Pork Posole and Corn on Steroids

If you’ve never tried this  … you need to.  I love this hearty soup.  I never had hominy until I made this soup … hominy is like corn on steroids!  Actually, hominy tastes like a corn tortilla and it makes the soup.  Corn muffins go great with this soup.  A fantastic corn muffin recipe will be coming next.  ENJOY!

Pork Posole

•  2 large onions, divided
• 7 tablespoons canola oil or vegetable oil, divided
• 4 tablespoons ancho chile powder, divided
• 1 6-to 6 1/2-pound bone-in pork shoulder (Boston butt), cut into 4- to 5-inch pieces, some meat left on bone
• 5 cups (or more) chicken stock or broth
• 5 cups water
• 5 large garlic cloves, minced
• 4 teaspoons ground cumin
• 4 15-ounce cans golden hominy, drained  (hominy is found in the canned vegetable section)
• 3 cans enchilada sauce (mild or medium according to taste)
• 4 limes, each cut into 4 wedges
• Chopped fresh cilantro
• Radishes

Preheat oven to 350°F. Thinly slice 1 onion. Heat 4 tablespoons oil in heavy large ovenproof pot over medium-high heat. Add sliced onions to pot and sauté until onions begin to soften, about 3 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon ancho chile powder; stir to coat. Add pork to pot. Add 5 cups broth and 5 cups water. Bring to boil. Cover and transfer to oven.

Braise pork until tender enough to shred easily, about 2 hours. Using slotted spoon, transfer pork to large bowl. Pour juices into another large bowl. Refrigerate separately uncovered until cool, then cover and keep chilled overnight.

Discard fat from top of chilled juices. Cut pork into large cubes, discarding excess fat. Thinly slice remaining onion. Heat remaining 3 tablespoons oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion; sauté until soft, stirring often, about 7 minutes. Add remaining 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons ancho chile powder, garlic, and cumin; stir 30 seconds. Add pork, reserved juices, enchilada sauce and hominy. Bring to boil; reduce heat to low. Cover with lid slightly ajar and simmer a couple of hours to allow flavors to blend, adding more broth to thin, if desired.

Ladle posole into bowls. Garnish with lime wedges, add sliced radish and cilantro to the soup and ENJOY!

Adapted from:  epicurious.com