BEEF POZOLE

Beef Pozole image

Provided by Marcela Valladolid

Time 2h20m

Yield 6 to 8 servings

Number Of Ingredients 21

2 1/2 pounds beef shank
1 white onion, quartered
1 large carrot, roughly chopped to yield 1/2 cup
1 stick celery, roughly chopped to yield 1/2 cup
2 cloves garlic, peeled
2 bay leaves
2 tablespoons salt, plus extra for seasoning
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
One 29-ounce can Mexican-style hominy, drained
Freshly ground black pepper
3 cups thinly sliced cabbage, for garnish
1 cup thinly sliced radishes, for garnish
10 lime wedges, for garnish
1/3 cup dried oregano, for garnish
10 corn tostadas, for garnish
Pasilla-Guajillo Salsa, recipe follows (optional)
3 pasilla chiles, stemmed and seeded
3 guajillo chiles, stemmed and seeded
3 cloves garlic
2 cups warm water
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Steps:

Place the beef shank in a large heavy stock pot. Add enough cold water to cover the beef shank completely. Add the onion, carrot, celery, garlic cloves, and bay leaves. Season with 2 tablespoons of salt and 1 tablespoon of peppercorns. Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook until the meat is fully cooked and tender, about 2 hours. Be sure to constantly skim the fat from the surface of the liquid while cooking.
Remove the meat from the pot and let cool. Strain the liquid and return to the pot. Add the hominy and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Using a fork, shred the meat into thin pieces and return to the pot adding 1 cup of water, if necessary. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Simmer for 5 minutes.
Serve hot, garnished with cabbage, radishes, lime wedges, dried oregano, tostadas, and Pasilla-Guajillo Salsa, if using.
Soak the chiles and garlic cloves in warm water until the chiles are soft. Place the chiles, garlic, and water in a blender and process until smooth. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Serve with Beef Pozole as a garnish.