This year I am recognizing New Mexico’s traditional meals that are celebrated around the holidays. Whether it’s Thanksgiving, Christmas or New Years, posole represents the celebration of life’s blessings. It’s a pot of hearty stew made of pork or chicken with hominy and red or green chile. It’s one of those things I look forward to every holiday season. The pork is seasoned, then simmered in broth for several hours until the pork begins to fall apart when stirred. I made the red chile base from dried NM Red and Guajillo chile pods which makes a vibrant red sauce which is then added to the pot of stewed pork and hominy. It’s tastes like comfort in a bowl. It’s enough to feed a crowd or can be frozen to enjoy another day. Whatever your traditions, I hope you enjoy a wonderful holiday season!
Preheat oven to 250 degrees. On a baking pan, place roughly 12 – 15 NM Red Chile and Guajillo Chiles or enough to easily fill the pan. The color of the chiles will become the color of the sauce. Toast the chiles for 5 – 6 minutes or until they become fragrant. Remove from the oven and set aside. *Note: I removed the stems and shook out some of the seeds before toasting them.
Heat a 3 quart heavy bottomed pot filled with water about halfway. Heat until just beginning to simmer. Turn the heat off and submerge the dried toasted chiles in the hot water. Place a lid over top to steep about 20 – 30 minutes.
Remove the chiles from the hot water and place them into a blender. Add garlic powder and a spritz of lime juice.
Pour 2 cups of broth into the blender with the chiles.
Blend on high until it’s a pourable liquid sauce.
Pour the sauce through a strainer.
Strain to extract the pulp and seeds from the sauce.
This made approximately 2 1/2 cups of red chile sauce. It’s best to taste the sauce after its strained and add salt if needed.
Now for the stew; you’ll want 2 – 2 1/2 pounds of cubed pork, 4 cups of chicken broth, 25 ounces of hominy, 2 cups of red chile and spices.
Add a drizzle of olive oil to a preheated dutch oven and add the pork cubes. Stir the pork and add the spices. Continue to stir the pot so that the spices are distributed throughout the pork.
Pour in the chicken broth and stir the pot.
Bring the mixture almost to a boil, then lower the heat, place a lid on top and let simmer for about 4 hours, stirring every 30 minutes to a hour.
When the pork is tender enough to pull apart, add 2 cups of red chile and the hominy. Allow to simmer an hour longer to blend all the flavors together.
The pork is literally falling apart as I stir the pot and all the flavors are blended together. Taste and add salt if needed.
Fill your favorite bowl with posole and top with a few slices of avocado and sprinkle with cilantro.
Red Chile Pork Posole
2 – 2 1/2 pounds Pork, cut into chunks (lean pork shoulder or tenderloin work well)
Spices, recipe follows
4 cups Chicken Broth
2 cups Red Chile Sauce, recipe follows
25 ounces Hominy
Spice Blend
1 teaspoon Guajillo Chile, roughly ground
1 teaspoon Ancho Chile, roughly ground
1/2 teaspoon Onion Powder
1/2 teaspoon Garlic Powder
1/2 teaspoon Mexican Oregano
1/4 teaspoon Chile de Arbol, roughly ground
Garnish with avocado slices and roughly chopped cilantro
Mix all spices together, set aside
Red Chile Sauce
12 – 15 Chile Pods, I used NM Red and Guajillo chile
2 cups Chicken Broth
1/2 teaspoon Garlic Powder
Spritz of Lime Juice
Salt to taste
Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Place dried chile pods on a baking sheet. Toast the chiles for 5 – 6 minutes or until they become fragrant. Remove from the oven and set aside.
Fill a 3 quart heavy bottomed pot with water about halfway full. Bring to a simmer over medium high heat. Turn the heat off and submerge the toasted chiles in the pot of water. Place a lid over top and steep about 20 – 30 minutes.
Remove the chiles from the hot water, shake out any excess water and place them in a blender. Add garlic powder and a spritz of lime juice and 2 cups of chicken broth. Blend on high until the chile is pureed. Strain the pulp and seeds from the pureed chile leaving a vibrant red sauce. You should have approximately 2 1/2 cups of sauce. Set sauce in refrigerator if not using immediately.
To make Posole:
Heat a large dutch oven over medium high heat and add a drizzle of olive oil. Add the pork and spices; stir well. Add the broth and stir well. Bring just to a boil, then add the lid and turn down the heat to low. Let simmer about 4 hours stirring the pot every hour or so. Once the pork is cooked through and beginning to fall apart, add 2 cups of the red chile sauce and hominy. Simmer for another hour. Salt to taste. Garnish with avocado slices and cilantro.
Makes approximately 3 quarts.
Posole can be frozen to enjoy later. Thaw completely and heat on the stove.
An Inspired Cook 