Pozole Recipe

In a medium saucepan, bring 3-4 cups of water to a boil. Remove from heat and add the dried ancho chilies. They will float. Allow them to soak for 15-20 minutes, until soft and rehydrated. Remove the ancho chiles from the pot using tongs (save the water in the pot) and place them on a cutting board. Use a knife to remove the stems and any large veins. Use the back of the knife or a spoon to scoop out the seeds.

Add the chiles to a blender or small food processor with 2 whole garlic cloves, a pinch of salt, and 1/2 to 2/3 cup of water from the pot. Blend until smooth. The mixture should be fairly thick, but should be fluid enough that you can strain it.

Strain the mixture through a small fine mesh sieve over a bowl, using the back of a spoon to press as much liquid through as possible.

While the chilies soak, heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the pork shoulder and sear for 2-3 minutes per side, until golden brown on the outside. Remove the pork from the pot and set aside.

Reduce heat to medium. Add the onions to the pot and sauté for 5-6 minutes.

Add the remaining 6 cloves of minced garlic and saute for an additional 2-3 minutes.

Return the pork to the pot. Add the ancho chili paste (that you strained in step 3), ground cumin, dried oregano, and hominy. Stir everything together to coat the pork and hominy with the spices.

Add the chicken broth, salt, pepper, and bay leaves. Increase heat to bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, until the pork is tender. While the pork is simmering, you may find it necessary to skim off any foam that accumulates while cooking.

Remove the bay leaves before serving. Serve as is or add garnishes of your choice.