Mexican Pork Hominy Soup (Printable Version)
# What You'll Need:
→ For the Soup Base
01 -
4 ounces dried ancho or guajillo chiles with stems and seeds taken out
02 -
5 quarts water
03 -
3 pounds chunky pork shoulder or shanks, diced into 1 to 1½-inch chunks
04 -
8 cloves garlic (4 chopped roughly, 4 left whole)
05 -
1 large can (108 ounces) white hominy, rinsed and drained
06 -
3 bay leaves, fresh
07 -
1 teaspoon cumin powder
08 -
2 tablespoons oregano, Mexican style
09 -
Salt as needed
→ Fresh Garnishes
10 -
½ small cabbage, sliced thin for extra crunch
11 -
1 bunch cilantro, chopped up
12 -
½ white onion, chopped finely
13 -
2 avocados, cut into small cubes
14 -
4 limes, juicy ones, sliced into quarters
15 -
1 bunch radishes, sliced really thin
16 -
12-24 tostada shells, nice and crispy
# Preparation Steps:
01 -
First, take off stems, seeds, and veins from the dried chiles. Quickly toast them in a dry pan until they smell good and feel soft. Put them in a bowl, pour 3 cups of hot water over them, and let them sit for 15-20 minutes till they're soft.
02 -
Dry your pork chunks with paper towels and sprinkle plenty of salt on them. Pour a bit of olive oil in a big pan and heat it up. Cook the meat in small batches so it gets nice and brown all over. Throw in the chopped garlic at the end just to wake up its flavor.
03 -
Fill a big pot with 5 quarts of water and let it come to a boil. Drop in your cooked pork, garlic, and all those tasty bits from the pan. Add the hominy, bay leaves, cumin, and oregano (squeeze it in your hands first to make it more flavorful). Toss in a tablespoon of salt and cook for 15 minutes.
04 -
Grab your soaked chiles and throw them in a blender with 2½ cups of their soaking water, the whole garlic cloves, and a teaspoon of salt. Blend until it's totally smooth. Pour this mix through a strainer to catch any tough pieces.
05 -
Pour your strained chile mixture into the pot with the pork and hominy. Add 2 teaspoons of salt, bring it to a gentle bubble, and let it cook with the lid partly on for 2-3 hours until the pork falls apart easily. Scoop off extra fat and taste to see if it needs more salt.
06 -
While your soup cooks, get all your fresh toppings ready: slice up the cabbage, chop the cilantro and onion, cube the avocados, cut the limes, and slice those radishes. Put everything in separate bowls.
07 -
Scoop the hot soup into deep bowls and let everyone add whatever toppings they want. Serve with crispy tostadas or chips for something crunchy to go with it.
# Additional Tips:
01 -
You can keep this filling soup in your fridge for up to a week, or freeze it for three months
02 -
To make it without meat, use seitan or roasted veggies instead of pork and swap in veggie broth
03 -
Make it spicier by adding more chiles, or give it more depth with a spoonful of tomato paste