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 chilies and shredded pulled pork.

It's a home version of a dish I recently enjoyed at Wicked Weed Brewing in Asheville, North Carolina, while on a super-chilly trip there to welcome my newest grandchild, Theo, into the family.

Maybe all the raging endorphins made everything seem especially great the day we visited its downstairs tap room, but 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. It's not an exact copy, but I think I got pretty close.

What makes the stew shine is the addition of roasted Hatch chiles, a variety of green pepper that is essential to New Mexican cuisine but can be hard to find outside of the Southwest. 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

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 pepper

16 ounces pre-roasted green Hatch chilies, 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 Wicked Weed Brewing Uncle Ricks 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

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

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 for around 20 minutes, or until skins are soft. Chop in blender and then set aside.

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 chilies 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 to combine.

Add potatoes and pureed cilantro and bring to a simmer. Cook until potatoes are just barely tender, about 5-7 minutes. Add pulled pork and stir to combine.

Adjust final seasoning with salt to taste. You can also add a dash or two of cider or sherry vinegar to brighten the stew. If desired, garnish with chopped cilantro, shaved radishes, lime and cojita cheese.

Serves 8-10.

— adapted from Wicked Weed Brewing, Asheville, N.C.