Ingredients
For the chile puree:
- 2 ounces assorted dried chiles (about 8–10 large) – I used a combination of New Mexico, Guajillo, anaheim, and a couple small chipotle (see note)
- 4 large cloves garlic, peeled
- 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon ground clove
For the Pozole:
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
- 3 pounds pork shoulder, excess fat removed and cut into 4–5 chunks
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 1/2 cup chile puree, plus more to taste
- 1 15 ounce can hominy, drained and rinsed
For serving:
- shredded cabbage
- sliced radishes
- diced onions (soak them in cold water to take out some of their sharpness)
- lime wedges
- Mexican oregano
- extra chile puree
- cilantro
Instructions
To make the chile puree:
- Tear off the tops of the chiles and pour out the seeds. Place in a large bowl and cover with 4 cups of very hot water. Cover with a plate and set aside for 20-30 minutes, until the chiles are soft.
- In a blender, puree until very smooth the chiles with the soaking water, garlic, cocoa powder, cumin, salt, and cloves.
To make the pozole:
- Turn the instant pot on sauté and adjust to high temp if it’s an option. Once the screen reads HOT, add the oil.
- Add the pork and sear until well browned on all sides, about 10-15 minutes.
- Add the chicken broth and chile puree. Hit cancel and lock on the lid, making sure the seal is in place and the valve is set to sealing.
- Cook on high pressure for 60 minutes. After the time is up, hit cancel and turn the valve to venting. (Careful- the steam that releases is very hot)
- Once the lid unlocks, add the hominy and turn to sauté. Boil for about 10 minutes, or until it’s reduced to your liking. Taste as it cooks and adjust with additional chile puree if desired.
- Serve with shredded cabbage, sliced radishes, lime wedges, oregano, and additional chile puree
Notes
- I used a combination of all the dried chiles that my Instacart shopper could round up. Since I anticipate availability varying quite a bit throughout the world, I wanted to make sure it worked with a completely random combo of chiles. Traditionally, guajillo and ancho are used.
- You will have more chile puree than you need for this batch of pozole. You can freeze it for the next time you make a batch, or freeze it in ice cube trays to drop into anything that needs a little oomph. And you’ll want to serve some with the pozole for people to add as they wish!
- The 1/2 cup of chile puree added to the pozole will not make it spicy. You will probably want to add more after the pozole cooks, so taste and adjust as desired.
Keywords: pozole