The Shed ★ 4.7
The Shed's red chile, grown out at the family farm and ground in-house, has anchored a Santa Fe lunch line since 1953. Sister room of La Choza.
Signature: Red chile enchiladas, Blue corn enchiladas, Mocha cake
History
Pre-Columbian in origin, posole came north from Mexico into the Pueblo and Spanish kitchens of the Rio Grande Valley centuries ago. Northern New Mexico's version uses dried hominy (chicos) and red chile as the base; the dish anchors Christmas Eve and New Year's tables across Santa Fe households and shows up on every traditional restaurant menu.
Make it at home
Ingredients
- 2 lbs pork shoulder, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 2 cups dried white hominy (or 4 cups canned)
- 8 dried New Mexico red chile pods
- 1 white onion, diced
- 6 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 tablespoon dried Mexican oregano
- Salt
- For garnish: shredded cabbage, sliced radish, lime wedges, dried oregano
Method
- If using dried hominy, soak overnight in water; drain and simmer in fresh water 90 minutes until tender.
- Toast red chiles in a dry pan 30 seconds, then steep in hot water 20 minutes; blend smooth, strain.
- Brown pork in a large pot, add onion and garlic, saute 5 minutes.
- Add hominy, red chile puree, oregano and enough water to cover; simmer 90 minutes until pork shreds.
- Adjust salt; serve in deep bowls with cabbage, radish and lime on the side.
Tip from the editors. Make posole the day before; it deepens overnight and reheats clean.
This is the TableJourney editorial recipe, modelled on the canonical bistro / counter version. The first place to try the dish in its city of origin is below.
Where to eat posole
Posole in Santa Fe
La Choza ★ 4.5
Sister of The Shed, La Choza has plated Northern New Mexican on Alarid Street since 1983; voted #1 New Mexican by Santa Fe Reporter readers repeatedly.
Signature: Carne adovada burrito, Blue corn enchiladas, Green chile stew
Plaza Cafe Downtown ★ 4.2
On the Plaza since 1905, the Razatos family Plaza Cafe pours weekend brunch coffee for locals and tourists ordering blue corn pancakes and posole.
Order: Blue corn pancakes with pinon and house syrup
Estevan Restaurante ★ 4.5
Why locals love it: Tucked upstairs in Hotel Chimayo, easy to walk past; Chef Estevan Garcia's monastery-quiet plates of Northern New Mexican with French technique fly under the tourist radar.
Tip: Order the mushroom duxelle-stuffed chile relleno; the carne adovada ravioli has been on the menu for years.
More cities are in research. Want posole covered somewhere specific? Tell us where you want to eat.