Pork and Red Chile Posole
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 pounds pork shoulder, cut into 2-inch pieces
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 1 tablespoon New Mexican or other red chili powder
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 large onions, finely chopped
- 3 tablespoons minced garlic
- 2 teaspoons dried Mexican oregano
- One 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes, with juices
- 4 cups chicken stock
- 4 cups water, plus more as needed
- Three 15-ounce cans hominy, drained
- ½ cup Red Chile Sauce, or more to taste
Traditional Garnishes:
- Diced avocado
- Julienned radish
- Chopped red onion
- Chopped fresh cilantro
- Sour cream or crema
- Toasted pumpkin seeds
- Tortilla chips or fried tortilla strips
- Lime wedges
- Shaved or minced jalapeno or serrano chiles
Directions
In a large Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Season the pork with the salt, chili powder, and pepper. Add it to the Dutch oven, in batches if necessary to avoid crowding, and brown on all sides. Transfer the browned pork to a plate while you brown the remaining pork.
To the drippings in the Dutch oven, add the onions, garlic, and oregano and cook, stirring frequently, until vegetables begin to caramelize, about 4 minutes. Add the tomatoes (and their juices) along with the chicken stock and water and return the pork to the pan. Bring to a simmer, partially cover the pan, and cook until the pork is very tender, usually about 1 ½ hours, adding more water if the level reduces too much. When the pork is tender, add the hominy and continue to cook for 15 to 20 minutes longer, or until its flavor begins to permeate the broth and it’s tender but not mushy.
Stir in the Red Chile Sauce, taste, and adjust the seasoning if necessary. The posole is meant to be a brothy stew with an intense chile broth – don’t hesitate stirring in more chile sauce to taste.
When ready to serve, set out small bowls with all of the garnishes, and encourage guests to garnish their bowls of posole with all of the trimmings.
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