Charlie’s Green Chili is a recipe from my great-grandpa.

Originally Published 09/28/2021

Some food defines who you are, and where you come from. It reminds you of your past, of your family. Some recipes give you roots. This green chili recipe is a part of my family!

My Great Grandpa Charlie was a tough son of a bitch.

Pardon my language, but he was.

For most of his life worked in the oil fields in and around Louisiana and eventually settled in Wyoming.

At the age of 42, he was electrocuted in a freak work accident when an oil rig he was holding onto was raised into a powerline that had been unknowingly installed over the job site.

He lost his eye, most of his fingers, and toes, and ended up with gangrene in his leg. The Doctors wanted to amputate it, but the story goes, he told them hell no and poured rubbing alcohol on it daily. He kept the leg!

As a little girl,

I remember going over to their house and they always had some sort of soup, stew, or chili going. There were also usually saltines and Velveeta out for snacking.

Depending on how many beers deep he was the hotter the chili got!

I think it toughened me up at a young age. I still love anything spicy!

After my Great Grandpa passed, my Grandpa Lenny continued to make this Green Chili.

My cousins and I would be lined up at the kitchen bar sweating, drinking lots of water, and eating crackers or scooping sour cream on top so we could finish our bowls!

It tasted so good despite the heat, and you also didn’t want to be the pansy who couldn’t finish the bowl…you know gotta keep up that hard-ass reputation!

Great Grandpa Charlie used to call my two sisters and me “Charlie’s Angels.” He loved us so much!  With all that fight in him, he lived to be 94.

I often think of him and his “won’t quit” spirit. I think he’d be proud of me and I think I’ve got the same fight in my bones.

So from my Great Grandpa’s Louisiana/Wyoming kitchen to yours, here’s the recipe for Charlie’s Green Chili!

Charlie’s Green Chili calls for both pork and beef.

Generally, I just use stew meat for the beef and cut it into smaller, bite-sized chunks.

For the pork, I like to use boneless pork ribs. It’s a tasty cut of meat and most of the work is already done for you, you just have to cut the ribs into smaller chunks as well. 

You could also use a pork loin and cut it down too.

Start by sauteing the beef and pork with 2 tbsp of olive oil. 

This is also a one-pot meal, which is awesome because there is less clean-up!

I like to use my Rachael Ray Cast Iron pot. It’s heavy-duty, easy to clean, and a gorgeous color! Plus, if you like to bake Sourdough Bread, this pan makes an awesome Dutch oven. 

Once they’re cooked, add the spices. 

Have you ever noticed when you’re making soup if you add the spices after the broth is already in there, they just all float on top of the broth and won’t mix in very well?

I’ve found that if you cook the spices upfront with the meat, it helps to release their flavor faster and they seem to incorporate more evenly into the soup. 

If you like spicy food, feel free to up the cayenne pepper from a 1/4 tsp to a 1/2 at this juncture. 

Usually, I use a 1/2 tsp but I’ve made this Green Chili recipe more on the mild side so those who don’t love spicy can still enjoy all its fresh green flavor without so much heat!

Once the meat has been browned,

add in the diced white onion, diced green peppers, and minced garlic. 

While the onion and peppers are cooking, chop up the jalapeños.

This is another place in the recipe where you can customize the heat level. 

If you like to walk on the wild side, throw in some or all of the jalapeño seeds. 

If you don’t love for your mouth to be on fire, de-seed the jalapenos and discard them. After the jalapeños comes the tomatillos! I love tomatillos! They are an absolute must for this recipe. They add a great amount of fresh, tart flavor as well as some good texture.  They’re kind of a good representation of this Green Chili too…part pepper, part tomato, like this is part Louisiana cuisine with the western flair of Wyoming. What’s not to love!?

Next,

comes the okra, diced tomatoes, and green chilis.

In the past, I have mostly used canned okra. I guess because it’s just convenient, always in season and I’m lazy. 

However, if you can find fresh okra and feel like dicing it up, it does taste better and looks more appealing! In place of the can of okra, cut up 2 cups of fresh! Obviously, the okra harkens back to Great Grandpa Charlie’s time in Louisiana. It’s not a typical chili ingredient, but it does taste good!

Don’t drain the tomatoes or chilis. Just throw it all in the pot! I also like to add a 1/2 tbsp of white wine vinegar at this point. You won’t even know it’s there except to say, “Mmm this Green Chili is so tangy and delicious!”

Now for the most difficult part of this recipe…

waiting for it to cook lol. 

Turn the heat down and let it simmer for 30-40 minutes. This will give the flavors some time to meld.

Really this Green Chili is the best the second day after everything has had time to sit and combine. But who is going to wait that long to eat something this good!?

Finally, dish Charlie’s Green Chili up, sprinkle it with cheese, add a dollop of sour cream, maybe some cilantro, and enjoy! As kids, this was also always served with a pile of tortillas. If you want to make your own, they are extra tasty homemade! King Arthur Baking has a simple and delicious recipe for homemade tortillas!

You’d kinda half eat it with a spoon, half spoon it onto the tortilla, wrap it up, and enjoy it that way too. Yum… I’d like a bowl right now! I’m thankful for my roots. Also for the memories of family dinners with the cousins. So many years and miles between us, but the love of family and good food remain!

Thank you Grandpa Charlie for starting this crazy family and for this delicious recipe. ❤️

Print Recipe

Charlie’s Green Chili

Fresh and delicious with a kick of heat, Charlie’s Green Chili is a hearty dish packed with southwestern flavor!

Prep Time20 minutes mins

Cook Time29 minutes mins

Course: Dinner, Lunch, Main Course, Soup

Servings: 5 people

Equipment

• Large Pot
• Knife/Cutting Board
• Measuring Spoons

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp Olive Oil
• 1 1/2 lbs Beef Stew Meat
• 1 1/2 lbs Pork Ribs boneless
• 1/2 medium White Onion diced 1 cup
• 1 tbsp Garlic minced
• 2 large Bell Peppers diced 3 cups
• 2 large Jalapeños minced 3/4 cup
• 3 Tomatillos diced 1 1/2 cups
• 1 14.5 oz can Okra
• 1 14.5 oz can Diced Tomatoes
• 3 4 oz cans Green Chilies
• 1/2 tbsp White Wine Vinegar
• 2 tsp Oregano
• 1 tsp Salt
• 1 tsp Granulated Sugar
• 1/2 tsp Black Pepper
• 1/4 tsp Cayenne Pepper

Instructions

Charlie’s Green Chili

• First, cut the boneless pork ribs into bite-size pieces. Also, if the beef stew meat pieces are larger than bite-size, cut them smaller.
• In a large stew-pot, over medium heat, add 2 tbsp of olive oil. Add both the pork and beef and begin sautéing. Also add the 2 tsp of oregano, 1 tsp of salt, 1 tsp sugar, 1/2 tsp black pepper, and 1/4 tsp of cayenne pepper. Stir in the spices.
• While the meat is cooking, dice 1/2 a medium onion. Also, de-seed and dice the 2 large bell peppers. Add both of these, as well as the tbsp of minced garlic to the pot and stir.
• Next, finely chop both of the jalapeños. To make the chili less spicy, de-seed the jalapeños before mincing. If you like a spicy chili, then add the seeds! Dice up the tomatillos as well and add to the pot.
• After this, add in the can of okra, can of diced tomatoes, 3 cans of green chilies, and a 1/2 tbsp of white wine vinegar. Do not drain the cans of vegetables before adding them, just pour them in and this will help create the broth!
• Turn the heat down and allow everything to simmer for 30-40 minutes.
• Serve topped with sour cream, shredded cheese, and fresh cilantro! A toasted tortilla or tortilla chips also make a great addition! Enjoy!

(This chili is even better the second day after the flavors have all had time to meld!)

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