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Pozole
Pozole (also spelled posole) is a Mexican soup. The soup is made with a special type of
corn which has been slaked (soaked) in a solution of lime (cal).
The traditional corn that is used is called maiz blanco or "cacahuazintle" [kaw-kaw-WAH-SEEN-til]. This is a very
large-kerneled white corn grown in Mexico.
The process described below prepares the corn for the pozole. This preparation soften the
corn and additionally makes the product more digestible and thus more nutritious.
Once you've prepared the corn then use it in your favorite recipe.
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Makes:
2 1/4 to 2 1/2 pounds
i n g r e d i e n t s
2 pounds (5 1/2 cups) dried white "cacahuazintle" corn
2 1/2 tablespoons "cal" slaked lime
d i r e c t i o n s
Clean the corn
Place the corn in a colander and rinse under cold water.
Prepare the lime mixture
Add 2 quarts of water to a large (at least 4 quart) noncorrosive pan. Place the pan
over high heat and add the lime (cal) and stir until it is dissolved.
slaked lime (cal)
Boil the corn
Add the corn into the lime water, stirring gently. Use a slotted spoon and remove
any kernels that float to the top of the water. Allow the water to boil then reduce
the heat and simmer for 12 to 15 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and allow the
corn to soak for about an hour. **Note: Read your recipe before you discard the water your corn is boiled
in as it may be used in the recipe.
Wash the corn
This step is very important. If you don't rinse and clean the corn properly your dough
will be yellow and taste like lime.
Pour the corn into a colander and place it under cold running water. Use both your
hands and rub the corn between your hands to loosen any hulls still attached to the corn.
Continue until the corn is all white (except the tips). Drain the corn well. This
cleaned, prepared corn is what is called "Nixtamal" or "Nixtamalado".
nixtamal - cleaned, damp corn
Pictured above you can see the little brown "heads" (pedicels) left on the
corn. If you want the kernels to open (flower) then you need to "de-head"
the kernels. De-heading simply means to pick off those little germ heads. This
rather time-consuming step is optional and does not affect the flavor of the pozole, just
the appearance. If you don't have a strong thumbnail to flick off the heads then you
can use a small, sharp paring knife for the task.
The corn is now ready to proceed with your favorite pozole recipe.
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Basic Recipe
Traditional pozole is made with meat from a pigs head. This version uses pork stew
meat.
i n g r e d i e n t s
2 tablespoons corn oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 head garlic, cloves peeled and chopped
2 pounds pork stew meat, cut into cubes
homemade chicken stock
4 ancho chiles, seeded and deveined, soaked in hot water until soft
4 guajillo chiles, seeded and deveined, soaked in hot water until soft
4
cascabel chiles, seeded and deveined, soaked in hot water until soft
1 teaspoon dried marjoram
1 teaspoon dried thyme
8 cups prepared pozole (nixtamal). You can make your own
or purchase precleaned, dried
pozoleGarnish:
Lime wedges,
Chopped onion, Shredded lettuce Dried oregano
d i r e c t i o n s
In a large stockpot, heat the oil, add the
onion and garlic, and sauté until the onion is transparent. Add the meat and the chicken
stock to cover. The amount of stock used will depend on how thick a pozole is desired;
more may be added with the hominy later on. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat and cook
until the pork is tender.
Meanwhile, puree the
softened chiles with just enough broth to allow movement of the blender blades.
Add the chile puree,
marjoram, thyme and hominy and continue cooking until the hominy is tender. This will
require less time if canned hominy is used.
Serve the hot pozole in
deep bowls, with separate bowls of garnish ingredients on the table so that diners can add
their own.
Nutrition
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