Mexican Pot Roasts
from jmarquez1976, "Understanding Mexican Cuisine" at http://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?t=291205

There are dozens of Saucy Pot Roasts in the Mexican repertoire. They are typically referred to as "Mole de Olla" (Pot Mole) or "Chile de..." (Chili).

These Pot Roasts come in a variety of flavor combinations, but they follow similar cooking techniques:

• Some type of meat is browned in a Cazuela (a pot that is very similar in shape to a Dutch Oven and which is typically made from clay) then set aside.
• The fat in the pot is used to "fry" a fresh smooth salsa or paste made from Roasted / Blackened vegetables such as Tomatoes, Tomatillos (Tangy Green "Tomatoes"), Chiles (Fresh or Dried) & Garlic.
• After the sauce has reduced...and the flavor is rounded. A combination of water & broth is added back.
• The meat is returned to the pot to simmer in the brothy salsa.
• When the meat is almost "fall off the bone" tender... more vegetables are added to the pot, and allowed to melt into the sauce for about 10 minutes (typically Greens, Cactus, Mexican Zucchini, or Potatoes

Pork in Chile Verde is a common dish in the United States, where it is typically made from stew meat, the meat is not browned, does not include the additional vegetables and is served with the stereotypical rice & beans. Those who know what they are doing, prefer to make this dish from Country Ribs (the meat is tender & more attractive), add whatever Mexican Green is in season...and serve it with a refreshing side of Sliced Tomatoes, Avocado, Fresco cheese or a Crispy White Beans (a relatively dry puree of White Beans that is sauteed with a little bit of oil over high heat...so that it forms a little bit of a fried surface)

Another common Saucy Pot Roast in the U.S. is Chile Colorado, typically made from Beef Stew Meat and a deep maroon sauce...that features dried chiles, dried herbs & sweet spices such as cloves. The American Chili traditional most likely descends from the northern border versions of Chile Colorado or Chilorio. Ingredients are mixed and match to create dozens of flavor profiles. As you can imagine there is a saucy Pot Roast for every type of Salsa or Mexican Seasoning Paste you have encountered. A slight variation of this, are the Ranchera or Mexicana pot roasts...in which a Tomatoe-Oregano Salsa is used for simmering Beef then Sauteed Onions & Jalapenos are added the last couple of minutes. Another classic combination in these Pot Roasts are Chicken with Tomatoes & Mint.