Pork Posole

Yield: 1.50 gallons

1.25 gallons chicken stock (low sodium)

4 split pig’s feet (this is the secret ingredient, use beef oxtail or bones)

4 pig ears (optional, if you can get them)

4 pig tails (optional, if you can get them)

.5 tbsp dried oregano

2 #’s white onions, thinly sliced

4 tbsp butter

4 tbsp vegetable oil

5 #’s pork shoulder with bone or 3#’s boneless, cut into medium cubes (save bones)

10 dried guajillo peppers

8 dried ancho peppers

2 lemons, juiced

¼ cup maple syrup

2 cans of white hominy corn (29 oz can each)

Salt and black pepper, lots of each

Garnish

2 limes, cut off both end and quartered

½ head white cabbage, thinly sliced

1 head of cilantro, roughly chopped

1 large bag of salted corn tortilla strips

½ cup sour cream (optional)

1.) Preheat oven to 350 f

2.) Bring chicken stock to a boil, season generously with salt and pepper (and I mean generous with the salt, everyone hates bland posole), and add in shoulder bones, pig’s feet, tails, ears, and dried oregano

3.) Cook in oven tightly covered for 3-4 hours until very tender, remove ears and tails, leaving feet (This could and should be done the day before)

4.) The next day or while feet are cooking, sauté onions in 2 tbsp butter and 1 tbsp oil for 45 minutes with large pinch of salt.

4.) While onions cook heat 1 tbsp oil and 1 tbsp butter, heavily season pork and brown on all sides. Do in a few batches to not overcrowd the pan and add remaining butter and oil if needed.

5.) Add ½ c pork cooking liquid to onion and pork pans, scraping up brown bits; add to reserved onion and pork in giant pot approx 2 gallons

6.) In a large dry pan heat on high and sear dried chilies on both sides, they should almost smoke. Your kitchen will smell like a spice market

7.) Transfer chilies to blender, adding maple syrup, lemons, salt, pepper, and 1 cup pork stock or water, puree until smooth

8.) Add pig stock, reserved ingredients, generous pinch of salt and pepper, and strain chili mixture into the pot

9.) Bring to a simmer on the stove, cover, and cook in oven for approx 3 hours or until pork is tender

10.) With one hour left to cook add in hominy and taste for seasoning.

11.) You will likely need another pinch of salt and possibly lemon

12.) Serve in deep bowls and add garnishes to your liking, cabbage, lime, and tortilla chips are my favorite

Notes

This tastes better after sitting for a few days. It also allows you to take off any extra fat that’s congealed on top. The pig’s feet give a body to this soup that makes it better than the posole my abuela used to make. If you can find pig’s tails and ears you can add those to the stock. After they are cooked they can be deep fried for an interesting treat. I serve it with the feet so that you can nibble on the little bits of bone and meat, it adds a rustic edge. Some other garnishes to think about are radishes, raw white onion, iceberg lettuce, and my favorite; roasted cotija/ parmesan cheese finely ground.

Chow