A Fiesta of Food~Bison Posole

The Chicano Humanities and Arts Council (CHAC) and partners (Metro State University Chicano/a/x Studies and Journey Through Our Heritage and Colorado Folk Arts Council),  invites you to celebrate the holidays virtually with Cooking with CHAC Fiesta Foods for the Holidays! These events are free and open to the public. Food is an important part of our cultural heritage, a way to spend time together and nourish mind, body and spirit.

Nathen grew up in Denver's Historic Baker neighborhood and graduated from West High School. His cooking experience includes anything from bison heart chili to fried alligator tail to mountain lion carnitas. Responsibly sourcing food for his family and carrying on culinary heritage is a driving passion. What our ancestors had to do out of necessity has evolved into nutritious and delicious traditions. Nathen seeks out the legacy the ancestors left us in cooking from scratch, home canning, drying meat into carne seca, cast iron cooking, and hunting to pass on to his two daughters. Nathen will be demonstrating how to make bison pozole and discussing the ethics of sourcing meat. The workshop will review cuts of meat and their uses and how to use various game meats.

Ingredients 

1 lb cubed Bison (or beef)

1 chopped medium to large onion

1 tablespoon chopped garlic

Seasoning mix to taste (Cajun, adobo, asada, season salt, etc.)

1 25 oz can of hominy, drained

1 qt broth (homemade if possible)

¼ to ½ cup red chile or enchilada sauce (homemade if possible)

1.5 teaspoons rosemary

1.5 teaspoons oregano

1 Bay leaf

2-3 tablespoons white vinegar

Olive oil

Garnish (crushed red chili, cabbage, lime, radish, chopped raw onion)

Directions

Brown meat, onion, garlic in a heavy bottomed pot with seasoning. Add broth and all ingredients except hominy. Add additional seasoning mix to taste. (NOTE: the broth recipe below does not contain salt. Most commercial broths are salty. Be sure to taste so as not to under/over salt.) Simmer 1 hour or until meat is tender. Add hominy and cook 15 minutes longer.