New-Mex Green Chili Pork Enchilladas Via the Egg

Wazoo

Well, thought we'd try something New-Mex on the Egg last night (relative newbee here), so the wife whipped up her famous New-Mex hotter-n-hades green chili enchilladas in a large casserole dish. Instead of finishing them off in the oven -- combines all of the flavors right nicely -- we put the dish in the Egg on some fire bricks and cooked for 20 minutes @ 350 degrees. Tossed in a handful of soaked mesquite chips on the coals for flavor. The mixture soaked up the smoke beautifully, combining perfectly with the flavors of the pork and the chilis. Something that we love got even better![p]FYI, we order bushels thru the mail of fresh Hatch, NM, green and red chilis every year during season, roast them on the grill, then freeze to later whip up our favorite hot-stuff (green-chili cheeseburgers are to die for). They have a XXX-hot version of green that we get that would kill most gringos. Have to sign a waiver of liability to order that batch...[p];o)[p]Took some photos. Will scan and post later.[p]Wazoo

Birdman

Wazoo, Sounds awesome. Have you ever made green chili on the Egg? I just ordered a 10 qt. Lodge Dutch Oven for this purpose. I thought of roasting the green chilies & jalapenos, garlic, onion & tomatoes with a little mesquite, and then slowly roasting a pork shoulder. Then, I think I will cut up the pork, add the peppers, onion, garlic & tomatoes with some liquid in the dutch oven, and cook on the Egg at about 200 degrees for a few hours.[p]BTW, Where do you order your chili from. Here in Denver, at the end of the summer, I buy bushels at a roadside stand where the fire roast them, and then freeze them in freezer bags. To thaw them, you just run the chilis under cold water and the roasted skin peels off. This year, I think I'll roast them on the BGE.

Wazoo

Birdman,[p]Nope, this was my first attempt with Mex/Tex-Mex/New-Mex on the Egg. After living 3 years in Albuquerque we LOVE green and red chili concoctions, as well as anything else with fire in the taste. Wife makes a red chili Pasole to die for (gonna try that next). We used to do the same as you when the peppers were in season -- drive up to a street corner in Albq and order a bushel roasted right there. Not possible here in MD. Heck, the best they can do here for spice is Old Bay seasoning (which ain't bad on blue crabs, though).[p]Our source (not sure how we found him, but he's good, honest, and responsive) is: Mr Lee Gallegos, Rt 3, Box 309B, Espanola, NM 87532, 505-753-8815 (don't think he has a web site). Very concerned about customer satisfaction.[p]He sells both fresh red & green chilis of varrying heat levels (when in season), as well as red and green chili powders (one of the few sources for the green). He's the one who questioned my sanity for ordering the XX-Hot, but was very responsive and it was well worth the effort! Highly recommended.[p]Good luck. Let me know how the Dutch Oven operation works out (thinking about getting one). Does that method allow the smoke flavor to get into the chili (i.e., covered oven)?[p]Wazoo.

Big Murth

Wazoo,
and Birdman: Was out of town and offline (up in Taos) when you two posted re: NewMex cooking on the Egg. The enchiladas sound great, and I will try it too!! I've been thinking of a way to make Carne Adovada..low 'n slow in a Dutch Oven on the Egg--it might be pretty cool with some subtle smoke flavors added (CA is the pork marinated in a red chile---always assured to give you Burning Butt the next day!!)
It's great that you have some chile sources from New Mexico that will ship to you. However, I'm not sure that you would want to roast the fresh green chile on the Egg, as it may overpower the ceramic with that flavor (which ain't bad)-and so might interfere with other cooks and their flavors. This is a great reason to hold on to the old gas grill or your Weber, so it can do this for you. Remember to put your roasted chile as it comes off the grill, into a big garbage bag and let it steam further, sealed..for at least 4-6 hours. It should still be warm when you reach your hand in to start bagging them in small freezer bags. Unfortunately, you won't be doing any of this for about another 30 days at the earliest, as the harvest doesn't start until the early to mid-part of August--and lastshrough til about October 1st. Good luck with your Chile Fix

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hasta!.........Big Murth in New Mexico (Corrales)
p.s. Look up "Submitted Recipes" in this site, and give my Puerco Adobo a try sometime. It will keep you going until the green chile comes in!!