Posole – New Mexico’s Favorite Corn

Posole is a very popular soup in both old Mexico and New Mexico. It is also the name of a common ingredient in New Mexican food. Posole is another name for hominy, a nixtamalized corn. Few things make New Mexicans feel more of a festive spirit than posole, especially when it is made with the red chile hanging from the ristra in your abuela’s kitchen. Cooking it is pretty easy, as you just have to soak it for a few hours and then boil it. When you like the texture, that means it is done! Typically in New Mexico, we like our posole with pork and red chile, though some people also love eating it with menudo. Don’t forget to add a tortilla on the side to complete the dish!

New Mexico’s second favorite corn

Chicos are another very popular corn product in New Mexico, especially in northern New Mexico. Chicos are a roasted and dried corn that adds a really nice smoky flavor. They are most commonly used when making pinto beans, but can also be used in a posole dish. They take a lot longer to cook because they are very dense, so make sure to start soaking and cooking the chicos a few hours before you start the posole.