Pittsburgh>> Football watch party spreads are often built around nachos, chicken wings and, in Pittsburgh, big bowls of hot Buffalo chicken dip made with Frank’s RedHot, Philadelphia cream cheese and ranch or blue cheese dressing. Which is fine, because people like what they like, and who are we to argue with beloved culinary traditions on Super Bowl Sunday, the second biggest food holiday in the U.S.?

I’m sadly old school, so I’ll probably once again be making all the above. But I plan on adding some extra points by also dishing up this wonderfully zesty, stick-to-your ribs seasonal stew featuring roasted Hatch chiles and shredded pulled pork.

It’s a home version of a dish I recently enjoyed at Wicked Weed Brewing in Asheville, N.C., while on a super-chilly trip there.

The steaming bowl of stew served with flour tortillas was honestly some of the best bar food I’ve ever eaten. Which meant I had to get a recipe I could replicate at home.

While the brewery was incredibly kind to quickly oblige my request, the “small batch” recipe it sent seemed anything but (it called for 10 pounds of pulled pork, 1 cup of chopped jalapeño and 12 cups of diced onion, among other things!) So I had to further adapt it for a home kitchen serving a much smaller crowd.

What makes the stew shine is the addition of roasted Hatch chiles. When roasted, they take on a sweet and smoky flavor that’s like no other.

The stew gets an extra flavor kick from roasted and chopped fresh jalapeños and I’m a fool for anything that also includes tomatillos.

The original recipe calls for smoked pulled pork but without a smoker, I had to resort to cooking the pork overnight with a little liquid smoke in a slow cooker.

Hatch Chile Pork Stew with beer

Ingredients

2 poblano peppers, seeded and halved

4 jalapeño peppers, seeded and halved

2 or 3 tomatillos, halved

1/4 cup sunflower or other light oil, plus more for drizzling

1/2 cup Sunflower oil, plus more for pan

2 large yellow onions, diced (about 1 cup)

2 large carrots, diced (about 1 cup)

1 cup diced red bell pepper

1 cup diced green bell pepper

1/4 cup diced jalapeño

16 ounces pre-roasted green Hatch chiles, seeded

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 tablespoon smoked paprika

1 tablespoon dried parsley

1 tablespoon dried thyme

1 tablespoon dried oregano

1/2 tablespoon ground cumin

1 bay leaf

2 tablespoons salt

1 tablespoon black pepper

1 cup pilsner or similar beer

1 1/2 quarts chicken stock, or more to thin stew to desired consistency

2 cups diced Yukon gold potato

1 bunch fresh cilantro, pureed in blender with just enough cold water to make blender work

3-4 pounds smoked pulled pork, shredded and fatty pieces removed

Dash of cider or sherry vinegar, for added acidity

Chopped cilantro, shaved radishes, lime and cotija cheese, for garnish

Directions

Preheat oven to 450.

In medium bowl, toss seeded and halved poblano peppers, jalapeños and tomatillos with a little oil and add a pinch or two of salt. Place veggies skin side up on a rimmed baking sheet, and place in oven. Bake 20 minutes, or until skins are soft. Chop in blender.

Heat 1/4 cup oil over medium heat in a large stock pot or Dutch oven. Add onion, carrot, red and green bell peppers and diced jalapeños to pan. Saute, stirring often, until veggies are soft, about 4-5 minutes.

Puree pre-roasted and seeded Hatch chiles in blender or food processor, then add to pan along with tomato paste, chili powder, smoked paprika, parsley, thyme, oregano, cumin, bay leaf, salt and pepper. Stir to combine well.

Add chopped roasted peppers and tomatillos to pan, then cook, stirring frequently, until fond (little browned bits of food) begins to develop at bottom of the pot.

Deglaze the pot with pilsner, allowing the mixture to simmer for at least 2 minutes to cook off the alcohol. Add chicken stock and stir.

Add potatoes and pureed cilantro and simmer. Cook until potatoes are just barely tender, about 5-7 minutes. Stir in pulled pork.

Salt to taste. You can add a dash or two of cider or sherry vinegar to brighten. If desired, garnish with chopped cilantro, shaved radishes, lime and cojita cheese.

Serves 8-10.