Description
Incredibly delicious and deeply flavored pork and hominy stew famous in New Mexico. Some like it hot, this version is not. (The chile I use is mild with great flavor.) Enjoy a bowl on Christmas eve.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 3 dried Ancho chile pods
- 8 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 pounds of boneless country-style pork ribs
- salt and pepper
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 3 (15oz) cans of white hominy, rinsed and drained well
- 2 onions chopped
- 5 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh oregano
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
Instructions
- Set the oven to heat at 350 degrees F and move an oven rack to the middle position.
- Place the chiles on a baking sheet and bake them for about 6 minutes, or until puffy and fragrant. Remove and set aside to cool.
- In a Dutch oven, set 2 tablespoons of oil to heat on medium-high. While warming, pat pork dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. When the oil just starts to smoke, place the meat in and brown all sides well, about 10 minutes. Transfer pork to a plate and set aside.
- While the pork is browning (being careful to check on it often so it doesn’t burn), remove the stems and seeds from the chiles. Place chiles and one cup of broth in a microwave-safe bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave 2 minutes. Set aside to soften and finish searing the pork.
- Add the hominy to the empty pork pot and stir frequently until it is fragrant and begins to darken, about 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer the hominy to a bowl and set aside.
- Heat the remaining oil in the now-empty pot and cook the onion with a generous pinch of salt until softened and browned in spots, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
- At this step, you have two options, whether you like your posole thin like soup, or thick like stew. For a soup consistency: pour the chiles and broth into a blender then add all the cooked onion and garlic mixture to the blender. Add just enough prepared broth to the blender to cover the food, then puree. For a heartier stew: leave the onion garlic mixture in the pot. Pour the remaining chicken broth into the pot. Pour the chiles and broth into a blender, then ladle some of the soup into the blender and puree.
- Add puree from the blender to the pot along with any remaining chicken broth, pork, hominy, oregano, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer covered for 1 1/2 hours.
- To finish the stew, transfer the pork to a clean cutting board or plate. Using a large spoon or ladle, skim as much fat from the top of the broth as possible. Using two forks, shred the pork into bite-sized pieces, discarding any fat. Return to the pot and add the lime juice and season with additional salt and pepper to taste. Serve.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
- Category: Stew
- Cuisine: New Mexican