Stew Vs Pozole: What's The Difference?
The fall months are soup season, which goes hand in hand with stew season. If soup is the MVP of seasonal comfort food, then stew also deserves autumn accolades. Stew is a dish made with meat and vegetables cooked in a liquid. Braised meat is essential in every way to cook stew. Soup, on the other hand, is primarily liquid. It can be blended until smooth or contain pieces of meat and vegetables. However, the broth is the focus of the dish.
Pozole is a combination of soup and stew. This Mexican dish consists of broth, hominy kernels, and meat, seafood, or vegetables. It's simultaneously chunky and brothy, and a quick Google search reveals that some people call it soup while others refer to it as a stew. People eat pozole mainly on holidays and special occasions. While you won't find it on the menu at most Mexican restaurants in the U.S., it's something you should try at least once.
Stew is characterized by braised meat
Nothing sticks to your ribs like a hearty stew. This chunky dish will warm your belly and fuel you for whatever seasonal activities you're geared up for. There's really no wrong way to cook stew, but you definitely can't rush the process. Stew isn't stew if you don't cook the ingredients for a long time, and that's partially why it tastes oh so good.
The longer you braise meat at a low heat in liquid, the more tender and succulent your final product will be. The ideal temperature is 205 to 210 F. In a stew, the meat and vegetables are typically cut into smaller chunks so they become more evenly dispersed through the liquid.
Although people have been eating stew since ancient days, it didn't get its name until 1756. Nevertheless, the word "stew" had been around for centuries, but it originally referenced a heated room, specifically a brothel or bathhouse.
What is pozole?
A traditional pozole recipe brings together the best qualities of both soups and stews. It's a soup because of its flavorful broth, which is infused with chilis and lime. It's a stew because it contains meat cooked in the broth for several hours to tenderize it and provide that pleasant, chunky experience.
Traditionally, pozole comes in three varieties. The first, pozole verde, is flavored with serrano chilis and tomatillos. Pozole rojo broth is made with roasted tomatoes and dried guajillo chilis. Finally, pozole blanco contains regular salsa.
Most often, pozole contains pork shoulder, but some people choose to substitute chicken or shrimp or opt for a vegetarian version. Cooks serve it with corn tortillas, meant for sopping up the broth. Pozole is garnished with many finishing touches. Often, you'll see cilantro, scallions, radishes, and green cabbage on top or on the side to balance flavors and textures.