is $1.35 a pound and the beef cubed steak was $5.64 a pound. Big difference.

I served these with my smashed potatoes and of course the cream gravy and it all just worked together so well. Just look how yummy these potatoes look. They are just like eating a loaded baked potato.

Here’s the link for the Smashed Potatoes: https://the2spoons.com/delicious-smashed-potatoes/.

I also served them with Okra and Tomatoes. If you’re making Southern food you might as well throw in some okra! So good! Here’s the link for the okra: https://the2spoons.com/best-okra-and-fresh-summer-tomatoes/.

the best – chicken fried pork steak with cream gravy.

I like to fry these in a cast iron skillet. I have cast iron skillets that were my mother’s, and you know after they are seasoned, it’s like frying in a non stick pan. Here’s a link for a Lodge cast iron skillet if you are just starting to buy them. https://amzn.to/2ZIYZmh.

Can’t wait for you to try this recipe!

Chicken Fried Pork Steaks

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Course dinner, Lunch, Main Course

Cuisine American

Servings 2 servings

Ingredients

4 pork steak cutlets
2 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
pinch of cayenne pepper (optional)
3 eggs, beaten
oil for frying

For the Cream Gravy

2-3 tbsp oil
2 tbsp flour
1 1/2 cups milk
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Combine the flour, salt and peppers in a shallow pan. Beat the eggs in another pan or dish.
Place each cutlet in the flour, pressing in the flour a little. Add to the egg covering each side, then back into the flour mixture, covering completely, pressing to make sure it is thoroughly coated. Continue until all have been battered.
Add oil to a skillet about 1/3 up the side of a skillet. I use an iron skillet. Heat to medium high. Add the cutlets to the hot oil. Fry on the first side until browned, then turn and brown the other side. Remove and drain on paper towels.
Pour off all but 2 to 3 tablespoons oil from the pan. Add the flour and cook for a minute or so. While whisking, add the milk to the pan. Cook until thick, adding more milk if needed. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Keyword chicken fried, chicken fried pork steak, pork, pork steak, southern food

Delicious Buttermilk Brined Chicken Fried Pork Chops

June 28, 2019 by Becky Spoon

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These Buttermilk Brined Chicken Fried Pork Chops are a favorite! When I ask Allen what he wants for dinner he always responds “Pork Chops or Tacos!!” Yes! Always. Obviously, he doesn’t get pork chops every day, but he does get pork chops a lot. Because of that, I am always trying to think of different ways to cook them. Smothered, grilled, pan- fried, and baked are just a few of the ways I cook pork chops. I like the center cut pork chops because they will be uniform. Have you ever bought that package of pork chops and the top is the only center cut and the rest are random. https://www.thekitchn.com/a-complete-guide-to-pork-chops-meat-basics-208638

Of course baking or grilling would be the healthier alternative, but just like fried chicken or Texas chicken fried steak, sometimes you just want that chicken fried pork chop. I really didn’t use much oil, it was new oil in a non stick skillet which takes even less oil. They are not deep fried. They sure are delicious though.

I made my Macaroni and Cheese with this. Here is the recipe that you must have! https://the2spoons.com/delicious-four-cheese-macaroni-and-cheese/ You will love this Mac and Cheese recipe! If I had not made macaroni and cheese, I would have made mash potatoes and cream gravy! Makes me hungry just typing this. I just can’t get away from my Southern roots and the food I grew up with! That doesn’t mean I have to eat like this everyday, but occassionally works for us.

Delicious Buttermilk Brined Chicken Fried Pork Chops

Print Recipe

Course dinner, Lunch, Main Course

Cuisine American

Ingredients

4 1/2 inch center cut pork chops
3 cups buttermilk
1-2 tbsp Louisiana hot sauce (optional)
3 cups all purpose flour
salt and pepper (cayenne pepper if you prefer)
2-3 large eggs, beaten
oil for frying

Instructions

Add the buttermilk and Louisiana hot sauce to a zip lock bag. Add the thawed pork chops to the brine and refrigerate for at least 4 hours. An option is to place frozen pork chops in the bag with the buttermilk and hot sauce and place in the refrigerator overnight. They should thaw overnight.
Add the beaten eggs to a flat container or large bowl. In a separate flat container or bowl add the flour with salt and pepper.
Heat your the oil to medium high in a large skillet. While your oil is heating remove a pork chop at a time and place in the seasoned flour turning to coat both sides pressing down a little for the flour to adhere. Then place in the eggs, letting the excess drip off, then back into the flour pressing down again on both sides. Pressing down helps you form a good coating for frying. Place on a sheet pan and continue until all the pork chops have been battered.
When your skillet has heated to about 325 degrees add the number of pork chops that will fit in your skillet without crowding. You want to leave a space between each pork chop. Try to not disturb as much as possible as you will knock the batter off before it can set. When that side has browned, turn and brown the other side. If your pork chops are frying too hot or browning too fast, lower your heat a little. Brown the other side and continue to flip from side to side to insure doneness and the internal temperature reaches 155-160 degrees. Remove from the heat, drain on paper towels. If you have more to fry, place the cooked pork chops in the oven on warm. Serve immediately! Enjoy!

Notes

If your pork chops are browning too fast, lower the heat a little. If both sides have nicely browned, but the internal temperature is not at 155-160, you can reduce heat to low and cover for a few minutes. Then remove the lid, increase the heat a little to crisp a final time. Enjoy!!

Keyword buttermilk brined, chicken fried pork chops, pork, pork chops, southern, southern roots, Texas

Macaroni and Cheese — Buttermilk Brined Chicken Fried Pork Chops

Next Best Thing to Smoked, Crockpot Pulled Pork

March 17, 2019 by Becky Spoon

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Crockpot Pulled Pork…hmmm! I mean, I don’t know? Ok, so I have to confess that I have never, ever cooked pulled pork any other way than smoking it outside. Yes, that’s true. I kept seeing recipes of crockpot pulled pork, even tasted it, and I had friends that swore by the greatness of their crockpot pulled pork, but I was completely not interested.

Until the other day, when I was faced with a huge pork butt. I had thawed it out in the refrigerator for a day or two with the intentions of smoking it in my Big Green Egg. Then the weather changed and I no longer wanted to be outside smoking anything!

Faced with this delima of what to do with a huge pork butt, I halved it and made two recipes. One with Cajun spices I had made for years, and I decided I’d try what so many had said was great, make pulled pork in my crockpot. It turned out yummy and delicious and Mr. Spoon loved it too! I won’t stop smoking my brisket outside but this recipe is certainly an alternative when in need!

Crockpot Pulled Pork

The first time I had pulled pork, in the 1970’s, was in Tennessee. You’d go to a little stand on the side of the road and buy a sack full of pulled pork on a bun with coke slaw, lots of pepper and a vinegary bbq sauce. So, trying to mimic those memories I also served mine with cole slaw and a vinegary sauce. I buttered and toasted the buns, piled them high with pork, slaw and slathered in bbq sauce. I used a Texas favorite, Franklins Bbq, Vinegar Sauce. http://www.amazon.com/groceries

Serve this recipe with my Southern Potato Salad, a perfect combination! https://the2spoons.com/super-good-southern-potato-salad/

Here you go for the recipe! Don’t have a smoker but still want pulled pork? This recipe solves your problem! Yay!

Crockpot Pulled Pork (Sandwiches)

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Course dinner, Lunch, Main Course, Sandwiches

Cuisine American, bbq

Ingredients

2 tbsp Kosher salt
2 tbsp packed dark brown sugar
2 tbsp paprika
1 tbsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp chili powder
2 tsps dry mustard
2 tsps garlic powder (not salt)
2 tsps onion powder
1 tsp cornstarch
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp celery seeds
1 7-8 lb pork shoulder or pork butt
2 medium onions, quartered
1/2 cups cola (used Coca Cola)
1 cup apple cider vinegar
2 tbsp worcestershire sauce

For the Pulled Pork on a Bun with Coleslaw

Hamburger buns
butter for toasting
recipe, coleslaw
BBQ Sauce, our choice

Coleslaw

4 cups shredded cabbage and carrots
1 cup mayonaise
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp red wine vinegar
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat to 500°F. (Use convection if you have it.) Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil, then fit a wire rack inside it.
Place the salt, brown sugar, paprika, black pepper, chili powder, smoked paprika, dry mustard, garlic powder, onion powder, cornstarch, cayenne, and celery seeds in a small bowl and stir to combine.
Pat the pork dry with paper towels. Evenly coat the pork with 1/2 of the rub, then place it on the wire rack fat-side up if possible. Roast until the pork is sizzling with a bit of char on the edges, about 10 minutes, but don’t let the spices burn.
Meanwhile, place the onions in a 6-quart or larger slow cooker. Sprinkle with the remaining rub. Pour in the cola, vinegar, and Worcestershire.
Transfer the pork to the slow cooker. Cover and cook on the LOW setting until the pork is soft enough to pull apart with a spoon, maybe 8-10 hours? I would check around 6 for tenderness and go from there.
Transfer the pork to a large bowl and let stand until cool enough to handle. Pull the meat apart into large chunks or shred with a fork, discarding any bone, connective tissue, and large clumps of fat.
Fit a fine-mesh strainer over a medium bowl. Pour the cooking liquid through the strainer and discard the solids. If you are serving immediately, spoon off as much fat as possible from the surface. For best results, refrigerate until the fat solidifies and collects on top, then scrape off and discard the fat (keep the meat covered and refrigerated during this time).
Toss the meat with enough defatted cooking liquid to moisten. Serve the meat warm, or let cool, cover, and refrigerate to use in other recipes and with your favorite BBQ sauce.
For the Slaw: Shred your cabbage and carrots or purchase a package of Coleslaw from the supermarket. Combine the dressing ingredients and check for seasonings before pouring on your cabbage. If you want sweeter, add a little sugar. I like sweet coleslaw. Like it vinegary, add some vinegar. When you get your dressing right, pour on your slaw and combine.
For the Sandwich: Butter and toast your buns lightly on each side. Put a little BBQ on the bottom bun and pile some pulled pork on. Pour on a little more BBQ sauce, top with your coleslaw and place the lid on top! You will need a lot of napkins! Enjoy!