Caryl's Posole Recipe

Ingredients

Directions

1. Info: from Farm House Cookbook, Susam Herrmann Loomis, 1991 Often, posole (corn kernels that have been soaked in lye and dried) may be hard to find, but golden hominy can be substituted.
2. Sidedish: Serve with cornbread and green salad.
3. Wine: Beer Makes 6 servings. cilantro leaves, for garnish (optional) 1.
4. Melt the lard in a large heavy skillet over medium heat.
5. When it is hot but not smoking, add the onions and cook, stirring frequently, until the are translucent and softened, about 10 minutes.
6. Stir in the pork, and then the chile puree.
7. Add the herbs, salt, and hominy.
8. Then add the hot water and stir.
9. Bring the mixture to a boil, increasing the heat to medium-high if necessary.
10. Then reduce the heat to low and simmer the posole, partially covered, until the pork is tender but not dry and the liquid has been reduced by about half, about 3 hours.
11. Check the posole every 20 minutes or so, and stir it to be sure it isn't sticking to the pan.
12. Season to taste, and serve immediately with the cilantro leaves sprinkled on top.
13. NOTE: Cooking Pork The pork industry assures us that pork is perfectly safe when cooked to 145 to 150 defrees Fahrenheit, as opposed to the old rule of 160 to 180. (Any bacteria are killed when the meat reaches 145 to 150 degrees Fahrenheit).
14. I follow their directions and urge you to do so as well, because cooking it to that temperature results in moist, tender, flavorful meat, whereas further cooking can often render it dry and tasteless.