Hominy & Pork Chops

A simplified take on Mexican pozole that skips the long stock-building and gets dinner on the table in about an hour. Pork shoulder chops steam in their own juices first, then brown hard in the same pan once the liquid cooks off.

That self-basting technique is the whole trick. Steaming first tenderizes the pork from the inside before the dry-sear stage brings the outside to a deep caramel brown without drying the meat out.

Golden hominy brings that signature chewy, corn-nut flavor (the real reason pozole exists), and thinly sliced carrots add sweetness and color to the brothy base. Everything gets a bright lift at the end from quick-pickled red onions turning hot pink in vinegar and sugar.

The onions make the dish. Don’t skip them, they cut the richness of the pork and turn a rustic plate into something that looks like it came from a restaurant.

Chef Tips

• Use bone-in shoulder chops, not center-cut loin. Shoulder has the fat and connective tissue needed for the self-steaming technique to work.
• Make the pickled onions first so they have a full hour to turn properly pink.
• Drain the hominy well. Canning liquid is salty and will throw off the broth balance.
• Pierce the pork with a fork before serving to check doneness, the meat should give easily with no resistance.

Variations

• Add a dried guajillo chile or two to the broth for a more traditional pozole rojo flavor.
• Stir in a squeeze of lime and chopped cilantro at the end if the plate feels too flat.
• Swap chicken broth for pork stock if you’ve got it, the flavor doubles down.