You guys are in for a treat today!
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Red Pozole is one of my favorite Mexican soups. It’s rich, it’s spicy, it’s hearty, and it’s exactly what I want to eat as soon as the weather cools down. The only problem with Red Pozole, is that it requires many big pots to cook all of the various elements, and it can take an entire afternoon to prepare! I don’t mind the traditional preparation from time-to-time, but if I get a pozole craving on a hurried weeknight, I need a faster solution. This Pork and Hominy Stew fits the bill.
The ingredient list here is simple: pork shoulder, chicken stock, dried chiles, onion, garlic and canned hominy. Most items might already be sitting in your pantry! The preparation is also simple, and you can multitask while various things steep and sizzle (game plan below). Bold in color and flavor, this Pork and Hominy Stew tastes similar to Red Pozole, but requires just a fraction of the effort to prepare. Continue reading for the recipe.
I’ve made this soup a number of times, and I’ve come up with the perfect game plan to get this soup on the table in 1 hour. The process does require a pressure cooker.
First, try to prepare the pork in advance. I like to buy a big hunk of pork shoulder occasionally, and then break it down into 1 or 2 pound portions. I vacuum seal the pork, and store in the freezer, so whenever I need pork for a stew, I’ve got the perfect amount at-the-ready. Just remember to transfer the pork from the freezer to the fridge the day before, so it can thaw out in time!
Next, season the pork right out of the refrigerator, so the salt can penetrate the meat while it comes up to room temperature. Meanwhile, get the chiles steeping in hot chicken stock. While you are waiting, you can chop the onion and garlic, and get them sautéing in olive oil. Stir in the pork and chile stock, clamp on the pressure cooker lid, and quickly bring to high pressure. At this point, the cook time is just 30 minutes, and the finished pork will be fall-apart tender. While the pork is cooking, prepare the toppings. Finish the stew by stirring in drained hominy. It takes just a minute to warm through.
That it’s! Follow this game plan, and you’ll have a wonderfully rich and deeply flavored stew done in 1 hour.
So one of the things I love most about this stew (and pozole) is the table-side customization. The toppings. The fixings. The perfect complements. You start with a big bowl of stew, and add the following to taste:
- Shredded cabbage
- Sliced radish (pickled radish would be fun here too)
- Mexican oregano that you crumble fresh in your hands
- Red chile flakes
Tostadas on the side are a must to soak up the spicy broth, and to help move stew contents on to the spoon. And the meal wouldn’t be complete without an ice cold beer. I love a good Negra Modelo with this stew, because its notes of roasted caramel and dark chocolate help to balance out the richness and spice of the broth. A perfect pairing!
Pork and Hominy Stew Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 pounds boneless pork shoulder, trimmed of excess fat and cut into 1-inch cubes
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken stock learn how to make your own here
- 1 ½ ounces dried chiles (I used a mix of ancho, pasilla negro and morita chiles*), stems and seeds removed
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 white onion, finely chopped
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 25 ounce can of hominy, drained
- Toppings: shredded cabbage, sliced radish, tostadas, crumbled Mexican oregano, chile flakes
- Serve with: a cold bottle of Negra Modelo
Instructions
- Season cubes of pork shoulder evenly with kosher salt and black pepper. Set aside.
- Bring chicken stock to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Take the pan off the heat, add the chiles, cover, and let sit for 20 minutes. Transfer chiles and stock to a blender, and blend until smooth (working in batches if needed). Set aside.
- Warm olive oil in a large pressure cooker** over medium heat. Add onions, garlic and a big pinch of salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are soft and translucent (about 5 minutes). Stir in the seasoned pork, and then pour the chile stock into the pressure cooker through a fine-mesh strainer, pressing on any remaining solids to extract all of the flavor. Secure the lid on the pressure cooker, and bring to high pressure over medium-high heat. As soon as pot reaches high pressure, reduce heat to medium-low and cook for 30 minutes, adjusting heat as needed to maintain high pressure.
- Remove pot from heat and allow pressure to release naturally (this takes 10 – 15 minutes). Carefully remove the lid, and return the pressure cooker to a medium-low heat. Stir in the hominy, and cook just until warmed through.
To serve, ladle soup in a bowl, and top with shredded cabbage, sliced radish, crumbled Mexican oregano and a sprinkling of chile flake (if needed). Serve with crunchy tostadas and a cold Negra Modelo.
Notes
This is a sponsored post, developed in partnership with Negra Modelo. All thoughts, opinions and recipes are my own.
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I’m Brandon: food explorer, recipe curator, cocktail shaker, dessert lover. Kitchen Konfidence is how I document my time spent in my favorite space, the kitchen. Did you make a recipe? Tag @brandiego on Instagram so I can see the how it went!
BriGeeski says
MMM! This Pork and Hominy Stew looks amazing! Especially paired with Negra Modelo. I better ask for a pressure cooker for Christmas so I can try this one out.
Brandon Matzek says
Thanks Bri!! Do it! I got my pressure cooker for Christmas several years ago 😛
Brian @ A Thought For Food says
Beer and stew are such a natural pairing. I really need to cook more with hominy. This is a lovely looking bowl. I will have to show Eric (and then he'll tell me to make it for him). 🙂
Brandon Matzek says
Agreed!! Beer and burgers are an equally awesome combination ;). Thanks!
cristina says
Love how you've paired Negra Modelo with this stew - and so enjoy hominy in my soups (reminds me of menudo!). Nicely done, Brandon!
cristina says
Been thinking about this soup/stew and may be making this weekend! Did you find the dried chiles sold as a mix or find separately?
Brandon Matzek says
I purchased them separately at Specialty Produce. They've got a wide variety of chiles available. Mexican markets around town will also have most varieties with perhaps the exception of the morita chiles.
Brandon Matzek says
Thanks Cristina! I enjoy pozole more than menudo. I'm still learning to love tripe 😛
Tieghan says
This looks beyond amazing!! Like so good!! Love the beer pairing too!
Brandon Matzek says
Thanks Tieghan! It's a winning combination 🙂
Adriana says
I am Mexican and love my Modelo beer and of course pozole. Your version looks really yummy =)
Brandon Matzek says
Thanks Adriana!
Lisa @ Panning The Globe says
This looks so delicious and I love that it all comes together so quickly. Thanks so much for doing all the leg work to perfect this quick comforting stew recipe!
Brandon Matzek says
Hehe thanks Lisa!!
Barrett @dirtylaundrykitchen.com says
I love that hominy is being used more. Such a great texture. This sounds like a winning combo.
Brandon Matzek says
Thanks Barrett!
heather @french press says
a soup like this in only an hour, I definitely think I need a pressure cooker
Brandon Matzek says
Thanks Heather! It's such a useful piece of equipment.
Julia says
The beer paired with the stew sounds perfect for a cold winters day. I love hominy and always forget to use it in soups and stews.
Brandon Matzek says
Thanks Julia! It's a fun addition, and there are some good canned options available.
Kristen @ A Mind Full Mom says
I love spicy pork stew! This looks incredible--especially with that beer you have there 😉 I am with you on buying pork in bulk and freezing in small portions--great money saver and nice to always have on hand.
Brandon Matzek says
Thanks Kristen!! We eat a lot of pork at my house, so it just makes sense 🙂
Christina @ Christina's Cucina says
Ok, I'm totally intrigued. Never had Red Pozole or this stew, and I had to go look up "hominy" as I've heard of it, but never knew what it was, and after reading Wikipedia's explanation, am even more confused! Guess I have to taste it! I love your time frame and prepping steps which are great for those with a time budget. Looks like a wonderful meal!
Brandon Matzek says
Thanks Christina! Hominy is very popular in Mexican and Tex Mex cuisine. It's basically cooked, puffy corn kernels. They soft on the outside with a little toothsome chew on the inside. The corn flavor is a really nice contrast to the spicy broth and rich pork. If you get a chance to try pozole, do it!!
Annie @ Annie's Noms says
This looks just perfect for a cold Autumn evening! so comforting and delicious! 🙂
Brandon Matzek says
Like a warm blanket on a cold night :). Or in this case, a warm zarape!
Cynthia | What A Girl Eats says
This is a lovely looking stew. I'm
With you, I love soups and stews with "add-ons"!
Brandon Matzek says
Excellent!! Thanks Cynthia 🙂
Sabrina Modelle says
I think Posole is one of the best comfort foods on the planet. I love this short cut to posole(ish). I'll give it a whirl!
Brandon Matzek says
Agreed! Definitely give this a try 🙂
Carol Borchardt says
I LOVE my pressure cooker and am always looking for good recipes! Will be trying this for sure!
Brandon Matzek says
This is a good one. Thanks Carol!
Heather says
Love the picture with an actual person in it. I like pressure cooker recipes. Maybe you could give is a week's worth?