Green Chili Pork Frito Pie

When my station brings food to a work party, we go all out. Case in point: Our Super Bowl work party.

I brought cheeseburger party sliders and mini bagel breakfast sandwiches (we do work the early, early morning shift, you know). Another coworker brought crockpot queso, brown-sugar bacon wrapped lil’ smokies, homemade cookies, pigs in a blanket—the list goes on.

We always have trouble putting up any leftovers, if we ever have any. We celebrated our Super Bowl party at 4 a.m. on Friday. When I walked into work last night at 11 p.m., there was solidified cream dips that had been left out since that time. Ew.

My assignment editor alerted me to the fact that they had brought food for the actual Super Bowl that was played while I was asleep. She said she brought lil’ smokies and there was still some left. Score!

I borrowed a plate from the nightside producer and piled about 3 lil’ smokies on top, plus a leftover cookie. Yum. I remember specifically telling my assignment editor, “These are good even when they’re cold!” They were definitely cold. Lukewarm. Room temperature. She responded in astonishment, saying she swore she had left the crockpot on warm. We went about our day.

When she left work at midnight, she grabbed her crockpot and walked out. I kept producing my show. An overnight earthquake (3.7 in Kingfished County) plus an ambulance rollover dictated my early morning newscast. State lawmakers also head back to work today, so I was self-absorbed in that.

Time now is 3:30 in the morning. I leave my desk to get some water. I walk past the crockpot with lil’ smokies in it.

Wait a minute.

I swore I saw her walk out with her crockpot. I run through all the scenarios in my head and come to the realization: I ate old lil’ smokies.

Three day old lil’ smokies.

Lil’ smokies that had been left out since Friday. Not warmed up. Left out for three days in the newsroom.

So, I guess I’ll probably get botulism. Or, I’ll luck out, and be saved by the grace that is all the sodium and preservatives that are in the little weiners.

I contemplated making myself throw up, but my coworkers said they would barf, too.

I’m still thinking hypochondriac-style now. I’m convinced I’ll get food poisoning. I guess only time will tell…

Speaking of the Super Bowl, I didn’t watch a lick of it. The only winning scenario for me were for both teams to contract the flu and have to cancel the big game. I grew up in a Dallas Cowboys loving family, so the Philadelphia Eagles were the archrivals of my early childhood years. And the Patriots—well, everybody hates the Patriots.

I did make some football food this weekend, though. I had a hankering for some Frito chili pie, but I didn’t really want to make chili. I decided to swap out the beef for pork shoulder and slow cook it with a big ol’ can of green chilis, tomatoes, and two different chili powders.

Seriously, if you don’t own chipotle chili powder, BUY IT. I don’t use anything else (except for ancho chili powder as an addition). It’s so good and smokey and adds some serious flavor to everything you put it on or in. I dumped a good amount on my pork shoulder and let it do its thing for 8 hours of nice, long slow-cooking.

The best part of Frito chili pie is the toppings, of course. Make sure to top yours off with a big dollop of sour cream, some fresh chopped red onions (mine were so fresh they burned my nostrils!), hot sauce, and shredded cheddar cheese. Other good toppings: cilantro, guacamole, and mustard. Mustard? Mustard. Trust me. Mustard and chili were meant for each other. It’s a little trick I learned while working as a cook at a diner in high school. A man would come in almost everyday wanting a bowl of chili with mustard, onions, pickles, and crackers on the side. I tried it once and have almost never looked back.

I’ve never been fond of regular chili, so this really hit the spot. Regular chili is just too normal for me, I think. I don’t like to make it and I don’t ever crave it. The good thing about chili is there are so many different types out there that you won’t even miss it…including this one. Pork and green chilis are just sublime.

Just don’t forget and leave your crockpot of meat out for 3 days, or you’ll end up in the same boat as me setting sail towards botulism.

Enjoy!

Green Chili Pork Frito Pie

• Servings: 10-12
• Time: 8 hrs
• Difficulty: Easy
• Print

Slow-cooked pork shoulder cooked with green chiles and tomatoes, served on top of fritos.

Ingredients

• 1 large pork shoulder
• 1 yellow onion, roughly cut into wedges
• 1 (8 oz) can chopped green chiles
• 1 (10 oz) can diced tomatoes, undrained
• 2 tsp. chipotle chili powder
• 1 tsp. ancho chili powder
• 1 tsp. smoked paprika
• 1 tsp. cumin
• 1/2 tsp. dried cilantro
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
• 1/4 tsp. cayenne
• 1 (15 oz) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
• Fritos, for serving
• Cheese, sour cream, and chopped red onion, for serving

Directions

1. Place onion wedges into the bottom of a slow cooker. Place pork shoulder on top. In a small bowl, combine chili powders, paprika, cumin, cilantro, salt, pepper and cayenne. Sprinkle over pork and rub all over.
2. Pour green chiles and tomatoes on top. Cook on low for 8 hours. Remove any bones and fat strip and shred pork with two forks. Serve on top of fritos with beans, cheese, sour cream and onions on top.

Step-By-Step Instructions

Place onion wedges into the bottom of a slow cooker. Place pork shoulder on top. In a small bowl, combine chili powders, paprika, cumin, cilantro, salt, pepper and cayenne. Sprinkle over pork and rub all over.

Pour green chiles and tomatoes on top. Cook on low for 8 hours. Remove any bones and fat strip and shred pork with two forks. Serve on top of fritos with beans, cheese, sour cream and onions on top.