A bowl of Pozole!

I have had a lot of requests from my Mexican Extended family for my recipe for Pozole. The problem is that I was taught by my aunt how to make it and I scratched down the directions on a scrap piece of paper because she would give me directions like, " a little of this" and " a lot of that" just like all good cooks do!

So it was difficult to put amounts and quantities to get the soup in the right proportions. Over the years I have perfected it "My Way". I tried my best to re-create it on paper, but each time I make it, my soup comes out just a little different but still Yummy! In the recipe, I give you my American version of how I cook it up almost like the authentic soup! Enjoy!

Pozole (with my American Variations)

The recipe is on a scratch piece of paper ~ so here it is:
Medium to Large size pork roast
1 pkg Lipton Onion Soup

Cook the Pork Roast in a Crock Pot with 1 pkg Lipton Onion Soup sprinkled on top for about 6- 8 hours or until you can tell it is fully cooked. (This is an American variation because the family likes the texture of the meat better this way than just boiling the pork meat in water. The Lipton Onion Soup gives the meat added flavor as well.)
I usually cook the meat over night in the crock pot and then it is ready to simmer most of the day in the pot with all the other ingredients.

Once the meat is cooked, cut it up into cubes and put in a pot with water just covering over the top. Try to keep some of the fat on the meat in the soup because this also adds flavor. I trim some of the fat off but not much!

Add to the meat and water in the pot:
Salt (about 2-4 Tbsp)
Pepper (about 1 Tbsp)
Onion (about ½ cup)
Chop up about 1/4 cup of Fresh Cilantro and add
Oregano (about 1 Tbsp)
Garlic (about 1 Tbsp)
Cummin ( about 1 Tbsp)

Let simmer for about 6-8 hours on low in the pot, stirring often. Add more water if needed so that the water stays at a level that is above the meat but not too much because you will be adding the Hominy which takes up most of the room in the pot. This usually fills up about 1/3 of the pot.
(This is usually where I taste the soup to see if I have enough seasonings and add more if needed)

While that is simmering in the pot, I put about 3-4 whole California Chili pods in the pot to cook and soften and I let them simmer away until soft enough to eventually put them in the blender and puree.

After about 6-8 hours of simmering on low, take the Chili pods out of the pot and put in the blender with 2 small cans of tomato sauce and puree. If you like your soup more “spicy” then add a couple more chili pods. Add the puree chili mixture into the pot with the rest of the ingredients. We like the tomato flavor, so here I add about 2-4 more cans of tomato sauce one at a time until it looks like a red soup and not to watery.

Add 1 large can of Mexican White Hominy to the pot after draining and rinsing under warm tap water. We like lots of Hominy so I usually add 2 large cans of Hominy. You can decide how much you want to put in the pot according to your taste.

Stir good and let simmer for only about another 15 minutes or so to let the flavors blend.
Add 1 pkg of crushed Saltine Crackers just before serving to help give it a thicker consistency.

After serving up the soup in bowls, top with:
Shredded Cabbage
Chopped Raddish
Lime slices squeezed into the soup

This makes a large pot of Pozole to feed the whole family!

We usually freeze the left overs or if I am at mom’s then we send some home with my brothers and sister for them to enjoy later! (If there is any left over =)

(Mom & Me)