native american stew/POSOLE
Bill:
Ya just might be on to someting great. See the recipe below; smoked meat and smoked peppers are called for. Get a pressure cooker and easily reduce the time involved to 1/2 day.
BEEF or PORK POSOLE STEW
(Low Fat - Low Salt)
by Maurice D. Wilson - Tucson, Arizona
I have cooked this, with excellent results, using chicken stock. This recipe differs from the basic Posole recipe in that it incorporates beans, tomatoes, chili's, and green onion, - more of a stew mixture, hence the name Posole Stew. The original recipe is authentic and very good. This recipe has a number of different flavors and is more robust. I, quite frankly, prefer this more hearty version.
Note: As stated in the tile, the beef can be replaced with Pork (use good Lean Pork loin, or, if you can go the expense, Pork tenderloin).
STOCK DAY
This recipe starts with good beef or a chicken stock. The chicken stock is quite easy to make, takes less time and is excellent. The beef stock takes a little time, but if you are a beef person, the end result is a very hardy stock. (Don't use commercial stock. It contains preservatives and too much salt.)
Stock-Beef
5 to 6 lbs of bare beef rendering bones, sawed into 2in. pieces
3 - yellow onions - unpeeled and chopped
1 - bunch of Carrots, unpeeled - chopped
1 - bunch of celery - chopped
1 Bay Leaf
1 tsp of Thyme
6 quarts of water
Tell your butcher that you need bare rendering bones. They should have very little meat on them, so they should be cheap. Have him saw them into 2 - inch pieces. Roast the bones in an uncovered pan at 400 for 2 hours. Be careful with this because your own oven may be a bit too hot. Watch the bones, which you want to be light toasty brown, not black. Place the roasted bones, along with the fat, in a 20 - quart soup pot and add the water. Add the carrots, celery, onions, bay leaf and thyme. (The onion peel will give a nice color to the stock). Bring to a boil, uncovered, skim off any foam, and then simmer for 12 hours. You will need to add water to keep the soup up to the same level. (Mark on a stick from top edge of pot to stock). Do not salt the stock. When done, strain stock and put in the refrigerator. Allow fat to rise and solidify on top of the stock. The fat will seal the stock and allow you to keep it for several days. Stock also freezes well.
Stock-Chicken
6 lbs of Chicken backs and wings
4 Ribs of celery w/leaves, rough chop
4 Carrots, peels left on, rough chop
2 Onions, peels left on, quartered
2 Parsnips, peels left on, rough chop
1 large tomato, quartered
4 cloves of garlic lightly bruised
8 sprigs of flat leave parsley
4 sprigs of fresh dill, optional
2 large bunches of fresh thyme
6 black pepper corns
4 whole cloves
1 bay leaf
6 quarts of water
1. Remove excess fat from chicken. Place chicken in large pot with water, add rest of ingredients.
2. Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat. Reduce heat and gently simmer, partially covered, for two hours, skimming foam off top. Adjust seasonings.
3. You will need to add water to keep the soup up to the same level. (Mark on a stick from top edge of pot to stock).
4. Strain broth; pour again through a fine sieve to clear it. Cool to room temperature.
5. Refrigerate for three to four days or freeze up to 3 months.
6. After initial refrigeration, remove layer of fat and discard.
BEEF or PORK POSOLE STEW
3-quarts of your favorite stock
1-1/2 lb of uncooked Posole (nixtamal), well rinsed
2 -1/2 lb (Lean) London Broil or Sirloin (Loin cut) or
Pork Loin (approx. 1 to 1-1/2 in. thick)
*l large onion - chopped
*1 whole head of garlic w/ top cut off
*3 tsp of oregano
*2 large bay leaves or 4 small
*5 mounded Tbls of Ariz. Santa Cruz or N Mex. Chili
Powder (pure red chili powder- not the commercial mix)
3 - 15oz. cans of "no salt added" peeled tomatoes,
chopped
12 - Fresh green Anaheim chilis, roasted and chopped
2- 15 oz. cans of no salt Pinto Beans, rinsed well,
or a equal amount of fresh cooked (plain)
2 bunches of green onions including most of the tops
cut in 1 in. pieces
Black Pepper to taste
Posole Day.
1-1/2 lb of uncooked Nixtamal, or 16oz of dried. (This is a form of hominy and can be purchased in markets that cater to an Hispanic clientele. It is better for this purpose than hominy, however, I have seen posole made with hominy and seems to work okay) Measure out nixtamal, pick clean, wash, and put into about 8 quarts of water, bring to a rolling boil and, covered, boil for about 2-3 hours, or longer, until the "corns" blossom into kind of a "flower". Not all of them will do this but the majority will. (When nixtamal is done; strain, rinse well and set aside. Nixtamal can be done a day or two in advance. Put in bowl and cover with cooking liquid and plastic wrap. Keep in frig. When ready for use rinse well.) Now while the Nixtamal is cooking. . .
. . .start a, hot, mesquite (or your favorite wood) fire in a charcoal grill (smoker), off to one side of the grill. Trim meat of all extraneous fat. Place in shallow throw away foil pan or sheet of foil, on the side of the grill without the fire. Cook until well smoked, and "done'ish" throughout, about 30 to 40 min. depending on thickness, fire, etc. Turn meat about half way through cooking time. When done, cool to handle and cut across the grain into small bite size pieces. Set aside.
After the meat is done, spread the coals and put the Anaheim chilis on the grill. Roast them until the skins turn mostly brownish black, do not burn. Put them into a plastic bag and allow them to steam for 20 to 30 min. Skin them, cut open and de-seed and de-vein them. Chop into small bite size pieces. Set aside.
Skim fat off of beef or chicken stock. To de-fat further, line a large strainer with cheesecloth filled with ice cubes and pour stock through this. Use a full 3 quarts of stock. Freeze the other half for a future batch or other uses. Place stock in stock pot. Heat and add - all items above marked with *. Simmer, covered, for 1 hour. Sieve out all the stuff (throw away) and return liquid to pot (3 quarts - check with the marked stick). Put in chopped Meat, Nixtamal, Beans, Tomatoes, Green Chili's. Simmer whole thing for another hour, covered. The last 10 minutes of cooking add the Green Onions to pot. Serve with gordita (thick) corn tortillas, warmed. Garnish each serving with Hard (white) Mexican cheese, plenty of chopped fresh Cilantro and squeeze in half a fresh lime.
This recipe takes time to do so you should enjoy cooking and preparing exquisite food before attempting, but I guarantee, if you take the time to collect the proper ingredients and the time to cook it, you will impress everybody lucky enough to be served this extremely flavorful and healthy dish.
http://www.ihs.gov/GeneralWeb/Links/AmericanIndian/food-posole.asp
Maintained by Aaron Murphy at
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