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Authentic Pozole Rojo with Pork

Close-up of a steaming bowl of Pozole rojo, featuring rich red broth, shredded pork, and fresh cilantro garnish.
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Make a traditional Mexican hominy stew featuring tender pork simmered in a rich, deep red chile broth, perfect for celebrations.

Ingredients

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  • 3 lbs pork shoulder, cut into 2-inch chunks
  • 1 large white onion, halved
  • 4 cloves garlic, peeled
  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
  • 1 (29 ounce) can white hominy, drained and rinsed
  • 12 dried guajillo chiles, stems and seeds removed
  • 4 dried ancho chiles, stems and seeds removed
  • 4 cups water, for soaking chiles
  • 2 cups reserved pork cooking liquid
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • Garnish: shredded cabbage or lettuce, sliced radishes, chopped white onion, lime wedges, dried oregano

Instructions

  1. Place the pork shoulder, half onion, 4 cloves garlic, salt, and oregano in a large pot. Cover with water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until the pork is very tender, about 1.5 to 2 hours. Skim off any foam that rises.
  2. Remove the pork from the broth and shred it using two forks. Strain the broth and reserve 2 cups for the chile sauce. Discard the solids. Set the shredded pork aside.
  3. Place the dried guajillo and ancho chiles in a saucepan. Cover with 4 cups of fresh water and bring to a simmer. Cook for 15 minutes until soft. Drain the chiles, reserving the soaking water.
  4. Place the softened chiles in a blender with 2 cups of the reserved pork cooking liquid, cumin, and pepper. Blend until completely smooth. Strain the chile sauce through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean pot, pressing down on the solids to extract all liquid. Discard the solids left in the sieve.
  5. Add the shredded pork and the drained hominy to the strained chile sauce. Add enough of the remaining reserved pork broth to achieve your desired stew consistency.
  6. Simmer the pozole gently for 30 minutes, allowing the flavors to combine. Taste and adjust salt if needed.
  7. Serve hot. Place garnishes like cabbage, radishes, onion, lime, and oregano on the table so each person can customize their bowl.

Notes

  • For a deeper red color, you can add 2 dried árbol chiles to the soaking chiles, but reduce the quantity if you prefer less heat.
  • If you do not have time to soak the chiles, you can toast them lightly in a dry skillet before soaking to deepen their flavor.
  • The pork cooking liquid is essential for the stew’s base flavor. Do not discard it.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://juliameal.com/pozole-rojo-recipe-pork-red-chile-soup/