I think I have mentioned before how much I adore chili. I love any style. It can have beans or no beans... lots of meat or no meat...the classic or the not so classic. Pork, Hominy, and Butternut Squash Chili is just another one that is high on my list. The pork and hominy is complemented so well with the butternut squash and tomatillos and poblano peppers. it is flavorful and not really spicy. The chili is simmered in your slow cooker so you can be out doing things while your dinner is cooking.
Ingredients for Pork, Hominy, and Butternut Squash Chili:
serves 4 - recipe can be easily doubled
1 1/2 pounds pork shoulder, cut into 1 1/2" chunks
1 tablespoon grapeseed oil
1 pound butternut squash, cut into 1" dice
3 poblano peppers, seeded and diced
2 - 11-ounce cans tomatillos, rinsed and drained
2 - 15-ounce cans hominy, rinsed and drained
2 cups chicken broth
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 large onion, diced
1 bay leaf
3 teaspoons Minute Tapioca
3/4 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon coriander
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
optional: serve cooked white rice ( a must for my husband) and tortillas
garnish; sliced radish, chopped red onion, sour cream, sliced lime, chopped cilantro
I used my Braun hand blender. Click HERE to learn more information on the Hand Blender.
Time-Saving Tips: The vegetables can be prepped a day in advance. Just refrigerate them until you are ready to start cooking. The chili can also be made a day or two in advance.
Let's see what we need.
Let's start cooking.
Combine the drained tomatillos and 2 cups of chicken broth in a bowl. Using a hand blender puree the mixture and set aside.
Season the meat with salt and pepper. Heat the 1 tablespoon of oil in a pan and saute the pork until browned. Transfer the meat to the slow cooker. In the same pan add the onions and cook a few minutes until slightly softened. add the garlic and cook until fragrant. Add the tomatillo and chicken broth mixture to the pan. Gently scraping up any goodies stuck to the pan. Bring to a simmer.
Carefully pour the mixture from the pan into the slow cooker. Then add the hominy, diced poblano peppers, cumin, coriander, and tapioca. Combine the mixture and cover. Set the cooker on high for 3 hours.
After the three hours on high sprinkle the diced squash on top of the chili. Do not stir. Cover and cook for another 1 1/2 hours on high.
Once cooked stir in the squash and then cilantro. Do a taste test to see if more salt is needed.
It's ready! It looks so good I'm ready to eat some right now. The combination of flavors is delicious. This is great for family dinners or even casual dinners with friends.
Enjoy!