Recipe: Beef Pozole Stew

Pozole, or hominy, is a common staple in Southwest cooking. Cheap and versatile, it's mild corn flavor lends itself well to many classic Southwest dishes, such as this one - a variation of which was often eaten by cowboys around the campfire in the old Southwest. It can be made either on the stovetop or in a crockpot. (The crockpot variation instructions are shown in parentheses.)

Beef Pozole Stew

Ingredients:

Pozole! (Photo credit: sea turtle)

1 Tbsp high-heat cooking oil
2 pounds lean beef, cubed small
1/4 cup cilantro
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp black pepper
1 onion, diced
1 garlic clove, minced
2 oz tomato paste
15 oz stewed tomatoes
1 can (29 oz) white hominy (pozole)

Directions:

1. Heat the oil in a large heavy Dutch oven until hot, add the beef and sear quickly until browned nicely.  
2. Turn heat down to low and add to the skillet the cilantro, salt, pepper, onion, and garlic and cook gently until the beef is tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. (If using a crockpot, add just the onion and garlic to the beef and cook until vegetables start to soften. Then add mixture to crockpot and add other ingredients.)
3. Now add to the Dutch oven the tomato paste, tomatoes and hominy. (Add these to crockpot with the other ingredients and mix well.)
4. Continue to cook over low heat for 10 minutes. Be sure to stir often. You can add some water if the stew is too thick. (Cover crockpot and cook on low about 4 hours.)
5. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper if desired.  Serve hot in bowls.

Find More Delicious Southwestern Recipes Here:

American Indian Cooking: Recipes from the Southwest, by Carolyn Niethammer
In this 191 page book you'll discover some of the culinary traditions that the Indians of the Southwest used to make. You'll find 150 authentic recipes like yucca hash, hominy and so much more.

The Food of Santa Fe: Authentic Recipes from the American Southwest, by Dave Dewitt & Nancy Gerlach
In this 144 page book you will find some of the most delightful, authentic traditional dishes of New Mexico. Not only does this book provide recipes for you, it also gives you some geographical and historical context as well.

The Southwest Table: Traditional Cuisine from Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona, by Dave DeWitt
Enjoy a taste of the American Southwest in this 288 page book. This book provides almost 200 recipes of exquisite cuisine from Arizona, Texas, and New Mexico. Not only does the author provide you with all these recipes, he provides some cooking terms and ingredients that are specific to Southwestern cuisine.