Posole: Pork and Hominy Soup

Yesterday I posted Carnitas in an attempt to revolutionize taco night.  Because that is my job….my purpose…..no!  My reason for living!  Taco night ¡Revolución! *fist in the air*  

Ok I may have taken that a wee-bit too far, but you get the idea. 

I had quite a bit of carnitas leftover from my taco night ¡Revolución!.  It was to be expected, 3 pounds of pork shoulder for 2 people is a little much, but I was sure to make good use of my leftovers.  To be honest the whole purpose of making the carnitas was to make a posole soup.  I am ashamed to admit that I was not motivated by trying to start a taco night ¡Revolución!, it was my own selfish need to try posole soup.  But this fact should not diminish the taco night ¡Revolución!.

Ok I have used up my quota for the use of the word ¡Revolución!.

The whole thing started while watching an episode of Dinners, Drive-ins and Dives where they visited a place that made a posole soup.   Obed is a huge fan of soup so I made a mental note to find a recipe and try it.   When I went on my search I found a recipe on Chaos in the Kitchen, which gave me the idea of the slow cooker which brings us here today.  I credit her with the seed that planted the idea for the ¡_____________!(remember quota met)

This worked out perfectly.  I got everything together in the morning before heading out for church and when we got back we had a warm savory soup waiting for us.  It is a very filling soup, the pork is soft and tender and the hominy adds to the texture of the soup.   Next time you make carnitas, make extra and plan for a posole soup. 

Print Recipe

Posole: Pork and Hominy Soup (adapted from Chaos in the Kitchen)

• 2 Tbs butter
• 1 large onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 jalapenos, seeded and diced
• 3 tsp cumin
• 1 1/2 tsp oregano
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 3 cups cooked pork, like carnitas
• 1 cup roasted green chilies (canned or fresh), diced
• 1/4 cup green salsa, medium
• 2 (15 oz) cans white hominy, drained and rinsed
• juices from carnitas
• 1 qt chicken or pork stock to cover
• tabasco or sarachi sauce (optional)

Melt butter over medium heat and add onion, garlic, jalapeno, and spices. Saute until veggies are soft.

Add vegetables in a slow cooker with pork, green chilies, salsa and hominy. Add and reserved juices from the carnitas and stock to cover.  Cover slow cooker and set on LOW for 7 hours or HIGH for 3 1/2.   Add tabasco or sarachi sauce to your taste and serve with desired garnishes.

If you prefer to do this stove top saute veggies as directed and combine everything into a large heavy pot.  Bring the soup to a boil, lower heat to a simmer and cover, simmer for 2 hours until flavors are well combined.

Carnitas

Let’s make taco night a special night.  Bypass the gritty ground beef with the taco seasoning envelope and those stale taco shells, that break when you bite into them ultimately spilling taco juice all over your white shirt.  Because that is usually how it works doesn’t it? 

The great thing about these tacos is that they can come together as easily as the other tacos with the use of a slowcooker.  Contrary to popular belief a slowcooker is just for pot roast.  Don’t stereotype the slowcooker, it can do some pretty cool things. 

First you need a 3 lbs pork shoulder (butt) cut into cubes.  To make your life easier get your hands on a boneless one if you can.

Juice 2 large oranges and you should have about 3/4 cup of orange juice.

Then squeeze the juice out of 1/2 a lime.  Reserve the rest of the lime for garnish later. 

You will also need to mince 7 cloves of garlic and chop 1/4 cup of cilantro. Which I did photograph but it was horribly blurry so lets just pretend there is a picture of minced garlic and cilantro below.

In the slowcooker combine all the ingredients, pork, juices, garlic, cumin, salt, cilantro and stock.

Give it a good stir and try to arrange all the pork into a single layer at the bottom of the pot.

Cover and set on HIGH for 4 hours or LOW for 8 hours.

Once the pork is done, it should be tender enough that you can shred it with a spoon.  Heat a stainless steel or aluminum pan with 2 Tbs of olive oil.  Using a slotted spoon transfer the pork from the pot to the pan in batches.  Fry the pork until brown and crispy, breaking it up as you fry it.   

Do not crowd the pan with pork for best results.   If you like you can deglaze the pan with about 3 tbs of beer per batch and cook till evaporated.

Fill flour or corn tortillas with pork  and garnish with chopped onion, avocado, fresh cilantro and a lemon wedge.

Here is to redefining taco night!  Trust me your family will love it and it just as easy to make as its predecessor.   The pork is tender and flavorful with all the savory elements of an authentic taco at a stand taco.

I admit there was a time that I left my slowcooker in the corner collecting dust because I thought it was just a glorified pot roast cooker, but I was so wrong.  The slowcooker can produce culinary genius if used to its fullest potential. 

Here are a few more slow cooker recipes on The Noshery:  Ropa Vieja con Arepas - Slow Cooke Puerto Rican Pork (Pernil - Pollo Fricase (Chicken in Wine Sauce)

If you like reserve 3 cups of the pork and it’s juices for a great Posole soup, which I will be posting before the end of the week.

Print Recipe

Carnitas (adapted from Chaos in the Kitchen)

See notes before starting this dish.

• 3 pounds boneless pork shoulder (butt) roast, cut into cubes
• 3/4 cup fresh squeezed orange juice
• juice from 1/2 a lemon
• 7 cloves garlic
• 1 tbsp kosher salt
• 1 tbsp cumin
• 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
• 1/4 cup of chicken or beef stock
• 1 Mexican beer (optional)

In a slowcooker combine all ingredients and stir.    Arrange the pork so it sits as a single layer at the bottom of the pot.  Set slow cooker to high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours.

Once the pork is done, it should be tender enough that you can shred it with a spoon.  Heat a stainless steel or aluminum pan with 2 Tbs of olive oil.  Using a slotted spoon transfer the pork from the pot to the pan in batches.  Fry the pork until brown and crispy, breaking it up as you fry it.   Do not crowd the pan with pork for best results.  

If you like you can deglaze the pan with about 3 tbs of beer per batch and cook till evaporated.

Serve on tortillas garnished with chopped onions, avocado, fresh cilantro and lime wedge.

_______________________

*Notes:  I did not brown the pork before putting it into the slowcooker and I think I should have.   I suggest seasoning the pork with the cumin and salt and browning it before putting it into the slowcooker. However I have not tired it which is why I did not add this to the actual recipe.

If you don’t have a slow cooker you can do it stove top by combining all ingredients in a dutch oven or large heavy pot.  Arrange the pork so it sits as a single layer at the bottom of the pot.  Bring mixture to a boil and cover loosely.  Allow meat to simmer until tender and liquid is evaporated, about 3 – 4 hours.  If liquid evaporates and the pork in not yet fork tender, add more liquid and continue to simmer.  Spoon pork with rendered fat into hot pan and continue recipe.

If you choose the slowcooker method you will have some juices in the pot when the pork is done.  Strain this juice and reserve with 3 cups of pork  for Posole soup.