Green Chile Javelina Stew
Javelina Recipe
1Setup & Prepare
About This Recipe
New Mexican-style stew with javelina, roasted green chiles, potatoes, and tomatoes—soul-warming comfort food.
Cultural Context
(140 words) Green chile stew represents New Mexican comfort food at its soul-warming best. Roasted Hatch green chiles form the foundation of this beloved dish, which appears on tables across New Mexico during late summer chile harvest season. Javelina adapts beautifully to this preparation—the long simmering tenderizes lean meat while green chiles provide smoky heat and vegetables create hearty substance. This stew embodies New Mexican cuisine's distinctive character: neither purely Mexican nor American, but uniquely Southwestern. The dish appears at family gatherings, church suppers, and hunting camps throughout the region. It's practical one-pot meal that feeds crowds economically while celebrating local ingredients. The vibrant green color and complex chile flavor make this stew instantly recognizable and deeply satisfying, proving javelina excels in regional Southwestern classics.
2Ingredients
Shopping List
3Cooking Instructions
- Season javelina cubes generously with salt and pepper. Heat oil in large Dutch oven over high heat.
- Brown javelina in batches, developing deep crust on all sides. Don't crowd pan. Remove browned meat to plate.
- Reduce heat to medium. Add onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes, scraping up browned bits.
- Add garlic and cook 1 minute until fragrant.
- Return meat to pot. Add roasted green chiles, tomatoes with juice, potatoes, stock, cumin, oregano, and bay leaves.
- Bring to boil, then reduce to bare simmer. Cover and cook for 2-2½ hours, stirring occasionally, until javelina is fork-tender.
- Remove bay leaves. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt, pepper, and additional cumin if desired. The stew should be thick with tender meat and potatoes.
- Serve in bowls with warm flour tortillas, fresh cilantro, lime wedges, and shredded cheese.
4Chef's Notes & Pairings
Chef's Notes
- Fresh Hatch chiles (August-September) provide superior flavor to canned, but canned work well.
- Roast fresh chiles over gas flame or under broiler until blackened, then steam in bag before peeling.
- The long simmering is essential—don't rush it or meat will be tough.
- Stew thickens as it sits; add stock or water when reheating.
- Heat level varies with chiles; taste and add jalapeños if more heat desired.
Wine Pairing
New Mexican Amber Ale or Gruner Veltliner – Local craft beer is traditional, or try Austrian Gruner's herbal notes.
Nutrition Facts
(per serving) Calories: 365 | Protein: 38g | Fat: 14g | Carbohydrates: 24g | Iron: 4.6mg
