Pork and Tomatillo Chili

A fiery spiced Mexican pork and tomatillo chili with three types of chiles—jalapeño, serrano and habanero. This chili is not for the faint-hearted.

Recipe Ingredients:

1 cup orange juice
1 (12-ounce) bottle dark beer at room temperature
1 pound tomatillos, husks removed, quartered
1/4 cup peanut oil
10 cloves garlic, minced
2 pounds boneless pork, cut into cubes
2 large yellow onions, quartered
2 pounds Roma tomatoes, seeded and chopped
2 jalapeño chiles, seeded and diced*
2 serranos chiles, seeded and diced*
2 habaneros chiles, seeded and diced*
3 tablespoons hot pepper sauce
1 bunch cilantro, chopped (leaves only)
1 (16-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed

Cooking Directions:

1. In a large saucepan, combine orange juice, beer and tomatillos. Cook over medium heat for 15 to 20 minutes; set aside.
2. Heat oil in a large skillet. Add garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in half of the pork and season with salt and pepper to taste. Brown on all sides, then remove from skillet and add to tomatillo mixture. Cook remaining pork the same way, seasoning with salt and pepper. Add to tomatillo mixture.
3. Brown onions in the same skillet before adding to pork and tomatillo mixture. Add tomatoes, all chiles, hot pepper sauce and cilantro. Cover and simmer over low heat for 2 hours.
4. Add beans and cook, uncovered, for 30 minutes more. Adjust seasonings to taste. Serve over rice.

Makes 6 servings.

*Working with jalapeños or other chiles: Capsaicin is the ingredient in chiles that causes the burning sensation associated with fresh peppers. It's a good idea to use rubber gloves when handling fresh chiles. (Disposable surgical gloves, available at most drugstores, work best for this.) If you choose not to use gloves, be extremely careful not to touch any part of your body, especially your eyes. After you've finished handling the chiles, wash your knife and cutting board with hot soapy water to ensure that there is no carry-over to other foods that may come in contact with the peppers.