Posole Variation with Chile Pods

I happened upon this recipe when I was feeling lazy. I'm adding it here for Scott to consider cooking in a hotel room with no prep time and a crock pot. If I was Scott, and if I were doing this, I'd ziploc up the spices. I would cut up the pork and freeze it together with onions. I'd probably buy frozen onions but chopping my own would be more economical. I'd need a can opener for the hominy and, maybe, the chicken broth.

Add the following to a crock pot:

• 1-2 lb pork (pork loin cut in 1" cubes OR cheap pork chops with the meat cut in bits and bones added OR ham hocks OR pork neck bones -- smoked or fresh)
• 3 dried New Mexico red chile pods (remove stem and seeds without being obsessive)
• 3 cloves garlic (peel but leave whole)
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 tsp ground pepper
• 1/2 tsp whole cumin (a little less if powdered)
• 1/4 tsp mexican oregano (any oregano will do)
• 1 tsp sugar
• 3/4 cup chopped onion (frozen is convenient, sauted is ok)
• 4 cups chicken broth (or chicken base/boullion with water)
• Additional water if needed to cover everything.
• Do Not Add Salt (pork may be salty. broth may be salty. taste and salt at the end)

Cook on high for 6 hours or until the meat falls apart. If the meat is frozen when you start it will take longer.

While cooking, depending on the pork, you may want to spoon off the accumulated oil off the top of the crock pot. Stir afterwards. This is not crucial but you may want less fat.

When done, add:

• 1 large can hominy (the hispanic brands are firmer. If not, yellow is better than white)

It just depends on your crock pot. Once the posole is hot, you can eat it. (For shorter cooking time, microwave the hominy before you put it in.

Here is another posole recipe that takes longer to cook and has a different vibe.

http://flatlandfood.blogspot.com/2011/11/posole-variation.html