Pozole is a soup made from hominy and braised meat with a handful of variations. It is commonly served for New Year’s Eve as well as other holidays including Christmas and Easter. Though it originates in Mexican cuisine, I learned how to make it from Salvadorans I worked with in Seattle. There are many variations from changing the traditionally used pork to chicken, adding an enchilada sauce base and making it a Pozole Rojo, or adding tomatillos and making a Pozole Verde. The garnish on the soup also is a variable, though cabbage, radish and lime are some of the most common. Other additions include fresh hot peppers, avocados, cilantro which are also very popular. This is one of those soups that the longer you cook it, the more tender the meat is and the more flavorful the ingredients are.
Ingredients
Pork Rub
Pork Butt, diced 5 lbs
Garlic Powder 2 T
Adobo spice 2 T
Lime Juice 3 ea
Coriander 1 T
Cumin 1 T
Salt 1 T
Pepper 1 T
Oil 1 T
Soup
Hominy (around 2 cans) 3 lb, 10 oz
Carrots, diced 2 ea
Onions, diced 2 ea
Garlic, sliced 4 ea
Chicken Stock 4 qt
Serrano pepper, finely diced 1 ea
Oregano, dried 2 tsp
Lime juice & zest 3 ea
Cumin, ground 1 T
Coriander 1 T
S & P to taste
Garnish
Lime Wedge, Shredded Cabbage Slaw, Radish Slices
Method of Procedure
Rub the diced pork in the garlic powder, Adobo spice, coriander, cumin and salt, pepper, and lime juice then marinate overnight.
The next day sauté the carrots, onions, garlic, Serrano peppers and pork together in oil until the onions become translucent.
Drain and rinse the hominy.
Add the chicken stock and hominy to the pork and bring to a boil. After it hits a boil reduce to a simmer and add the lime juice and zest.
Simmer the pork for a minimum of four hours until the pork is tender. The longer you simmer this soup, the more flavorful the final product will be. If needed add more chicken stock or water to maintain the broth.
Add the salt and pepper to taste and continue to simmer.
Ladle the soup into your bowl and garnish it with lime wheels, cabbage slaw, and radish slices. If you feel so inclined use avocado, shredded cheese, fresh or pickled jalapeños, the options are endless.
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