RED POSOLE

Posole is a hearty soup consisting of chickpeas, shredded pork (sometimes beef) and a rich, red broth.  My grandma has been making this traditional soup for our family since before I was born.  She usually only makes it for us once a year, so I had to find a way to keep my belly happy those other 364 days.  I finally found the perfect combination of ingredients, and came up with this.  Of course I developed the recipe for the slow cooker, because there's nothing better than meat that's been cooked all day.  See???

You put all the ingredients in the slow cooker, go to work, come home and have meat that just FALLS APART. I am partial to Old El Paso brand enchilada sauce and I do believe it makes a difference in this recipe.  I've had it with other brands, and it just doesn't taste the same.  Also, since slow cooker meals are usually made in the morning while running out the door to work, I use two of my favorite cooking shortcuts:

No chopping and most importantly: no garlic and onion scented fingers to ruin your day!

Another favorite shortcut of mine are these magical things but with this recipe, they steal too much of the flavor.  Please promise me you will go without them just this once!

Ingredients

1 tablespoon vegetable or canola oil
1 (2 or 2.5 pound) boneless pork loin roast
1 (14.5 ounce) can MEDIUM enchilada sauce
1 (28 ounce) can MILD enchilada sauce
4 (15.5 ounce) cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 onion, chopped (or dried chopped onion)
1 (4.25 ounce) can chopped green chiles, undrained
1 (32 ounce) carton beef broth
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or more if you can handle it!
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
1/2 teaspoon salt

1. Cut the pork loin into large chunks, about 6-8 big pieces.  Heat the canola oil in a skillet over high heat. Place pork in skillet and sear all sides. You don't want to fully cook the pork, just sear the sides to seal in all the juices.
2. Place the meat in a large crock pot. Pour the enchilada sauce over the meat. Top with the chickpeas, onion, chiles, garlic, cayenne pepper, and oregano. Pour in enough beef broth to fill the slow cooker (you might not need the entire carton).
   
3. Cover and cook on High for 6 to 7 hours.  Remove the chunks of pork spoonfuls at a time to shred.  At this point, you should only have to smash them with a large wooden spoon and they fall apart.  Find and discard any bits of fat.  Stir in can of tomato paste to crock pot until blended.  Carefully put shredded pork back in crock pot.  Add salt.  Cook for about another hour on low.  Taste broth and add additional salt or cayenne pepper as necessary.  Serve with fresh tortillas, chips or corn bread.