Beef Puchero (A Mexican Stew With Hominy & Vegetables)

I had the opportunity to live near Mexico. I learned to cook many dishes from friends. This is just one type of Puchero. The flavors are more intense if you refrigerate,then heat.Two methods of cooking. For large groups the slow method. For small groups, cut in half or thirds and put all in a pressure cooker. Dinner in less than an hour for fast method.

• Ready In: 3 hrs 30 mins
• Serves: 10-15

Ingredients

• 2  lbs beef stew meat
• 2  lbs  veal, cut up
• 1  veal knuckle, bone
• 2  teaspoons salt
• 2  teaspoons cumin
• 2  teaspoons chili peppers
• 1 (28 ounce) can  chopped tomatoes with juice
• 1 (28 ounce) can yellow hominy, with juice
• 2  tablespoons white sugar or 2  tablespoons sugar substitute
• 6  ears corn, each cob cut into 3 pieces
• 6  yellow onions, peeled
• 1  lb fresh green beans, end cuts, kept whole
• 3  turnips, peeled, kept whole
• 6  pattypan squash or 6  crookneck yellow squash, vine end cut off
• 2  large green chili peppers, whole
• 2  hard green apples, peeled and sliced
• 1  fresh lemon, cut in half

Directions

1. Slow method for Large Groups:
2. In large stockpot,add beef, veal and knuckle bone. (ask butcher to save you one).
3. Fill with cold water just to cover, no more.
4. Add salt, cumin and chili powder.
5. Cover and cook to a boil for 10 minutes.
6. Skim the white scum from water.
7. Add tomatoes and hominy to stockpot with juices. Add sugar. Stir.
8. In old clean pillowcase or cheescloth bag, layer the vegetables in the order given, starting with corn ending with chili peppers.
9. Take one lemon half, squeeze the juice out, as much as you can get, place the lemon cut side down.Add the apple slices and squeeze juice from other lemon half.Pul the lemon half in the sack. Close the sack with twist tie or string.
10. Simmer on low heat for 3 hours.
11. Dump out the vegies on a large platter and cut in serving pieces.
12. Serve meat and juice in a large tureen.
13. Serve with tortillas, mexican hot chocolate or beer.
14. Fast method:
15. Place everything in a pressure cooker except the apple slices. Cook at 15 pounds pressure for 20 minutes. Take off burner and let steam decrease. After pressure is gone, release lid, and spoon out vegetables on platter, serve meat and broth in a tureen.