Pinto Posole — The Bowl I Make When the Season Means Something

Week one of the season. We won Friday, 28-14, against a program I've beaten before. The boys played with an edge I've been building all summer and which finally showed up in the first quarter of a real game. The tailgate before the game was the first real tailgate in months — I set up the folding tables, I made green chile nachos and a pot of posole, the boosters came early, the parents gathered, and for the first time since July I was standing at a folding table feeding people and feeling something like myself.

I had the team gather before kickoff. I told them about Ruben. I didn't plan to — I was going to give the usual pre-game talk, but standing in the locker room looking at forty-three kids in full pads, I told them about my brother. I told them he was a Marine and that he believed in something bigger than himself and that I was wearing his dog tags tonight and that I was asking them to play with the same conviction. It was very quiet when I finished. Then Marcus said, "For Ruben, Coach." Forty-three boys said "For Ruben" together. I had to walk out of the locker room before I could get back to coaching. I stood outside the door for about thirty seconds. Then I went back in and we ran onto the field.

We won. The score doesn't capture it. The score is just a number. The game felt like something Ruben would have liked — physical, decisive, the boys playing for something beyond themselves. I touched the dog tags during the fourth quarter. They were warm from the polo. That was right. That was right.

Sunday I made green chile chicken on the grill for the family. Back to Sunday cooking. Back to the table. The season is here. I'm here.

The posole I made before that first game was the same recipe I’ve been making for years — pinto beans in place of the traditional hominy for a heartier, earthier bowl that holds up on a folding table for hours. I’ve made it in grief and I’ve made it in celebration, and what I know now is that it tastes like both at once: something slow, something warm, something that says we’re still here, still together, still at the table. If you’re looking for the recipe that got the boosters in early and kept the parents standing around long after the cups were empty, this is it.

Pinto Posole

Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 45 min | Total Time: 1 hr | Servings: 8

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large yellow onion, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 1/2 pounds boneless pork shoulder, cut into 1-inch cubes (or substitute shredded rotisserie chicken)
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano (Mexican oregano preferred)
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2 cans (15 oz each) pinto beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can (7 oz) diced green chiles
• 1 can (14.5 oz) fire-roasted diced tomatoes
• 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• Toppings: shredded cabbage, sliced radishes, diced white onion, fresh cilantro, lime wedges, dried oregano, crushed chile flakes

Instructions

1. Brown the pork. Heat olive oil in a large heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Season the pork cubes with salt. Add to the pot in a single layer and sear until browned on two sides, about 4–5 minutes total. Work in batches if needed. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
2. Build the base. Reduce heat to medium. Add the diced onion to the same pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute more until fragrant.
3. Bloom the spices. Add the cumin, oregano, smoked paprika, and cayenne directly to the onion mixture. Stir constantly for 30 seconds to toast the spices and coat the aromatics.
4. Add the remaining ingredients. Return the browned pork to the pot. Add the pinto beans, green chiles, fire-roasted tomatoes, and chicken broth. Stir to combine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
5. Simmer. Bring the posole to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover partially and simmer for 30–35 minutes, until the pork is tender and the broth has deepened in color and flavor. Taste and adjust salt as needed.
6. Finish and serve. Stir in the fresh lime juice just before serving. Ladle into bowls and set out all toppings so people can build their own. For a tailgate, keep the pot on low heat and let guests serve themselves throughout.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 320 | Protein: 26g | Fat: 11g | Carbs: 28g | Fiber: 7g | Sodium: 620mg