Beer Braised Pork Shoulder with Hatch Green Chiles

Name: Beer Braised Pork Shoulder with Hatch Green Chiles
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 180 min
Total time: 200 min
Yield: 8
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 4 pounds boneless pork shoulder, cut into 2-inch pieces; 2 cups roasted Hatch green chiles, roughly chopped; 5 garlic cloves, crushed; 12 ounces light lager beer, such as Modelo Especial, at room temperature; 1 cup water; 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt; Lime wedges for serving; Fresh cilantro, chopped, for serving

Recipe GLPR85d2211e27e17a

Mexican

Main Course

200 min

590 cal

Servings: 8

Stovetop

Oven

A rustic Mexican-inspired braise featuring tender, fall-apart pork shoulder simmered low and slow with roasted Hatch green chiles, aromatic garlic, and light lager beer. The natural pork fat renders during cooking, creating a rich sauce without added oils. Finished with fresh lime and cilantro for brightness. Perfect for serving over rice, with warm tortillas, or simply on its own as a hearty, protein-rich meal.

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Ingredients

4 pounds boneless pork shoulder, cut into 2-inch pieces

2 cups roasted Hatch green chiles, roughly chopped

5 garlic cloves, crushed

12 ounces light lager beer, such as Modelo Especial, at room temperature

1 cup water

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

Lime wedges for serving

Fresh cilantro, chopped, for serving

Directions

Pat the pork shoulder pieces dry with paper towels. In a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, brown the pork in batches, allowing the natural fat from the meat to render and create a golden crust, about 3-4 minutes per side. Work in multiple batches to avoid overcrowding. Transfer browned pork to a plate.
Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of accumulated fat from the pot (reserve excess fat). Add the crushed garlic cloves and cook for about 1 minute, stirring occasionally, until fragrant but not browned.
Deglaze the pot by pouring in the room-temperature beer, scraping the bottom with a wooden spoon to release any browned bits. Allow the beer to reduce by about one-third, roughly 2-3 minutes.
Return the pork to the pot along with any accumulated juices. Add the roasted Hatch green chiles, water, and kosher salt. Stir to combine, ensuring the pork is mostly submerged. Bring the liquid to a gentle simmer.
Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot with a lid, and braise for approximately 2.5 to 3 hours, stirring occasionally. The pork is done when it is extremely tender and easily shreds with a fork. The internal temperature of the pork should reach a minimum of 145°F.
Taste and adjust the salt as needed. If the braising liquid is too thin, remove the lid and simmer uncovered for an additional 15-20 minutes to allow some liquid to evaporate and the sauce to concentrate.
Serve the braised pork and sauce in shallow bowls or on plates. Garnish generously with fresh chopped cilantro and serve with lime wedges on the side for diners to squeeze over the top as desired.

Comments

Grocery List Plus Editorial Staff3.75

Hatch green chiles are the blocker here: they're a late-summer specialty (August-September) and won't be at Harris Teeter, Food Lion, Publix, Walmart, ALDI, or Kroger outside that window, forcing a trip to a specialty market or Latin grocer. The pork shoulder and beer are cheap and universally available, making the per-serving cost modest—probably $2-$2.50—but the 200-minute braise is honestly stated and demands a free afternoon or evening with minimal intervention. This is a set-it-and-forget-it dinner that reheats beautifully and feeds a family well, but the seasonal ingredient means you're planning around late summer or substituting poblanos (milder, different flavor) if you're cooking outside Hatch season.