Pozole
Published June 3, 2014
Evan Sung for The New York Times
- Total Time
- About 2 hours, plus hominy soaking time
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
2 tablespoons neutral oil
2 pounds pork shoulder, cut into 2-inch chunks
1 large onion, chopped
Salt and ground black pepper
4 dried chipotle, ancho or gaujillo chiles
2 cups dried hominy, soaked in a couple of changes of water for 8 to 12 hours
2 tablespoons fresh oregano, or 2 teaspoons dried
2 tablespoons ground cumin
2 tablespoons minced garlic
Chopped fresh cilantro for garnish
Lime wedges for garnish
Nutritional analysis per serving (8 servings)
12 grams carbs; 81 milligrams cholesterol; 358 calories; 12 grams monosaturated fat; 3 grams polyunsaturated fat; 7 grams saturated fat; 25 grams fat; 2 grams fiber; 482 milligrams sodium; 21 grams protein; 3 grams sugar
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Put oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. When hot, add pork and onions and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until pork and onions are deeply browned, 15 to 20 minutes.
- Step 2
Meanwhile, pull off whatever stems you can from chiles; break them in half and pour or scrape out some or all of the seeds. (The more you leave in, the hotter the stew will be.) When pork and onions are browned, add chiles, hominy, oregano and cumin. Add water to cover everything by about an inch. Bring to a boil, then adjust heat so the mixture simmers steadily. Cook, stirring occasionally and adding more liquid if necessary, until pork and hominy are tender, at least 1 ½ hours.
- Step 3
If you like, fish out and discard chile pieces, or chop them up and stir them back into the pot. Stir in garlic and cook a few minutes more; taste and adjust the seasoning. The mixture should be a little soupy. Serve in bowls, garnished with cilantro and lime wedges.
Private Notes
Comments
I really love this recipe and make it often. It's simple to make and so comforting. I like pozole just a touch thicker, so after it's been simmering for a while, I ladle out a few scoops of the broth and pulse in the food processor with one small corn tortilla. I add it back to the pot and cook until it breaks down completely. It thickens the pozole and adds a hint of nutty corn flavor. Also, I prefer to discard the chile pieces. When they cook that long they get an unpleasant, stringy texture.
Cooks’ choice, of course, but why anyone (but a major glutton for punishment) would willingly deal with dried hominy completely defeats me—it’s not just another dried legume but a product that’ll fight you all the way—and often win! Drained & rinsed canned are excellent!
Instead of processing a tortilla, you could add some masa harina to tighten it. Same stuff with which corn tortillas are made.
You can use the instant pot for dried hominy. Soak for 8 or more hours and then 1 hour on pressure cook in IP. It works well. Then add to the rest of the soup. I use Rancho Gordo pozole.
If you are lucky enough to have a Mexican supermarket where you live, you may be able to find frozen cooked hominy. SO MUCH BETTER than canned. And SO MUCH EASIER than cooking dried hominy! Also you will have a choice of probably 20 different dried chilis! I use guajillo chilis. Not too spicy! They are great in this recipe!
The seeds are not the hottest part of the pepper. That’s a myth.