Slow Cooker Posole (Pozole)
I admit I’ve been less than motivated these past few weeks. In part, I blame our out of character April weather patterns bringing a ridiculous dumping of snow upon my Minnesota backyard. The rest of my time has been spent preparing my seedlings in their greenhouse in hopes that I can actually plant them at the end of May. We’ll see what mother nature has to say about that! In the meantime, I’ve been using up a lot of my last season’s canned soups that I prepared in the fall so my meal prep has been super simple. It’s been perfect weather for that! This beautiful posole (or pozole if you prefer) is also just right for the weather bringing a little traditional Aztec heat into my world.
Posole is a term that means “hominy” which are simply dried kernels of corn that have been soaked in lime water derived from natural limestone. This ancient Aztecan stew was consumed during special religious rituals to honor the Aztec gods. Corn (or maize) was considered sacred, so hominy is the key ingredient. Soaking the dried corn kernels in lime water results in a plumped up kernel with a pasta like texture making it perfect for comforting slow cooker style meals. This posole dish is a cross between a soup and a stew. There are about as many variations on posole as there are states in Mexico with each region having a distinct flavor profile or method of cooking. My version of a simple posole remains true to the ancient authenticity by combining pork (or chicken), garlic, onion, peppers, and of course, hominy.
A long slow cooking process works very well to encourage the melding of all the flavors for a full-bodied meal so I use a crock pot/slow cooker to accomplish this while I go about my day. It’s an easy set-and-forget type of meal preparation though I assure you, you won’t forget it’s incredible flavor! You can also prepare this in a dutch oven if you prefer. They key is to cook it low and slow so all of the yumminess has an opportunity to mingle and intensify. Rich and delicious, this ritual stew is certainly worthy of the gods!
- 1.5-2 pounds pork shoulder, boneless (or a combo of chicken breast and thighs)
- 1 onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 jalapeño or serrano peppers, seeded and finely diced
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon pink himalayan salt or smoked salt
- 3 tablespoons chili powder
- 2 cans white hominy (about 3 cups), drained and rinsed
- 4 cups low sodium chicken broth
- up to 2 cups water (optional for a thick stew or add as desired for thinner consistency)
- 1 lime, cut into wedges
- 1 avocado, pitted, peeled and sliced or diced, for garnish
- Cilantro, chopped to garnish
- Queso quesadilla, queso chihuahua, queso fresco or other Mexican cheese, shredded, to garnish
- Place pork, onion, garlic, peppers, oregano, salt and chili powder in a slow cooker.
- Cook about 4-6 hours until pork is cooked and shreddable.
- Shred the pork or chop it into bite size bits.
- Stir in hominy, chicken broth and water to reach desired consistency.
- Continue cooking until hot, 1-2 hours.
- Serve with a lime wedge, avocado, cheese, and cilantro.
This can also be frozen (without garnishes) and then reheated for future easy meals.
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