Home-Canned Chile Verde

This Home-Canned Chile Verde recipe is a labor of love that transforms tender pork into a flavorful, shelf-stable dish, perfect for long-term storage.

With a rich green chile sauce made from fire-roasted tomatillos, Hatch green chiles, garlic, onion, cumin, and cilantro, it’s the perfect base for a variety of Mexican-inspired dishes. The pork is pressure-canned alongside the sauce, cooking the meat and infusing it with the smoky, tangy flavors of the green chile, all while making it safe and shelf-stable for up to a year.

Pressure canning ensures that the pork and chile are cooked thoroughly and preserved at a high temperature, making this homemade chile verde a great option for quick meals anytime. When serving, you can easily add vegetables like potatoes or corn to complete the dish, ensuring you get a meal that’s rich in flavor and convenience.

This recipe is perfect for those who want to enjoy homemade chile verde year-round without needing to cook it from scratch each time. Plus, it’s a great way to store pork for future use, providing you with a ready-made, hearty meal that’s perfect for tacos, burritos, or even just served over rice!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe:

People will love this Home-Canned Chile Verde recipe because it combines the rich, smoky flavors of Hatch green chiles, fire-roasted tomatillos, and tender pork in one hearty, comforting dish that can be enjoyed year-round.

The best part is that it’s already cooked and preserved, making it incredibly convenient for busy nights when you want a delicious meal without all the work.

The pressure canning process ensures that the pork is infused with the bold, tangy flavors of the green chile sauce, creating a mouthwatering combination that only improves with time. Whether you serve it over rice, in tacos, or as a stew, this chile verde is versatile, flavorful, and super satisfying.

Plus, since it’s shelf-stable for up to a year, you’ll always have a homemade meal ready to go whenever you need it—no fuss, just fantastic flavor!

Key Ingredients:

Pork: Tender pork cubed and pressure-canned to perfection, providing a hearty, savory base for the dish.

Hatch Green Chiles: Smoky and slightly spicy green chiles that add a vibrant flavor to the sauce.

Fire-Roasted Tomatillos: These bring a tangy, smoky depth to the chile verde sauce.

Onion and Garlic: Essential aromatics that enhance the overall flavor of the sauce.

Cilantro and Cumin: Fresh cilantro and earthy cumin bring bright, herbal, and warm notes to the chili.

White Wine and Chicken Broth: These liquids add richness and depth, helping to balance the acidity of the tomatillos and the heat of the chiles.

White Vinegar: Adds a touch of acidity to balance the richness and help preserve the flavors during the canning process.

Home-Canned Chile Verde

It’s 13 pounds of pork cut into cubes, then canned in a green chile made of fire-roasted tomatillos and Hatch green chiles, lots of onion and garlic, white wine, cilantro, cumin, salt and pepper, some white vinegar and chicken broth.

I sauteed the onions and garlic for a few minutes, then pureed everything and filled the jars about halfway with raw pork and added the chili.

I pressure canned quarts for 90 minutes at 13#.

That gets the internal temperature in the jars over 240°, cooking the meat and making the chili shelf-stable for at least a year.

It works a lot better to add other vegetables (potatoes, corn, etc) when serving instead of trying to can them in the jar with the chili.

The meat is so dense, adding other solid vegetables would make it more difficult to be sure the temperature was consistent throughout the jar.

All home-canned meats have to be done with a pressure-canner, and it’s best to follow a tested recipe.

The food is made safe by a combination of time, temperature (created by pressure) and acidity, so having the right mix is important.

If you want to try it, check out the state extension service website for tested recipes. Yummmmm!

Notes:

Pressure Canning Safety:

This recipe requires a pressure canner to ensure that the meat is cooked to a safe internal temperature and the dish is shelf-stable. It’s important to follow all safety instructions for pressure canning and ensure you use tested recipes to avoid any food safety issues. The pressure canning process cooks the pork and ensures the chile verde stays safe for long-term storage.

Meat Density:

The pork in this recipe is dense, and adding vegetables like potatoes or corn directly to the jars could affect the canning process. It’s better to add these vegetables when serving the chile verde instead of trying to can them together. This ensures the temperature inside the jars remains consistent and helps avoid any potential safety concerns.

Customization:

Feel free to adjust the level of spiciness by choosing the heat level of the Hatch chiles or adding extra hot sauce or jalapeños when serving. You can also make the recipe milder by using less of the green chiles or opting for a mild variety.

Acidity Balance:

The tomatillos, white vinegar, and chicken broth in this recipe help balance the acidity, which is crucial for safe home canning. These ingredients contribute to the right mix of acid and heat necessary to preserve the meat and ensure the chile verde remains shelf-stable.

Versatility:

Once you have canned your chile verde, you can use it in many dishes. Try it in tacos, burritos, over rice, or as a base for soups or stews. You can even add fresh vegetables like potatoes, corn, or zucchini when serving to create a more complete meal.

Shelf Life:

The chile verde can be stored on your pantry shelves for up to a year. Be sure to check that your jars have sealed properly (the lid should not pop up when pressed). If a jar doesn’t seal, it should be refrigerated and consumed within a few days.

Serving Ideas:

This chile verde is great with warm tortillas, rice, or as a topping for nachos. You can also use it as a filling for enchiladas or tamales, or serve it with grilled vegetables for a complete meal.

Nutrition Information:

Frequently Asked Questions:

Can I use a different type of meat instead of pork?

Yes! While this recipe is traditionally made with pork, you can substitute it with other meats like beef, chicken, or turkey.

If you choose a leaner meat like chicken breast, keep in mind that the flavor and texture may differ slightly.

Just make sure the meat is cut into cubes, as this helps it cook evenly and ensures safe canning.

Can I add vegetables like potatoes or corn directly to the jars during canning?

It’s best not to add solid vegetables like potatoes or corn directly into the jars during the canning process.

The density of the meat and the vegetables could affect the safety of the canning process, making it difficult to ensure proper heat distribution.

It’s safer to add vegetables when serving the chile verde instead of canning them along with the pork and sauce.

How do I know if the jars have sealed properly?

After pressure canning, check that the lids of your jars are properly sealed.

To do this, press down in the center of the lid.

If it does not pop back up and the lid is flat, the jar has sealed.

If it pops up when pressed, the jar hasn’t sealed properly, and it should be refrigerated and consumed within a few days.

Properly sealed jars can be stored in a cool, dark place for up to a year.

Can I make this recipe without a pressure canner?

No, you cannot safely can meat without a pressure canner.

The pressure canner is required to reach the high temperatures (above 240°F) necessary to safely preserve meat and kill harmful bacteria.

It’s crucial to follow tested recipes and safety guidelines when canning meat to ensure food safety.

How do I use the canned chile verde once it’s ready?

Once your Home-Canned Chile Verde is ready, there are many ways to enjoy it!

You can serve it over rice, in tacos, or as a filling for burritos or enchiladas.

You can also add fresh vegetables like potatoes, corn, or zucchini when serving to make a complete meal.

The chile verde can also be used as a base for soups or stews—just heat it up, add your favorite veggies, and enjoy a quick, flavorful meal!

Do I need to cook the pork before canning it?

Yes, the pork needs to be browned before canning.

This is done to help develop flavor and make sure the meat is partially cooked, which ensures that it will reach the proper temperature during the pressure canning process.

While the meat doesn’t need to be fully cooked through before canning, browning it gives the dish more flavor and helps ensure safety.

Can I use store-bought canned chiles or tomatillos instead of roasting my own?

You can use store-bought canned Hatch green chiles and tomatillos if you prefer convenience, but roasting fresh chiles and tomatillos adds a smoky, deep flavor that is key to the authentic taste of chile verde.

If you opt for canned, make sure to choose mild or medium heat to control the spiciness.

Fresh roasting is highly recommended for the best flavor.

What is the purpose of adding vinegar to the chile verde sauce?

White vinegar helps balance the acidity of the dish and is crucial for the canning process.

It ensures that the pH level of the chile verde is high enough to preserve the meat safely during pressure canning.

The acidity, along with the pressure, helps prevent bacterial growth and ensures that the chile verde is shelf-stable for long-term storage.

Can I add other vegetables, like potatoes or corn, to the jars before canning?

It’s not recommended to add solid vegetables like potatoes or corn directly to the jars before canning.

These vegetables could interfere with the heat distribution during the canning process, potentially affecting the safety of the preserved food.

It’s better to add these vegetables when you are ready to serve the chile verde instead of during the canning.

How can I tell if my jars have sealed properly after pressure canning?

After pressure canning, you can check if the jars have sealed by pressing down in the center of the lid.

If the lid is concave and doesn’t pop up when pressed, the jar has sealed properly.

If it pops up or moves when pressed, it hasn’t sealed, and you should refrigerate that jar and use it within a few days.

Sealed jars can be stored in a cool, dark place for up to a year.