The start of cold weather in our house means Posole!
Posole is a soup of hominy and pork in a toasted chile broth. It’s earthy and toothsome and warm, and really, love in a stockpot. There are a few different variations of posole, depending on how your Abuelita taught you to make it, but this is the version that my family likes. Because it’s a bit labor-intensive, I only make it a few times a year – the beginning of winter (or just around our first cold snap), once or twice during winter, and Christmas Eve or New Year’s Day.
I didn’t grow up with any family traditions, so it’s been important for me to start them with my children. I hope your family loves it as much as mine does!
Posole
Serves 6 to 8
Don’t use store-bought chili powder. Dried ancho chiles make all the difference. Toppings for posole can be sliced radishes, shredded green cabbage, chopped avocado, chopped onion and cilantro, hot sauce, and/or lime wedges. Serve with fresh tortillas for dipping.
¾ ounce dried ancho chiles (about 3 chiles)
8 cups “>vegetable oil
3 (15 ounce) cans 1. PREPARE CHILES
Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Place chiles on baking sheet and bake until puffed and fragrant, about 6 minutes. When chiles are cool enough to handle, remove stems and seeds. Combine chiles and 1 cup broth in medium bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave until bubbling, about 2 minutes. Let stand until softened, 10 to 15 minutes. Pat pork dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat until just smoking. Cook pork until well browned all over, about 10 minutes. Transfer pork to plate. Add hominy to now-empty pot and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant and hominy begins to darken, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer hominy to medium bowl. Heat remaining oil in now-empty pot over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Puree onion mixture with softened chile mixture in blender. Combine remaining broth, pureed onion-chile mixture, pork, oregano, ½ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper in now-empty pot and bring to boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, until meat is tender, 1 to 1 ½ hours. Transfer pork to clean plate. Add hominy to pot and simmer, covered, until tender, about 30 minutes. Skim fat from broth. When the meat is cool enough to handle, shred into bit-size pieces, discarding fat. Return pork to pot and cook until heated through about 1 minute. Off heat, add lime juice. Season with salt and pepper. (Posole can be refrigerated in an airtight container for 3 days.) Nothing’s wrong with an occasional food splurge, but if you’re counting calories or looking for nutritional facts, check out this rendition of Chicken Posole Verde from Yummy Healthy Easy.2. BROWN PORK
3. SIMMER BROTH
4. FINISH STEW
Feeling health conscious?
