If you're a big fan of chicken tortilla soup or chili, then you're going to love posole! This mildly spicy Mexican soup is a wonderfulcomfort food thanks to tender chunks of slow-cooked pork flavored with smoky cumin and loads of dried chiles. While there's a time and a place for shortcuts, this posole recipe takes it low and slow to deliver rich, comforting flavor. All you need is a good Dutch oven and a little time. Before you know it, you'll be adding this recipe to your list of favorite stews and soups to warm you up on a cold day!
What's the difference between posole and pozole?
There's really no big difference between pozole and posole, except a letter. In Mexico, where the brothy, chile-spiked soup originated, it's often spelled with a "z"; near the border and beyond, it's often spelled with an "s." It just depends where you are, and who taught you to cook it.
What's posole made of?
While there are many delicious versions of posole, most authentic posole recipes include 3 essential ingredients: dried chiles, pork, and hominy. Hominy (what grits are made from) is actually corn kernels that have gone through a process to remove their outer skin. This recipe calls for canned hominy; the puffy, chewy corn kernels are a great shortcut that simply need to be drained and rinsed like canned beans before using.
How do I use dried chiles?
Whole dried chiles are a fun ingredient to cook with because they're packed with big flavor. Look for them in the Mexican/Hispanic aisle of the grocery store, or stop by your local Mexican market. This recipe calls for dried guajillo chiles, but ancho chiles (that are actually dried poblano peppers!) are a great substitute. Simply toast the chiles, then soak them in hot liquid to soften before blending them smooth. Then, pour the bright red chile sauce through a fine mesh strainer straight into the soup to add smoky, spicy flavor.
What meat is used in posole?
While you can make posole with chicken or beef, pork is the meat traditionally used in posole. This recipe calls for about 3 pounds of cubed pork shoulder, but you can use any well-marbled cut of pork that you like. (Avoid pork tenderloin or sirloin roasts, which are leaner.) Most pork shoulder roasts (aka Boston butt) are sold bone-in; simply cut around the bone and cube the meat as desired. While you want some fat, trim and discard any larger pieces. Size up when buying a bone-in roast; if you want about 3 pounds of cubed meat, look for a 4-pound or larger roast. You can always freeze the extra if needed.
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Yields:
10 - 12 serving(s)
Prep Time:
30 mins
Total Time:
3 hrs 30 mins
Ingredients
- 3 oz.
dried guajillo or ancho chiles
- 8 c.
reduced-sodium chicken broth, divided
- 1 Tbsp.
cumin
- 1 Tbsp.
salt
- 1 tsp.
ground black pepper
- 3 lb.
pork shoulder, cut into 2" pieces
- 3 Tbsp.
vegetable oil
- 1
yellow onion, chopped
- 6
garlic cloves, chopped
- 2 tsp.
dried oregano
- 2
bay leaves
- 3
15-oz. cans white or yellow hominy, rinsed and drained
Shredded green cabbage, thinly sliced radishes, queso fresco, diced avocado, and cilantro leaves, for topping
Lime wedges, for serving
Directions
- Step1Cut the stems off of the chiles. Discard the stems and shake the chiles gently to remove as many seeds as you can.
- Step2Heat a large Dutch oven over medium heat and add the chiles. Cook, turning occasionally, until the chiles are slightly toasted, about 5 minutes. Place toasted chiles in a blender and set aside.
- Step3Microwave 4 cups of chicken broth in a bowl or measuring cup until very hot, about 3 minutes. Add the hot broth to the blender with the chiles. Let stand until the chiles are softened, 15 to 20 minutes. Blend until mostly smooth. Set aside.
- Step4In a small bowl, combine the cumin, salt and pepper. Sprinkle the mixture evenly all over the pork.
- Step5In the same Dutch oven, heat the vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Cook the pork in batches until browned on all sides, 3 to 5 minutes per batch, being careful to not overcrowd the pan. (You're going for a quick sear here; the pork will cook through later.) Transfer the browned pork to a bowl.
- Step6Reduce the heat to medium and add the onion, garlic, and oregano to Dutch oven. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the bay leaves and remaining 4 cups of broth to pan. Increase the heat to medium high and bring to a simmer.
- Step7Return the cooked pork to the Dutch oven. Gradually pour the blended chile sauce through a fine mesh strainer into Dutch oven, pressing as needed. Discard the solids in the strainer. Reduce the heat to medium-low; partially cover, and cook at a low simmer, stirring occasionally, until the pork is tender, about 2 hours. Using two forks, break the pork into bite-sized chunks. Add hominy and let simmer 15 minutes more.
- Step8Serve topped with green cabbage, radishes, queso fresco, diced avocado, and/or cilantro, as desired. Squeeze lime wedges over each bowl, if you like.
Posole is even better when made a day or two ahead of time. Before reheating, scrape any solidified fat off the top, and discard.
