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From Our Colorado Table › Recipe 07
Pueblo Green Chile
Roasted Pueblo chiles, tender pork, and a rich savory broth
Pueblo Green Chile is one of Southern Colorado’s defining comfort foods. Roasted Pueblo chiles bring the flavor and heat, pork gives the pot richness, and a slow simmer turns everything into a thick, spoonable chile that belongs over burritos, eggs, burgers, potatoes — or simply in a bowl with warm bread.
Our Story
A Taste That Says Pueblo
Green chile in Pueblo is more than a topping. It is part of the local table: ladled over a breakfast burrito, spooned across a cheeseburger, poured over fries, served beside eggs, or eaten straight from a bowl.
The character of the dish begins with roasted Pueblo chiles. Their flavor is earthy, bright, and unmistakably local. From there, every household develops its own balance of pork, tomato, garlic, broth, heat, and thickness.
This Lodge 2738 version is made as a hearty pork green chile with enough body to work equally well as a bowl of chile or as the finishing sauce for several of the Pueblo favorites that follow in this collection.
A Matter of Tradition
Ask several Southern Colorado cooks for a green chile recipe and you are likely to get several different answers. Some families make it thin and brothy. Others prefer it thick enough to stay on a burrito. Some use more tomato, some less, and the amount of heat depends entirely on the chiles and the family eating them.
What matters most here is the Pueblo chile itself. Roasting the chiles first softens the flesh, loosens the skin, and builds the deep roasted flavor that gives the finished dish its identity.
As with Sugo, meatballs, sausage, and so many family foods, the version served at one table may differ from the version next door. That variation is not a problem — it is part of the tradition.
The Recipe
Pueblo Green Chile
This is the complete Lodge 2738 Pueblo Green Chile recipe. The recipe makes a hearty pork green chile with a medium-thick consistency. Use mild, medium, or hot Pueblo chiles — or a mixture — depending on the heat level your table prefers.
Pueblo Green Chile — Ingredients
- 2 pounds boneless pork shoulder, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil or extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion, finely diced
- 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3 cups roasted, peeled, and chopped Pueblo green chiles
- 1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes, with juice
- 4 cups chicken broth, plus more as needed
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper, optional for additional heat
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice, optional
- Chopped fresh cilantro or parsley for serving, optional
Pueblo Green Chile — Preparation
- Pat the pork dry with paper towels and season lightly with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a heavy Dutch oven or large saucepan over medium-high heat.
- Brown the pork in batches so the pieces develop color rather than steam. Transfer the browned pork to a plate and set aside.
- Reduce the heat to medium. Add the diced onion to the same pot and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring often, until softened. Add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds.
- Sprinkle the flour over the onion mixture and stir continuously for 1–2 minutes. The flour will combine with the fat in the pot and help give the finished chile its body.
- Stir in the roasted Pueblo chiles, diced tomatoes, chicken broth, oregano, cumin, salt, black pepper, and crushed red pepper if using.
- Return the browned pork and any accumulated juices to the pot. Bring the mixture just to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and partially cover.
- Simmer gently for 50–60 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the pork is very tender and the chile has thickened. Add a little additional broth if it becomes thicker than you prefer.
- Taste and adjust the salt and heat. Stir in the optional lime juice just before serving. Serve in bowls or use as the finishing green chile for burritos, burgers, fries, eggs, potatoes, or other Pueblo favorites.
From the Family Kitchen
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Explore This Recipe Locally
Restaurants • Markets • Local Ingredients
As the IHCN local-food network expands, this section will connect Pueblo Green Chile to local restaurants, chile growers, markets, farm stands, and specialty food providers.
Restaurants
Discover Pueblo-area restaurants serving Green Chile, Sloppers, breakfast burritos, chile cheeseburgers, and other local favorites connected through IHCN.
IHCN Connection ComingPueblo Chile Growers
Find local farms, chile stands, roasters, and seasonal sources for authentic Pueblo chiles.
Local Sources ComingMarkets & Ingredients
Explore local meat markets, grocers, produce stands, and specialty food shops carrying the ingredients for a Pueblo Green Chile pot.
Local Sources Coming