Gallina Pinta Stew
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
20 mins
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Cook Time
4 hrs
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Total Time
4 hrs 20 mins
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Servings
10 servings
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Calories
396 kcal
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Course
Main Course, Soup, Lunch
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Cuisine
Mexican
Gallina Pinta Stew
Description
This stew begins with nixtamalized dried corn or rinsed canned hominy and includes cuts of venison neck, shoulder, or shank. Optional low-smoking of the meat imparts subtle smoke flavor before slow cooking. Charred white onion and garlic add depth. The broth combines venison stock and water, simmering slowly until the meat becomes tender enough to fall off the bone.
Adding pinto or tepary beans and roasted hatch or Anaheim chiles creates a complex flavor profile balanced by fresh cilantro, minced onion, lime juice, and optional dried chiltepin chiles for heat. The stew’s texture is hearty with a combination of tender meat, soft beans, and plump corn kernels.
Typically served after a long simmer, the stew improves when allowed to rest for a day or two, enabling flavors to deepen. It freezes well and can be pressure canned, though care is needed to avoid overcooking beans or corn. This traditional dish embraces simplicity and highlights key ingredients without many additions.
Ingredients
- 1 pound dried pozole corn or 2 pounds canned hominy
- salt
- 3 pounds venison neck or shoulder or shank, or oxtail or beef stew meat
- 1 onion quartered, white
- 6 cloves garlic unpeeled
- 2 quarts venison broth or beef stock
- 2 quarts water
- 1 pound pinto beans or 2 pounds canned, or tepary beans, dried
- 3 to 5 hatch chiles roasted, seeded and chopped coarsely, or Anaheim chiles, green
- 1/2 cup cilantro for garnish, chopped
- 1/4 cup lime juice
- 1/2 white onion minced
- dried chiltepin chiles to taste
Instructions
- This assumes you've nixtamalized your corn the previous evening, if not, instructions to do so are here. If you are using canned hominy, simply remove it from the can and rinse well. Hold off on it for now.
- If you are smoking your meat before starting the stew, again, I advise doing this the day before, but regardless, you will want to salt the meat well, then smoke it over low heat, about 200°F, for about 3 hours. The goal is just to get it a little smoky. You will definitely need to cut it into hunks small enough to fit into your soup pot.
- When you are ready to start the stew, char the cut sides of the quartered onion and the unpeeled garlic cloves on a comal, griddle or cast iron pan until well charred. Peel the garlic, then chop it and the onion small. Add this to a large soup pot.
- Add the corn and meat and cover with the stock and the water. Bring to a boil, then drop to a gentle simmer. Cook gently, with the pot mostly covered, until the meat wants to fall off the bone, which should take a couple hours.
- About 2 hours into the cooking time, add the dried beans. You'll likely need another hour of gentle simmering. If you are using canned hominy, now is the time to add it. This is the time to soak the chopped white onion in the lime juice, along with a little salt, in a bowl.
- Once the meat, corn and beans are nicely cooked, add the chopped roasted green chiles. Fish out the meat and discard the bones. Chop the meat against the grain so there are no long strings of meat. Return it all to the pot.
- Serve topped with cilantro, the lime-soaked onion and some hot chiles.
Notes
- Make sure to nixtamalize dried corn the evening before or rinse canned hominy and beans well for a cleaner taste.
- Smoking the meat prior to stewing adds desirable flavor but is optional.
- This stew is better after resting a day or two; it freezes well and can be pressure canned with care.
- Keep the recipe simple; avoid adding extra ingredients to preserve its traditional character.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 10servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 396 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 396kcal | 20% |
| Carbohydrates | 42g | 14% |
| Protein | 46g | 92% |
| Fat | 5g | 8% |
| Saturated Fat | 2g | 10% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 1g | 6% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 1g | 5% |
| Cholesterol | 116mg | 39% |
| Sodium | 590mg | 25% |
| Potassium | 1520mg | 32% |
| Fiber | 9g | 36% |
| Sugar | 5g | 10% |
| Vitamin A | 78IU | 2% |
| Vitamin C | 9mg | 10% |
| Calcium | 89mg | 9% |
| Iron | 8mg | 44% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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