MEXICAN RED POSOLE

MEXICAN RED POSOLE

Posole is not the “fix it and forget it type of soup”.  If you have delved into my blog, you’ll know that I am not a tremendous supporter of the crockpot, as I use it rarely.  There is preparation involved in posole, but the adventurous journey is well worth the effort.  The broth has tremendous complexity and depth, as this soup is definitely large and in charge, with a bit of a kick which can be made as spicy as the palate demands.

1 LB of pork shoulder – bone in

2 Guajillo chilies reconstituted in water (reserve water)

1 jalapeño

1 25 oz can of Mexican style hominy – drained

2 tomatillos – husks removed and rinsed

2 sweet onions – chop a ¼ cup for garnish

1 TBSP Mexican oregano

1 TBSP ground cumin

1 TSP sugar

½ head of garlic and 3 additional garlic cloves peeled

2 bay leaves

Kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper

1 bunch of fresh cilantro – saving some to chop and mix with raw onion for garnish

1 lime quartered – (garnish)

1 avocado – diced (garnish)

Very fine shredded cabbage (garnish)

Radishes – sliced into thin rounds (garnish)

 

On a cookie sheet lined with foil add the reconstituted guajillo peppers, jalapeño, the tomatillos with the tops removed, the onion peeled and quartered into large chunks – roast in 350F oven for about 45 minutes till soft.  Cool.  Remove the seeds from the jalapeño.

Salt and pepper the pork and sear the meat on all sides in a Dutch oven.  Cover with water, add the bay leaf, oregano, cumin and chopped onion.  Simmer till tender about 2 hours.  Remove the pork and shred.

In a blender add the roasted veg, ½ raw onion, 3 raw garlic cloves, 1 cup of water, most of the cilantro with the stems, sugar, ½ TSP cumin, ½ TSP Mexican oregano, juice of 1 lime, the water from the reconstituted Guajillos and 1/2 cup of the water where the pork has cooked, salt and pepper.  Puree till smooth.

Add the hominy into the pot, the slurry from the blender and the bone from the cooked pork.  Cook for about 30 minutes.  Remove the bone and add the shredded pork and cook for another 5 minutes.  Serve on shallow bowls with the garnishes on the side.

NOTE

Typically, the way to eat posole is squeezing lime on top of the soup, pile shredded cabbage, thin sliced radish, the cilantro-onion mix for crunch, chopped avocado for creaminess and have some warm flour tortillas to dunk in the broth.  See, what did I tell you? Nirvana in a bowl.

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