I fell in love with New Mexico many, many years ago … the culture, the scenery, the art, the architecture … but my #1 favorite thing about New Mexico is the FOOD! And the very best recipes from New Mexico feature Hatch Green Chile. In NM, they put green chile in and on EVERYTHING … I’ve had green chile cheeseburgers, green chile ranch, green chile sweet and sour … green chile is literally everywhere in New Mexico and it’s sooo good. Even the fast food places have adopted it … you can even get green chile on your Big Mac at McDonald’s.
So it’s not surprising that one of the “staple dishes” of New Mexico is green chile stew. And it’s not always served as stew. You might order a breakfast burrito and find it swimming in green chile stew … or huevos rancheros, again with green chile stew on top. I noticed New Mexicans like to use this hearty stew as a sauce over all kinds of dishes. And, if you get a cold or any kind of allergies that stuff up your nose, green chile stew is your savior.
This stew is homey and comforting, not a fancy dish … the basic ingredients are green chile, ground beef/pork/whatever meat you prefer, onion, garlic, water (or broth), potatoes and a few tomatoes. I added cilantro, zucchini and carrots, but you could add whatever strikes you … maybe some corn or black beans?
My family and I have been using this recipe from “License to Cook, New Mexico Style” for many, many years. I’m sad to report that this is the last of my authentic NM green chile from my freezer. Time to go back to New Mexico!
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New Mexico Green Chile Stew
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Yield: 4 - 6 servings (or more) 1x
Ingredients
- 1 lb. lean ground beef or venison
- 1 teaspoon butter or bacon butter (the reserved fat from baking bacon, optional)
- 2 – 4 cloves garlic, peeled & chopped
- 1 medium onion, peeled & chopped
- 1 – 2 stalks celery, chopped (optional)
- 2 carrots, peeled & chopped (optional)
- 1 small zucchini, chopped (about 1 heaping cup) (optional)
- 2 red or golden potatoes, chopped
- 2 cups canned tomatoes or 1 15-oz. can, with juices
- 1 14-oz. container of frozen or canned NM Hatch green chile
- 3 – 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon bacon mushroom salt (recipe here) or commercial bacon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 cup fresh chopped cilantro
- salt & pepper, to taste
Instructions
- In a saute pan (or cast iron pan) over medium heat, brown the ground meat. Remove the meat, drain off most of the fat, then (if needed) add some butter or bacon butter along with the onion, garlic and celery. Saute until the onion is soft and translucent, stirring frequently.
- Add the carrots and zucchini and cook for a few minutes longer, until both are tender. Stir in the potatoes, tomatoes, green chile, chicken broth, bay leaf, cumin, bacon salt and cinnamon. Cook for 20 – 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are tender.
- Stir in cilantro and add salt & pepper to taste. Enjoy!
Notes
RECIPE SOURCE: http://www.sumptuousspoonfuls.com/
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