Posole (Mexican Pork and Hulled Corn Soup)

So, I bought a very large pork loin for our New Year's day dinner and was thinking about what to do with the extra?  I am absolutely in love with Mexican cuisine and thought, "Let me use the loin instead of the classic shoulder cut and make one of the best things ever, Posole!"  Pronounced poh-SOH-lay, be careful with this one, it's very addicting.  It's best garnished with lots of cilantro, cheese, and lime.  Serve it with warm flour tortillas, OLE!

The recipe below has the shoulder cut in it, because this is how I would usually make this dish.  For the pork loin cut, I will season it the exact same way, but will roast it in a 375 degrees F oven for 20 minutes per pound.  Then I will let the pork cool slightly and cut it into strips to be served on top of the soup. 

Pork:

1 Tbsp. ground cumin

1 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. smoked paprika

(1) 2-pound boneless pork shoulder (Boston butt)

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

½ red onion, sliced

Posole:

¼ cup vegetable oil

½ red onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 plum tomatoes, diced

6 C. low-salt chicken broth

      (1) 28 oz. can undrained pinto beans

      (1) 28 oz. can white hominy, drained

      (1) 28 oz. can diced tomatoes with juices, puréed in blender until smooth

      1 Tbsp. oregano

      2 tsp. ground cumin

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Shredded mild cheddar

Chopped fresh cilantro

Lime wedges

Flour tortillas

For pork-  Do ahead!  Can be done up to 3 days before making the soup.  Just cover and chill the pork and juices separately.

Preheat oven to 275 degrees F.

Line a small roasting pan with foil.  Mix spices in a small bowl.  Rub spice mix all over the pork.  Season well with salt and pepper.  Place pork in the pan, cover with sliced onions and pour 1/2 cup of water in the bottom of the pan.  Cover tightly with foil and roast until meat is very tender, 5-6 hours.  Let pork rest until cool enough to handle.  Using 2 forks shred pork into bite-sized pieces.  Skim the fat from the juices in the roasting pan; reserve meat. 

For posole-

Heat oil in large pot over medium-low heat.  Add onion and saute until translucent, about 5 minutes.  Add garlic and cook, stirring often, about 2 minutes.  Add the diced fresh tomatoes and stir until softened, 2 minutes longer.  Stir in broth and the next 5 ingredients.  Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to low.  Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes.  Add reserved pork to the soup.  Simmer uncovered for 30 minutes longer.  Season to taste with salt and pepper, adding reserved juices from the roast pork. 

Divide among bowls, garnish with shredded cheese, cilantro, and lime wedges.  Serve with warm flour tortillas and enjoy!