Posole is a Mexican stew made with pork and hominy in a rich, flavorful broth. A pressure cooker cooks the pork quickly, intensifies its flavor, and makes it meltingly tender. However, you can just as easily simmer it away in a heavy pot for a few hours if you prefer. Everyone can enjoy customizing their bowls with the assortment of accompaniments. Makes about 4 quarts.
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 large white onion, chopped
6 garlic cloves, chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano, crushed
4 pounds boneless pork shoulder, well trimmed and cut into 2-inch chunks
8 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon kosher salt
6 dried red New Mexico chiles (about 2 ounces total), stemmed and seeded
3 dried chiles de árbol, stemmed and seeded
1 1/2 cups hot water
4 cups canned hominy, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
3 avocados, halved, pitted, peeled, and cubed
1/2 head green cabbage shredded
1 medium white onion, finely diced
3 radishes, thinly sliced
4 limes, cut into wedges
2 jalapeño peppers, thinly sliced
Homemade Tortilla Chips or warm corn tortillas
The chile sauce can be made up to 2 days ahead, covered, and refrigerated.
Heat an 8-quart pressure cooker over medium-high heat. Add the oil, then add the onion, two-thirds of the chopped garlic, and the oregano and sauté for about 2 minutes, or until fragrant. Add the pork, broth, and 2 teaspoons of the salt.
Lock the pressure cooker lid in place and bring to high pressure over high heat, about 15 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium to stabilize the pressure and cook for 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow the pressure to subside on its own, about 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Working in batches, toast the chiles in the skillet for about 30 seconds (be careful not to burn them, or the sauce will be bitter), or until fragrant. Transfer the toasted chiles to a large bowl and pour the hot water over them. Soak the chiles, turning occasionally, for about 20 minutes, or until softened.
Transfer the chiles and soaking liquid to a blender, add the remaining chopped garlic and remaining 1 teaspoon salt and puree until smooth. Set the chile sauce aside.
Unlock the pressure cooker and remove the lid, tilting it away from you to allow the steam to escape. Spoon off any scum and oil from the top of the stew.
Add the chile sauce, hominy, and cilantro to the stew and simmer for about 10 minutes to allow the flavors to blend. Ladle the stew into bowls and serve with the accompaniments.
If you don’t have a pressure cooker, the posole can be cooked in a heavy pot in the traditional manner. Heat a large heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add the oil, then the onion, two-thirds of the chopped garlic, and the oregano, and sauté for about 2 minutes, or until fragrant. Add the pork, broth, and 2 teaspoons of the salt. Bring the mixture to a simmer. Simmer for 1 1/2 hours, or until the pork is tender. Spoon off any scum and oil from the top of the stew. Continue as directed in steps 3, 4, and 6.
Don’t be afraid of making your own chile sauce, like the one here—it sure beats the stuff from a can or jar. It may taste exotic and wonderful, but it is about the easiest sauce to make: It’s just a quick toasting and soaking of chiles, then a whirl in the blender with garlic and salt. Use it for enchiladas, braised meats, or even as a dip for corn chips. For the posole, I use New Mexico chiles, which are long, brick-colored dried chiles, along with little chiles de árbol for heat. Look for them in cellophane bags at most supermarkets.