Mexican Pork-Garlic Stew with Hominy
Submitted by gollywhopper
Mexican pork-garlic stew with hominy: slow-simmered pork shoulder and smoky chorizo built on 14 cloves of garlic, cumin, coriander, and fennel. A pozole-inspired bowl finished with lime, cilantro, and scallions.
YIELD
12 servingsPREP
20 minCOOK
2 hrsREADY
3 hrsMexican Pork-Garlic Stew with Hominy
This pork-garlic stew with hominy is a soulful cousin to traditional Mexican pozole, built on a foundation of fourteen cloves of garlic, smoky chorizo, and slow-simmered pork shoulder. The hominy, which is dried corn kernels treated with lime (nixtamalized), delivers that signature chewy-tender bite and a slightly earthy corn flavor you can’t get from fresh or canned corn.
Rendering the chorizo first and sauteeing the onion and garlic in its flavored fat builds an incredible flavor base. That fat is basically liquid Spanish smoke, and you don’t want to waste a drop of it.
The sherry reduction is an unusual move for Mexican cooking but it works. Dry sherry mirrors the nutty depth of aged mezcal and adds a concentrated sweetness that balances the spice and fat. The alcohol burns off during the reduction; what stays behind is pure wine flavor.
Two hours of gentle simmering breaks down the pork shoulder into tender, spoonable pieces. The hominy goes in late so it soaks up the broth without turning soft, and a final squeeze of lime wakes everything up.
Pro Tips
- Use Mexican-style chorizo (fresh, raw, crumbly), not the firm Spanish cured version; they behave completely differently in cooking.
- Look for canned white hominy in the Mexican aisle; dried hominy works beautifully but needs overnight soaking and an extra hour of cooking.
- Toast the whole cumin, coriander, and fennel seeds in a dry pan before grinding for the deepest flavor; pre-ground spices lose aroma quickly.
- Fresh cilantro and scallions go in at the very last minute; cooking them turns them army-green and robs them of their fresh punch.
Variations
- Add 2 dried guajillo or ancho chiles (stems and seeds removed, toasted, and rehydrated) to the broth for a true pozole rojo experience.
- Swap in chicken thighs instead of pork for a lighter posole-style bowl.
- Serve with shredded cabbage, thin radish slices, and crispy tostadas for authentic posole garnishes.
Ingredients
Directions
In a large pan, sauté the chorizo over moderate heat til it loses its pink colour, about 3 min.
Remove with slotted spoon.
Sauté onion and garlic in chorizo fat over moderate heat for 10 min.
Add sherry, and cook 4 to 5 min, til the liquid evaporates.
Add to the chorizo and set aside.
Heat the olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pot.
When hot but not smoking, brown the pork cubes on all sides.
Return the pork and chorizo mixture to the pot, add the spices, oregano and beef stock.
Bring to a boil over high heat, scraping the bottom of the pot to remove any particles.
Reduce heat to moderate, and cook 2 hours or til meat is tender.
Add the hominy and lime juice and cook 10 minutes.
Mix in the green onions and cilantro just before serving.
Serve hot.
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