Posole (Red Chile, Pork, and Dried Corn Stew)
Treating corn with lime to remove the tough skins was probably a technique the early Meso-American cultures passed on to the Pueblo Indians in New Mexico. This corn, called posole, is the basis of this dish of the same name. A traditional dish during the holiday season, it is considered to bring good luck through the year if eaten on New Year's Eve. Any cubed pork will be fine in this recipe but I like to use the chops so I can flavor the stew with the bones. Posole is served both with the chile in the stew and also with the sauce on the side. I serve it with some chile sauce in the stew and additional sauce on the side for guests to at their own discretion. Note: This recipe requires advance preparation.

Ingredients


  • 8 ounces dry posole

  • 1 ½ pounds thick-cut pork chops, fat removed, cubed, bones reserved

  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil (if needed)

  • 1 medium onion, chopped

  • 2 cloves garlic, minced

  • 1 quart pork or chicken broth

  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano, Mexican preferred

  • 3 cups Chile Colorado Sauce (recipe above)

  • Salt to taste



Instructions


Put the posole in a large pot and cover with water so that there is a couple inches of water above the posole. Soak the posole overnight.

Bring the pot with the posole to a boil, add the pork bones, and reduce the heat. Simmer for 30 to 45 minutes. Add 3 cups of the broth to the pot.

In a heavy skillet, brown the pork, adding a little oil if necessary. Add the pork and the bones to the posole. Saute the onions and garlic in the same pan until they start to brown, remove and add to the posole. Pour the remainder of the broth into the skillet, raise the heat, deglaze the pan and add to the posole. Season with the oregano and salt to taste.

Add some of the chile sauce to the posole and simmer until the corn starts to "pop" and the meat is very tender, to the point of falling apart.

Remove the bones and serve in bowls accompanied by warm flour tortillas and the remaining chile sauce on the side.

Servings
4 to 6
Servings
4 to 6