Traditional Pork Pozole

I have this theory that each culture has their own “sick” or “hangover” soup. Americans have chicken noodle soup, the greeks have avgolemono soup (so good!), Vietnamese of course have pho, the Polish have borscht and the Mexicans have pozole. Pozole can cure anything. It has some kind of power to make body aches and pains disappear and fill you up just in time for your afternoon nap. I even love it for breakfast! This simple soup does take time but as I say, time = love and this soup is full of it… love that is! Much like Chile Verde, you could eat this soup all week long, or for a big family party! Enjoy it!!!

Traditional Pork Pozole

Pork Broth

• 2 pounds pork Pozole mix - you can get it from Vallarta Market (but its a mix of pork shoulder, pork neck and pork leg.)

• 1/2 white onion

• 1 1 head of garlic cut lengthwise in half

• 2 bay leaves

• 2 tablespoons Mexican oregano

• 10 cups of water

• 2 tablespoons diamond crystal kosher salt

Red Chile Sauce

• 5 dried Arbol chiles

• 8 dried Ancho chilies

• 8 dried Guajillo chilies

• 1/2 white onion

• 3 cloves of garlic

• 3 teaspoons salt

Combining the sauce and broth:

• 2 teaspoons cumin

• 2 teaspoons oregano

• 2 teaspoons salt

• 1 can white hominy

• 3/4 cup reserved chile broth

Toppings:

• Dried oregano

• Cilantro

• Chopped onion

• Sliced radish

• Fresh lime

First make the pork broth!

1. Add the pork bones, 1/2 white onion, garlic, bay leaves, oregano, salt and water into a large stock pot or a large dutch oven.

2. Bring to a boil and cover with lid askew and turn down to a simmer.

3. Allow the pork broth to cook for at least 2 hours on low and develop flavor. The pork should be very tender after 2 hours.

While the broth cooks, work on the chiles!

1. Take the stems off the dried chiles.

2. Add them to a pot of boiling water with 1/2 an onion, 3 cloves of garlic and salt. Cover and allow to cook on simmer for 20 minutes.

3. Transfer the chilies, onion and garlic into a blender with 1/2 cup of the chile broth.

4. Blend until smooth, about 3 minutes.

Now time to strain the sauce!

1. Use a sieve or a mesh colander to strain the sauce into another bowl. I like to use a spatula to help push the sauce through the mesh colander. You should have about 2 cups of fresh red chile sauce when you are finished.

2. Transfer the sauce directly into the pork broth and add in the white hominy, cumin, oregano, salt and 3/4 cup Chile broth.

3. Bring to a light boil and get ready to serve!