Pozole Rojo

By stancec44

Many pozole recipes call for canned hominy. But canned hominy is mushy and it tastes like the can it’s been sitting in. So whenever possible, use dried pozole, which is fat and pillowy with a chewy al dente pasta-like texture and an aroma akin to old-fashioned Southern grits. To use dried hominy, soak it overnight in cold water. Drain and rinse; boil in a large pot of salted water until the hominy kernels are opaque, tender, and no longer have a starchy center, 1½ to 2 hours.

Ingredients

• bunch mint (1 ounce)
• 1 bunch cilantro (1 ounce)
• 4 pound country-style pork ribs (not lean)
• 10 cups water
• 26 garlic cloves (about 1 1/2 heads), peeled, divided
• 1 (1/2-pound) white onion, quartered, plus 1/2 cup, chopped
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano (preferably Mexican)
• 5 whole black peppercorns
• 2 ounces dried guajillo or New Mexico chiles (6 to 9), wiped clean
• 1 1/2 ounces dried ancho chiles (2 to 4), wiped clean
• 1 whole clove
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 3 (15-ounce) cans hominy (also called pozole), rinsed and drained (See Note above) - or revive canned pozole as in recipe below
• Accompaniments: diced avocado; crema; queso fresco; thinly sliced iceberg or romaine lettuce; chopped white onion; sliced radishes; fried tortilla strips or chips; lime wedges; dried oregano; dried hot red-pepper flakes

Details

Servings 8
Adapted from epicurious.com

Preparation

Step 1

Note: Pozole can be made 3 days ahead. Chill, uncovered, to cool, then cover.
Either do the dried pozole as in the note above, or revive canned by:
First, wash that can flavor right out. Drain the pozole in a sieve and rinse it under running water until the kernels are bright, clean, and no longer have that slimy film; pat dry with a clean towel. Now preheat your oven to 425°F and arrange a rack in the center of the oven. Spread the hominy in an even layer on a baking sheet and roast, tossing once, until lightly toasted, very fragrant, and just beginning to brown around the edges of baking sheet (they will actually start to smell like toasted corn), 12–18 minutes. Let these babies cool and they're ready to be used in your favorite pozole recipe. (A word of warning, though: these toasted hominy are highly addictive. In fact, when I do this, I generally have to add an extra can to the tray because I know I'll eat about that much before they make their way into the stew.)

To Make Posole
Tie together mint and cilantro with kitchen string.

Bring pork and water to a boil in a large pot, skimming froth, then reduce heat to a simmer. Add tied herbs, 20 garlic cloves, quartered onion, oregano, peppercorns, and 2 teaspoons salt and gently simmer, uncovered, until pork is very tender, about 2 hours. Strain broth through a large sieve into a large heatproof bowl. Return broth to pot. Discard mint and cilantro. Transfer cooked onion and garlic to a blender with 1 1/2 cups broth and purée until smooth (use caution when blending hot liquids). Add purée to broth. Discard bones and coarsely shred pork into broth.

Meanwhile, slit chiles lengthwise, then stem and seed. Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium heat until hot, then toast chiles in batches, opened flat, turning and pressing with tongs, until more pliable and slightly changed in color, about 30 seconds per batch. Transfer to a bowl and pour 2 1/2 cups boiling water over chiles. Soak, covered, until softened, about 30 minutes.

Purée chiles with 1 1/2 cups soaking liquid, chopped onion, remaining 6 garlic cloves, clove, and 3/4 teaspoon salt in cleaned blender until a smooth paste forms, about 2 minutes.

Heat oil in cast-iron skillet over medium heat until it shimmers, then add chile paste (it will spatter) and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, 5 minutes.

Add chile paste and hominy and simmer 5 minutes. Season with salt.
Note: Pozole can be made 3 days ahead. Chill, uncovered, to cool, then cover.