Do you have pork spine?, I asked the butcher at my local market. He looked at me like I was from another planet and said “no, we don’t have that!” Okay, thank you, I said.
I was plannig to make Sopa de Mute o Maiz Pelao, a soup that my grandmother used to make. She would add pork spine(espinazo de cerdo) and the flavor was fantastic. So I started getting the rest of the groceries and thinking about that soup I was craving so badly. Well, I decided to buy pork ribs and use them instead.
I made the soup yesterday for lunch and it was delicious. I did not miss the pork spine at all. After I had my soup I called my aunt in Florida and told her the story. She laughed and told me that in this country pork spine are called pork neck bones.
So, if you want to make the soup the way Mamita used to make it, ask your butcher for pork neck bones, but if you prefer my way, use pork ribs. Either way, it is a wonderful soup!
For those who don’t know what hominy is, it is white or yellow dried corn and is used in Mexican pozole. In Colombia, we use it in arepas de maiz pelao, mazamorra or soups. You can buy it and cook it at home from scratch, or just buy it pre-cooked in cans.
Ingredients
(4- 6 servings)
- 2 pounds pork ribs or pork neck bones
- 8 cups water
- Salt and pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon sazon goya with azafran or color
- 2 whole scallions
- 1 can (15.5) oz yellow hominy (maiz pelao amarillo)
- 2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 1/4 cup hogao
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme
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- Maiz pelao or Hominy
Directions
- Place a pot over medium-high heat. Add the water, salt, pepper, whole scallions, cumin, sazon Goya and pork ribs, bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium- low. Cook for about 35 to 40 minutes. Discard the scallions.
- Add potato, hominy, thyme and hogao, cover and cook for 25 minutes more or until the pork is cooked.
- Add the cilantro and serve.
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KennyT says
Hahaha, we eat pork spine too!
Kim says
What a cute story Erica! I feel like we our butchers need to be a little more educated about what they sell. Mine look at me like I’m crazy when I ask them for the simplest things.
Whether you use neck bones or ribs, this looks delicious!
Ben says
It’s hilarious when we get lost in translation and people look at us like we are crazy, hehe. I love the name of this recipe “pelao”. It does sound and look delicious!
Barbara says
Funny story, Gloria! Oh well, pork spine, pork ribs….both are located in nearly the same place, right?
Your hominy soup looks delicious!
Baking is my Zen says
Looks delicious!
Sook @ My Fabulous Recipes says
ha ha people give me weird looks when I ask if they have fresh whole fish or squid… 🙂 This soup looks wonderful! You always have great recipes, Erica! Love your blog.
Erica says
Thank you guys!!!
theUngourmet says
I have always loved hominy! I haven’t heard it called pork spine either. Your soup looks fabulous!
Lele says
Hahaha I love old family recipes with ingredients from… unusual parts of the animal. The first time my grandmother met her future mother in law, she went to stir her pot of soup and looked down at a GOAT HEAD!
5 Star Foodie says
This soup sounds so delicious with pork ribs and hominy!
Christine @ Fresh Local and Best says
This looks like wonderful succulent soup. I’m curious about pork spine now, I’ll have to ask about that at the butcher.
Erica says
Thank you everyone for your comments!
Faith says
What a lovely, colorful soup! I’m glad it turned out delicious even without the spine! 🙂
Bo says
Looks so delicious! Beautiful color. My dad love hominy…I will have to make this for him sometime.
Ivy says
The soup sounds delicious.
grace says
my grandpa makes hominy for us every year, and this is a new and interesting way to use it! methinks i’d prefer the pork ribs over the neck bones, but i’d take whatever i can get!
Norma says
I love this soup. It reminds me of a soup my sister-in-law used to make in Venezuela. Lovely….thanks
Erica says
Thank you all for the comments!
Sarah Naveen says
So colorful and yummy!!!
Sarah says
Looks so good! I am glad I found your site! My husband loves authentic hispanic foods (and like making them). Love hominy – will be trying this soon.
tasteofbeirut says
This soup made me think of posole, which I adore. I would like to try it someday.
Oysterculture says
This soup sounds just delicious but I have to ask why you could not have posted the recipe sooner! =) My husband opened a HUGE container of hominy a few weeks ago and I was struggling with creative ways to use it up. I could have surely used this yummy soup!
Erica says
Thank you!
Perry says
Great recipe! My wife isn’t really into brothy soups, but she and my kids enjoy this one!
Daisy says
Can you use beef?