PVB’s 1-Pot Pork Pozole Verde

Ingredients

• Pork shoulder/pork loin/pork chops (8–10 pounds)
• Tomatillos (6–8 depending on size)
• Garlic (8 cloves)
• Large white onion diced
• Cilantro (1 bunch)
• Bay Leaves (3–4)
• Cumin (4 teaspoons)
• Dried oregano (3 teaspoons)
• Chicken broth (4 quarts)
• Poblano peppers (3–4)
• Jalapeno peppers (3–4)
• Hominy (110-ounce can or more)
• 1 20-ounce jar of salsa verde
• Sliced radish
• Limes (5–6)
• 12 pack of Modelo Especial
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• Cotija cheese

Instructions

• Cube pork into 2-inch cubes and sear over high heat with some olive oil until browned. This will take multiple runs to complete. I’ll put in pork loin, boneless pork chops or whatever is on sale in as well. Remove browned pork cubes and set aside. Save shoulder bone and add with browned pork pieces later.
• While pork is browning, largely chop garlic and peeled tomatillos, and remove stems from peppers. I don’t scald my peppers or remove the seeds. It gives it a fresher (greener) flavor.
• Add onion to pot and deglaze fond with one Modelo
• In a blender (a few runs will be necessary) add garlic, ¾ of cilantro bunch (stems and all) peppers, tomatillos, a few lime wedges (you read that right) and some chicken stock. Blend until macerated.
• Return browned pork to onions in the pot.
• Pour blended mix above over the pork and add enough chicken stock to cover pork mixture with 1 inch and bring to a slow boil.
• Add bay leaves, cumin, oregano, juice of 3 limes and jar of salsa verde.
• Simmer at a very low boil for about 2–3 hours or until the pork pieces are able to be mashed with the back of a wooden spatula. Remove shoulder bone.
• Add drained hominy and cook for another hour
• Up to the chef if you’d like to remove some of the rendered fat. Once cooled in the fridge, the fat cap is easier to remove. I’ll use paper towels to soak up most of the fat while it’s hot.
• Salt and pepper to taste and remove bay leaves.
• Garnish with sliced radishes, lime wedges, cilantro and Cotija cheese.

Chef’s note: I like my pozole a little brothier than some, and I like my pork to be in larger chunks vs. cooked into oblivion. Pretty simple recipe for a football weekend and a crew lunch at the shop. We have a small crew, so I bring in storage containers for them to take home. The extra Modelos and spare lime wedges can be consumed during the cooking process if the mood should strike.