Navajo Green Chile Pork and a Book Review

Last month our Sunday Funday blogging group celebrated Navajo Code Talkers Day.  I shared a recipe for Marinated Venison Steaks and gave a little background about the Navajo Code Talkers. 

Our host for that event, Amy of Amy's Cooking Adventures, mentioned that she had read a Memoir written by one of the Code Talkers.  I immediately ordered it up at the library.

I don't remember ever learning about this amazing group of Marines that helped us win WWII.  I don't know if I was not paying attention or if the teachers did not think it was a worthwhile lesson.  The Angel Face saw the book that I was reading and was able to carry on an entire conversation about the Code Talkers.  Evidently, Mama is doing a better job home-schooling than I got in my public school at that age.

Of course, you can't learn the history of any Native American Tribe without being slapped in the face at the ignorance, racism, and hypocrisy of the white men who were in charge of our government.  In today's society, the government also has women and people of color who serve however, the numbers are overwhelmingly still white, Christian men and racism, hypocrisy, and ignorance are still alive and well.  I find it a little disheartening that we are such slow learners.

The author, Chester Nez, did not appear to have any hard feelings toward our government and is very proud to be an American and to have fought and worked with the Marine division of the military.

I have studied the Native American Tribes a bit in the past, especially the Algonquins that were indigenous to the area of Michigan in which I live.  Those studies have resulted in my being inspired to make several different recipes including Pagenens (Algonquin Nut Soup), and  Three Sisters Casserole Skillet.  Another novel that I read, Indian Killer by Sherman Alexie, inspired Navajo Tacos.

Heather of Based on a True Story, hosts a group called Foodies Read.  Regular readers of this blog are very familiar with Foodies Read as I link up to it several times a month.

Heather decided to try a new theme for our group by making a Bingo board for us to fill out.  I have been having fun with this challenge.  Thus far I have shared an audio library book and a recipe for Bisquick Cookies,  and a recipe for Lemon Pepper Potato Wedges from a new Cookbook that I got for my birthday.

This book could have been used for several different squares.  Non-Fiction, Set in a Foreign Country, Author is a Different Race than I, Memoir, Author is a Different Gender than I, and Historical.  I decided to go with Historical.

There was a lot of food mentioned in the book.  Chester reminisced about his grandmother's cooking and the foods that the tribe ate.  He talked about the food in the service, which was plentiful and hot while on the ship or in the US, and canned and cold when in the foxhole in Guadalcanal.    

I wanted to make a Navajo recipe.  A Google search led me to The Fancy Navajo.  A blog written by Alana Yazzie, a Navajo woman who shares recipes and items that are made and sold that support Native American owned businesses.  I found a recipe for Green Chile Pork that I adapted to share with you today.

This recipe appealed to me because I had all the ingredients and it is made in a slow cooker so it could cook while I went for my walk and lounged in the pool.

I used boneless pork loin chops instead of a roast and halved the recipe as there were only 3 of us having dinner that night.  

Entrees, Pork, Native American, Slow Cooker, Stew,

Entrees, Pork

Native American

Yield: 3-4 servings

Author: Wendy Klik

Navajo Green Chile Pork

Pork Loin and Potatoes slow-cooked in Green Chile Enchilada sauce and served with a side of tortillas.

Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 8 HourTotal time: 8 H & 10 M

Ingredients

• 1 lb. boneless pork loin chops, cut into bite-size pieces
• 3 Russet potatoes, peeled and sliced
• 1 (15 oz) can of Green Chile Enchilada Sauce
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 small onion, diced
• 1 (4 oz) can diced green chiles
• 1/2 T. dried oregano
• salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Place all ingredients into a slow cooker and cook on low for 8 hrs., stirring occasionally.
2. Serve with warmed flour tortillas.

Notes

Adapted from a recipe found at The Fancy Navajo

Nutrition Facts

Calories

390.41

Fat (grams)

6.48 g

Sat. Fat (grams)

1.98 g

Carbs (grams)

43.66 g

Fiber (grams)

4.21 g

Net carbs

39.45 g

Sugar (grams)

2.38 g

Protein (grams)

39.15 g

Sodium (milligrams)

303.25 mg

Cholesterol (grams)

95.25 mg

Similar Recipes

Crock Pot Pork Stew

Pork and Green Chile Stew

Fritada de Chancho

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