Posole (or pozole) — a stew of hominy (nixtamalised corn kernels), pork (traditionally the head, including the cheeks, tongue, and ears), and red or green chile — is one of the oldest continuously prepared dishes in the Americas. The Aztecs made pozole for ceremonial occasions; the dish predates European contact by centuries. In New Mexico, posole is Christmas food — served on Christmas Eve after midnight Mass, at New Year's, and at every significant gathering. The hominy — corn kernels treated with lime (calcium hydroxide) in the nixtamalisation process that removes the hull and transforms the corn's nutritional profile — is the same treated corn that becomes masa for tortillas and tamales. Posole uses the whole kernel rather than the ground masa, and the swollen, chewy, popped-open hominy is the textural heart of the dish.
A brothy stew of large, white hominy kernels and pork (shoulder, ribs, or traditionally head meat) in a red or green chile broth, served with a constellation of garnishes: shredded cabbage, sliced radish, diced onion, Mexican oregano, lime wedges, and dried red chile flakes. The hominy should be tender and slightly popped open (the kernel splits at one end during cooking, revealing the starchy interior — the "bloom"). The broth should be light but chile-forward, not thick. The pork should be falling-apart tender.
Served in a deep bowl with all garnishes on the side for self-assembly. Warm tortillas or sopapillas (AM3-14) alongside. Cold beer or hot chocolate (the New Mexican *champurrado* tradition). Posole is a one-bowl meal.
1) Dried hominy (not canned) produces the best result — the dried kernels rehydrate during the long cook and develop a chewier, more substantial texture. Soak overnight, then simmer for 2-3 hours until the kernels bloom. Canned hominy is the practical shortcut; it saves hours but the texture is softer. 2) The pork simmers with the hominy — the collagen from the pork dissolves into the broth, providing body, while the pork itself becomes tender. The specific cuts that produce the best posole (shoulder, country ribs, or head meat) are collagen-rich and benefit from the long cook. 3) Red posole uses the red chile sauce (AM3-10); green posole uses roasted green chile sauce (AM3-09); white posole uses no chile in the broth (the garnishes provide the heat). All three are traditional. 4) The garnishes are essential — they are not optional toppings but integral components. Each person builds their own bowl: the cabbage provides crunch, the radish provides sharpness, the onion provides bite, the oregano provides the herbal note, and the lime provides the acid that balances the rich pork broth.
Christmas Eve posole: the pot goes on in the morning, simmers all day, and is served after midnight Mass. The house fills with the smell of pork and chile. The family eats at 1am. This is the New Mexican Christmas tradition. Posole improves overnight — the hominy absorbs more broth, the pork flavour deepens, and the chile mellows. Second-day posole is the best posole.
Treating it as a thick stew — posole is brothy. The hominy and pork float in the broth; the broth is not a gravy. Skipping the garnishes — without the raw cabbage, radish, onion, lime, and oregano, posole is pork-and-corn soup. The garnishes transform it. Using yellow hominy — white hominy is the New Mexican standard. Yellow is used in some Mexican regional traditions.
Bill Jamison & Cheryl Alters Jamison — The Rancho de Chimayó Cookbook; Diana Kennedy — The Essential Cuisines of Mexico; Lesley Téllez — Eat Mexico