Uploaded May 2023 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
If you are in the mood for a bowl of comfort food, this ‘Pozole’ recipe from our friend, Dr. Bill Schindler, is sure to hit the spot!
By itself, corn is difficult for humans to digest, which is when nixtamalization comes into play.
This food processing technique of soaking and cooking maize (read corn) in an alkaline solution, usually of lime water or ash, was used not only by ancient Mesoamerican cultures, such as the Mayans, but also by Chibcha people of Columbia, who used cal, or calcium hydroxide. This process renders the maize more digestible and makes its essential nutrients, such as calcium and Vitamin B3, more bioavailable.
Ingredients:
4 quarts water
3 pounds boneless meat (pork shoulder, pork belly, venison, beef, or chicken), cut into 2-inch pieces
1 bay leaf
½ teaspoon whole black peppercorns
1 tablespoon fresh oregano, preferably Mexican, plus more for garnish
1 onion, chopped, divided
6 garlic cloves, peeled
5 dried guajillo peppers, seeded
5 dried ancho peppers, seeded
8 cups nixtamal or store-bought hominy
3 tablespoons lard or butter
Sea salt
Optional garnishes: lime wedges, sliced radishes, fermented cabbage
Directions:
Combine the water and cubed meat in a large stockpot and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Skim the surface and reduce to a simmer. Add the bay leaf, peppercorns, oregano, half of the onion, and 4 of the garlic cloves. Continue simmering for 1 hour, or until the meat easily pulls apart.
While the broth is simmering, combine the seeded guajillo and ancho peppers, remaining onion, and remaining 2 garlic cloves in a medium heatproof bowl.
When the broth is finished, strain it through a colander into another pot or a large bowl, clean the stockpot, and return the broth to it. Ladle enough of the hot, strained broth into the bowl containing the peppers, onion, and garlic to cover. Set the bowl aside for 30 minutes to rehydrate the peppers. Shred the meat with your fingers or two forks and return the shredded meat, along with the onion and garlic, to the pot. Add the nixtamal or hominy to the pot. Return to a simmer over medium heat.
When the peppers have rehydrated, strain the peppers, onion, and garlic through a sieve into a bowl and place in a blender. Add 2 cups of the strained liquid to the blender and pour the remaining strained liquid into the pot. Puree the peppers, onion, garlic, and liquid until smooth. Heat the lard or butter in a sauté pan over medium-high heat and add the puree. Stir to incorporate the fat, then reduce to a simmer and continue to cook for 30 minutes. Add the mixture to the stockpot and stir to incorporate. Season with salt to taste.
Ladle the pozole into bowls and garnish as desired.
Get the full recipe on our website:
price-pottenger.org/journal_article/pozole
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#eatlikeahuman #pozole #pozolerecipe #nixtamal #nixtamalization #heirloomcorn #cincodemayo #maize #lard #pasturedpork #chestertownmd #traditionalmexicanfood #mexicancuisine #pozolerojo #zeamays #madefromscratch #regionalcuisine #oxacaca #indigenousfoods #eatrealfood #nixtamalizacion #ancestraldiet #ancestralnutrition #pricepottengerkitchen #traditionalcooking #wisetraditions #nosetotail #pastureraised #pricepottenger #westonaprice #WAPF #nutrientdensefoods
If you are in the mood for a bowl of comfort food, this ‘Pozole’ recipe from our friend, Dr. Bill Schindler, is sure to hit the spot!
By itself, corn is difficult for humans to digest, which is when nixtamalization comes into play.
This food processing technique of soaking and cooking maize (read corn) in an alkaline solution, usually of lime water or ash, was used not only by ancient Mesoamerican cultures, such as the Mayans, but also by Chibcha people of Columbia, who used cal, or calcium hydroxide. This process renders the maize more digestible and makes its essential nutrients, such as calcium and Vitamin B3, more bioavailable.
Ingredients:
4 quarts water
3 pounds boneless meat (pork shoulder, pork belly, venison, beef, or chicken), cut into 2-inch pieces
1 bay leaf
½ teaspoon whole black peppercorns
1 tablespoon fresh oregano, preferably Mexican, plus more for garnish
1 onion, chopped, divided
6 garlic cloves, peeled
5 dried guajillo peppers, seeded
5 dried ancho peppers, seeded
8 cups nixtamal or store-bought hominy
3 tablespoons lard or butter
Sea salt
Optional garnishes: lime wedges, sliced radishes, fermented cabbage
Directions:
Combine the water and cubed meat in a large stockpot and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Skim the surface and reduce to a simmer. Add the bay leaf, peppercorns, oregano, half of the onion, and 4 of the garlic cloves. Continue simmering for 1 hour, or until the meat easily pulls apart.
While the broth is simmering, combine the seeded guajillo and ancho peppers, remaining onion, and remaining 2 garlic cloves in a medium heatproof bowl.
When the broth is finished, strain it through a colander into another pot or a large bowl, clean the stockpot, and return the broth to it. Ladle enough of the hot, strained broth into the bowl containing the peppers, onion, and garlic to cover. Set the bowl aside for 30 minutes to rehydrate the peppers. Shred the meat with your fingers or two forks and return the shredded meat, along with the onion and garlic, to the pot. Add the nixtamal or hominy to the pot. Return to a simmer over medium heat.
When the peppers have rehydrated, strain the peppers, onion, and garlic through a sieve into a bowl and place in a blender. Add 2 cups of the strained liquid to the blender and pour the remaining strained liquid into the pot. Puree the peppers, onion, garlic, and liquid until smooth. Heat the lard or butter in a sauté pan over medium-high heat and add the puree. Stir to incorporate the fat, then reduce to a simmer and continue to cook for 30 minutes. Add the mixture to the stockpot and stir to incorporate. Season with salt to taste.
Ladle the pozole into bowls and garnish as desired.
Get the full recipe on our website:
price-pottenger.org/journal_article/pozole
.
.
.
#eatlikeahuman #pozole #pozolerecipe #nixtamal #nixtamalization #heirloomcorn #cincodemayo #maize #lard #pasturedpork #chestertownmd #traditionalmexicanfood #mexicancuisine #pozolerojo #zeamays #madefromscratch #regionalcuisine #oxacaca #indigenousfoods #eatrealfood #nixtamalizacion #ancestraldiet #ancestralnutrition #pricepottengerkitchen #traditionalcooking #wisetraditions #nosetotail #pastureraised #pricepottenger #westonaprice #WAPF #nutrientdensefoods
