Pork Soup with Red Chiles (Faux Pork Posole)
This dish is loosely adapted from Alison Roman's Dining In. Because I made this pozole rojo recipe paleo and Whole30 friendly, I omitted the can of hominy, but feel free to add it along with the tomatillos! It certainly can't really be called a posole without it. You can also make this soup in the slow cooker. Just transfer after all the ingredients have been added. If you can’t find these dried chiles, you can use 2 chipotles in adobo and an extra splash of the sauce from the can.
Servings 4
Ingredients
- 6 large guajillo or New Mexican chiles about 2 ounces (see note)
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 large shallot roughly chopped
- Sea salt
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 2 1/2 pounds boneless pork shoulder cut into 2-inch pieces
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- 1 pound tomatillos quartered
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes quartered
- 1 can hominy for a traditional (non-paleo) version
- 1 quart chicken stock or water
- 2 limes quartered
- 2 cups shredded cabbage
- 1 cup roughly chopped cilantro
Instructions
- In a large Dutch oven or lidded saucepan, heat the chiles over a medium-high flame. Toast the chiles in the dry pan shaking the pan occasionally for 5 minutes. Remove the chiles to a work surface. Once cool enough to touch, cut the tops off with kitchen shears and shake out the seeds. Discard the tops and seeds.
- Place the remaining chiles in a heat-proof bowl and cover with 3 cups boiling water. Allow to sit for 15 minutes.
- With a slotted spoon or spatula, transfer the soaked chiles to a blender along with the garlic, shallot and 1/2 cup chile water (save the remaining chile water). Puree until smooth.
- Return the Dutch oven or saucepan to high heat and warm the oil. Season the pork generously with salt and the cumin. Once hot, add the pork in an even layer. Cook until browned on all sides, about 10 minutes total. Carefully add the chile puree and toss to combine, scrapping up any brown bits on the bottom of the pan. Cook for 3 minutes, until thickened. Add the tomatillos, cherry tomatoes, remaining chile water, hominy (if using), an additional 4 cups chicken stock or water, and 2 teaspoons sea salt. Bring to a simmer and reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook for 1 1/2 hours. Uncover and cook for another 2 hours, or until the pork is falling apart tender. (Alternatively you can transfer to a slow cooker and cook for 4 hours partially covered on high).
- Add the juice of one lime to the broth and serve the remaining in the side. Divide the pozole between 4 bowls and top with the cabbage and cilantro.
Notes
To make low FODMAP, simply omit the shallot and garlic.