slow cooker pork posole

Pork

Slow Cooker Pork Posole

Posole (or pozole) is a thick and hearty soup that originated in Jalisco, Mexico. It's usually made with pork (sometimes chicken) and is especially popular around Christmastime—it's perfect for a crowd with its varied garnishes to customize the soup. Mashing some of the beans and hominy thickens this slow-cooker posole and releases more of their earthy flavor. You may add garlic and dried chiles to bring depth of flavor as well. Garnishing with thinly sliced jalapeño chiles, finely shredded green cabbage, avocado and cilantro leaves in place of (or in addition to) the radishes, scallions and oregano is a delicious way to eat this satisfying soup.

Ingredients

1 (3 pound) lean boneless pork shoulder, trimmed and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon neutral oil, such as canola or avocado
1 ½ cups chopped poblano chiles (from 2 chiles)
1 ½ cups chopped yellow onions (from 1 onion)
4 cups unsalted chicken stock
1 (15 ounce) can white hominy, drained and rinsed
1 (15 ounce) can no-salt-added pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup salsa verde
¼ cup thinly sliced radishes
¼ cup thinly sliced scallions
1 tablespoon fresh oregano leaves

Directions

Sprinkle the pork evenly with the cumin, salt, and black pepper. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add half of the pork to the skillet; cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker. Repeat the procedure with the remaining pork.
Add the poblano chiles and onions to the skillet. Cook, stirring often, until the vegetables are almost tender and lightly caramelized, about 5 minutes. Add 1/2 cup of the stock to the skillet. Cook 1 minute, stirring and scraping to loosen the browned bits from the bottom of the skillet; transfer to the slow cooker. Stir in the hominy, pinto beans, salsa verde, and remaining 3 1/2 cups stock. Cover and cook on LOW until the pork is tender, 7 to 8 hours. Skim the fat from the surface of the soup. Mash some of the beans and hominy with a potato masher. Ladle the soup into bowls. Serve with the sliced radishes, scallions, and oregano leaves, if desired.