New Mexican Posole

I’ve been making this pork posole stew for years. It’s simple to put together and fills the house with wonderful smells. I sometimes add a couple potatoes and carrots to get the southwestern equivalent of Beef Stew. Source is an out-of-print cookbook called “Blue Corn and Chocolate”

• Ready In: 2 hrs 15 mins
• Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

• 1 1⁄4-1 1⁄2 lbs  lean boneless pork, cut in very small cubes
• 2  cups hominy, canned drained
• 1  large onion, coarsely chopped
• 2  large  dried New Mexico chiles, seeded
• 3  garlic cloves, crushed
• 1  teaspoon oregano
• 1⁄2 teaspoon cumin
• 3 -4  cups cold water
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt (to taste)

Directions

1. Combine all the ingredients, except the salt and hominy in a pot.
2. Simmer the stew over low to moderate heat, uncovered, for 2 - 3 hours until the meat is very tender. If the mixture becomes too dry while cooking, add more water. (About mid way through this time, I fish out the chiles and gently scrape the now fully reconstituted inner flesh from the paper like skins. Stir the chile flesh back into the stew and throw the skins away.) About 1/2 hour before the stew is done add canned hominy.
3. When posole is done, add salt to taste. The stew should be a sort of soupy stew, best served like chili, in bowls.