Southwestern Pork Hominy Stew

It’s slow cooker season! Is there a slow cooker season? Maybe not since I made that best slow cooker pulled pork back in August which wouldn’t traditionally be known as slow cooker season so that takes me back to answer my question that no, there is no slow cooker season. But there is this southwestern pork hominy stew.

Was that confusing? Stream of consciousness happens after long baths. Nice long, warm, bubble baths. Like the one that happened tonight.

Anyway, whether or not you feel like there’s a slow cooker season, I bring to you a slow cooker dish. A nice hearty slow cooker stew.

It’s not often that I make pork stew, or even really hear of pork stew. There’s beef stew and chicken stew and chilis of both varieties. But this one, this is different and it’s the flavors of the southwest that make it so.

Making this dish was a bit of an adventure. Not because it was hard at all, but because it used ingredients that I never myself use. Probably because I don’t live nor have I ever lived in the southwest, but the ingredients of which I speak are so commonplace there that you can find them sold on roadside stands. Tomatillos, which look like juicy green tomatoes, form the base of this stew in the form of a pretty great salsa verde. Hominy, which I had to go to three separate grocery stores to find, takes the place of the corn that may traditionally be found in a southwestern style soup. And dried chilies…can’t say I’ve ever used them. Ever. Nevertheless, it came together easily and 6 hours later I had a pot full of delicious. Topped simply with sliced avocado, it warmed up me and left me in the same cozy manner as tonight’s bubble bath.

Note: if you don’t want to make your own salsa verde, simply use the jarred kind. Though, really, this was so easy, you should give it a whirl.

Southwestern Pork Hominy Stew

October 23, 2014

Servings: 8

Prep: 20 min

Cook: 6 hr

Total: 6 hr 30 min

Difficulty: Easy

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Southwestern Pork Hominy Stew uses homemade salsa verde, herbs and spices for the perfect winter warm up!

By: Chrissy

Ingredients

For the salsa verde:
14 tomatillos, husks removed and rinsed
1/2 large white onion
3 garlic cloves
3 large dried red chiles (such as chiles de arbol)
salt and pepper
1 TB Mexican oregano
1 tsp cumin
For the stew:
2 TB olive oil
2 lbs pork stew meat
1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic
3 jalapeno pepper, thinly sliced
1 large Poblano pepper, thinly sliced
2 cups salsa verde (fresh or jarred)
4 cups chicken stock
30 ounces hominy (canned)
2 tsp cumin
2 tsp salt
2 tsp oregano
2 tsp black pepper
1 cup cilantro

Directions

Step 1 Make the salsa: Place tomatillos in a large saucepan, and cover with water by 1 inch. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook until the tomatillos have softened but not burst, about 5 minutes. Reserve 1 cup cooking liquid. Pass the tomatillos through a fine seive into a bowl, pressing to release as much liquid as possible (this step is necessary).
Step 2 In a blender or food processor, add the tomatillos, onion, garlic, chilies, 2 tsp salt, oregano, cumin and 1/2 cup reserved cooking liquid. Blend or process until smooth. Season with salt and pepper as desired.
Step 3 Make the stew: To a large stock stock pot, add the olive oil and brown the pork, about 2 minutes on each side. Once cooked, set aside.
Step 4 To the pot of your slow cooker, layer the onions and peppers. Add the pork, spices, cilantro and hominy. Cover with the salsa verde and stock.
Step 5 Set the cooker on high for 6 hours until the pork is cooked through. Serve topped with fresh avocado and toasted pepitas, if desired.

2 thoughts on “Southwestern Pork Hominy Stew”

Cara Griffin says:

October 27, 2014 at 4:23 pm

This looks delicious!! I think this is one I could do. It was great meeting you last week at Lululemon! It’s Cara (FitBusyFemale). Hope to see you at another event soon 🙂
- Chrissy says:
  
  October 27, 2014 at 4:59 pm
  
  Likewise! I hope to see you at another event!