Pork Chile Verde with Posole

This is one of my favorite chili recipes.  I've adapted it to use my favorite gadget, the pressure cooker.  If you are faint of heart, just cook everything longer on top of the stove, or toss it in the crock pot...  Add as many or few hot peppers as you like.  Enjoy!

Pork Chili Verde with Posole

1 lb tomatillos

2 ½ lb thick sirloin pork cutlets

1/2 tea salt

½ teaspoon ground pepper

3 or 4 tbs flour (for dredging)

3 or 4 tbs olive oil, for browning, may need more

1 lg sweet onion, chopped

2 Anaheims, chopped

3 Poblanos, chopped

2 Jalapeno, chopped

1 each green and red bell peppers, chopped

4 cloves garlic

3/4  c dried hominy, soaked overnight and drained, or 1 can hominy drained and rinsed

1 tea oregano

1 tbs ground cumin

1 tea salt, or to taste

1 ½ c chicken stock or water

3/4 c chopped cilantro

Put the hominy in a 6 qt pressure cooker with 6 cups of water and 1 tea salt.  Cover and bring to pressure.  Lower the heat to keep the pressure up and continue to cook for 20 minutes.   Let pressure release naturally.  Drain and set aside.  Or, just use a can of drained & rinsed hominy.  Add into the recipe later as indicated.

Turn on the broiler.  Set the tomatillos roasting pan sheet and place broiler.  Watch them carefully, once the tops are browned and charred, turn them and place back under the broiler.  Once the other side is browned, set them aside to cool.  Then chop the tomatillos coursely, reserving all the juices.

In a large shallow dish, mix the flour with ½ tea salt and a few grinds of pepper.  Dredge the cutlets in the flour, dusting off the excess.

Add the oil to a 6 qt pressure cooker.  Bring to medium and the pork and brown it on both sides.  At the same time toss in the whole garlic cloves and let them get light brown.  Remove the pork and browned garlic then set aside to cool.  Once cool enough to handle, cut the meat into chunks about 1” or so.

 Add another tablespoon of olive oil to the pressure cooker then add the onion making sure to scrape up all the brown bits from the pork. Cook for several minutes until softened.  Add the chiles and bell peppers.  Continue cooking over medium heat for several more minutes.  Add the garlic and pork, stir.  Then stir in the hominy, cilantro, oregano, cumin, chicken stock or water, and the tomatillos and their juices.  Fasten the lid to the pressure cooker and bring to pressure.  Lower the heat to maintain the pressure and continue to cook for 30 minutes.  Let Turn off the heat and allow the pressure to naturally release.  Check the broth for seasoning add salt and pepper as needed.  Stir in the cilantro and simmer uncovered until the hominy is tender.  Taste for salt and pepper, adjusting as needed.

Serves 6 hungry people.  This is better if made in advance and reheated.  (These pictures show a double batch.)