New Mexico Pork Chili

Ingredients:

1/2 cup canola oil, divided
2 fresh jalapeno peppers, stems removed
1 pound ground pork
1 tablespoon butter
1 medium white onion, diced
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika
1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 (28-ounce) can green enchilada sauce
1 (7-ounce) can green salsa
1 quart water
1/2 bunch fresh cilantro, leaves chopped
1/2 lime, juiced
2 tablespoons cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water, for slurry, if needed
Cooked rice, for serving

Directions:

In a 4 quart pot, heat 1/4 cup of the canola oil over medium heat. Add the jalapenos and saute for 1 minute. Stir in the ground pork and cook until evenly brown. Remove the pork and jalapenos from the pot to a bowl and set aside. In the same pot used to cook the meat, add the remaining 1/4 cup of the canola oil, butter, and onion. Cook for 2 minutes or until the onion starts to soften. Stir in the salt, cumin, paprika, cayenne, and black pepper and cook until the onion is soft. Mix in the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Reduce the heat to low. Sprinkle the flour over the onion and garlic and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes. Slowly pour the enchilada sauce into the onion mixture, whisking constantly to prevent lumps from forming. Mix in the green salsa and water. Return the cooked pork and jalapenos to the pot. Increase the heat to medium and slowly bring the chili to a boil. When the chili boils, reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Before serving remove from heat and stir in the chopped cilantro and lime juice. The consistency should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, if not simmer longer or thicken with a little cornstarch slurry.