Pork Pozole Rojo

Name: Pork Pozole Rojo
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 2 h 15 min
Total time: 3 h
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 3 lb (1360 g) boneless pork shoulder (pork butt), trimmed of thick fat caps, cut into 2-inch (5 cm) chunks; 10 cups (2400 ml) cold water; 1 large (about 12 oz) (340 g) large white onion, divided: ½ peeled and quartered for the pot, ¼ roughly chopped for the blender, ¼ finely diced for serving; 10 cloves (45 g) garlic cloves, peeled, divided: 6 left whole for the pot, 4 for the blender; 2 leaves (1 g) dried bay leaves; 1 tbsp (3 g) dried Mexican oregano, divided: 1 tsp for the pot, 1 tsp for the blender, 1 tsp for serving (crush between your palms when serving); 2 tbsp (18 g) kosher salt (Diamond Crystal), divided: 1 tbsp for the pot, 1 tsp for the sauce, remainder to taste at the end; 8 chiles (about 2 oz) (55 g) dried guajillo chiles, stemmed, slit open and seeded; 2 chiles (about 1 oz) (28 g) dried ancho chiles, stemmed, slit open and seeded; 3 cups (710 ml) very hot water (from a kettle), for soaking the chiles; 1 tsp (2 g) ground cumin; 2 tbsp (30 ml) neutral oil or lard; 2 cans (25 oz / 709 g each) (1418 g) canned white hominy, drained and rinsed well; ½ head (about 12 oz) (340 g) small green cabbage, cored and very thinly shredded (about 4 cups); 8 medium (about 5 oz) (140 g) radishes, trimmed and thinly sliced; 3 limes (200 g) limes, each cut into 4 wedges; 16 tostadas (190 g) tostadas, store-bought, for serving alongside (about 12 g each) (optional); crushed red pepper or ground chile piquín, to taste, for extra heat at the table (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A deep red, gently spiced Mexican soup of tender pork shoulder and plump hominy in a smoky guajillo and ancho chile broth. Pile on crunchy cabbage, radishes, onion and lime so each bowl is bright, fresh and hearty.

Prep: 45 min
Cook: 2 hr 15 min
Total: 3 hr
Makes: About 4½ quarts (4.3 L), 8 generous bowls

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Ingredients

8 servings

For the pork and broth
3 lb (1360 g) boneless pork shoulder (pork butt), trimmed of thick fat caps, cut into 2-inch (5 cm) chunks
10 cups (2400 ml) cold water
1 large (about 12 oz) (340 g) large white onion, divided: ½ peeled and quartered for the pot, ¼ roughly chopped for the blender, ¼ finely diced for serving
10 cloves (45 g) garlic cloves, peeled, divided: 6 left whole for the pot, 4 for the blender
2 leaves (1 g) dried bay leaves
1 tbsp (3 g) dried Mexican oregano, divided: 1 tsp for the pot, 1 tsp for the blender, 1 tsp for serving (crush between your palms when serving)
2 tbsp (18 g) kosher salt (Diamond Crystal), divided: 1 tbsp for the pot, 1 tsp for the sauce, remainder to taste at the end
For the chile sauce
8 chiles (about 2 oz) (55 g) dried guajillo chiles, stemmed, slit open and seeded
2 chiles (about 1 oz) (28 g) dried ancho chiles, stemmed, slit open and seeded
3 cups (710 ml) very hot water (from a kettle), for soaking the chiles
1 tsp (2 g) ground cumin
2 tbsp (30 ml) neutral oil or lard
For the hominy
2 cans (25 oz / 709 g each) (1418 g) canned white hominy, drained and rinsed well
To serve
½ head (about 12 oz) (340 g) small green cabbage, cored and very thinly shredded (about 4 cups)
8 medium (about 5 oz) (140 g) radishes, trimmed and thinly sliced
3 limes (200 g) limes, each cut into 4 wedges
16 tostadas (190 g) tostadas, store-bought, for serving alongside (about 12 g each) (optional)
crushed red pepper or ground chile piquín, to taste, for extra heat at the table (optional)

Equipment (7)

6–8 quart (5.7–7.5 L) heavy pot or Dutch oven with lid
Blender
Fine-mesh sieve
10-inch (25 cm) skillet
Large bowl for soaking chiles
Slotted spoon and large spoon for skimming
Cutting board and sharp knife

Steps

Before you start

Read the timing first: the pork needs about 90 minutes of gentle simmering before the chile sauce goes in, so use that time to soak the chiles and prep the garnishes.
Wear gloves or wash your hands well after handling dried chiles, and avoid touching your eyes.
Buy dried chiles that are pliable and leathery, not brittle and dusty. Brittle chiles are old and taste bitter or flat.
Make sure you have a 6–8 quart (5.7–7.5 L) pot and a blender that can handle hot liquid.

1
Start the pork broth
- Put the pork chunks, 10 cups (2.4 L) cold water, the quartered ½ of the onion, the 6 whole garlic cloves, bay leaves, 1 tsp of the oregano and 1 tbsp of the kosher salt in a 6–8 quart (5.7–7.5 L) pot.
- Set over high heat and bring to a boil, about 10 minutes.
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Ready when: Gray foam rises to the surface and the liquid is at a full rolling boil
Tip: Starting the pork in cold water draws out more flavor into the broth and makes skimming easier.
2
Skim and simmer pork
- Skim off the gray foam with a spoon.
- Reduce the heat to low so the liquid barely bubbles, partially cover the pot and cook for 80–90 minutes, giving it a stir every 30 minutes.
- Start the chiles (next step) during this time.
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Ready when: A piece of pork pulls apart easily with a fork and is tender all the way through (about 195°F / 90°C inside)
Tip: Keep the simmer gentle. A hard boil makes the pork tough and the broth cloudy.
3
Toast and soak chiles
- Heat a dry 10-inch (25 cm) skillet over medium heat.
- Toast the guajillo and ancho chiles in a single layer, pressing flat with a spatula, for 20–30 seconds per side until fragrant and slightly darker.
- Move them to a large bowl, pour over 3 cups (710 ml) very hot water, weigh them down with a plate and soak for 20 minutes until completely soft.
- Reserve the soaking water.
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Ready when: Chiles smell toasty and fruity and are pliable; they should not smell sharp or acrid
Tip: Do not let the chiles scorch or blacken. Burnt chiles turn the sauce bitter, so discard and start over if they do.
4
Blend the chile sauce
- Lift the chiles from the soaking water into a blender.
- Add the chopped ¼ of the onion, the 4 garlic cloves, the cumin, 1 tsp of the oregano, 1 tsp of the kosher salt and 1 cup (240 ml) of the soaking water.
- Blend on high for 1–2 minutes until completely smooth, adding up to ½ cup (120 ml) more soaking water only if the blades won't catch.
- Pour through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, pressing with a spoon, and discard the skins.
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Ready when: Sauce is brick red, smooth and pourable like heavy cream
Tip: Discard the remaining soaking water as it can taste bitter.
5
Fry the chile sauce
- Heat the oil in the same skillet over medium heat until shimmering.
- Carefully pour in the strained sauce (it will spatter) and cook, stirring often, for 5–6 minutes.
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Ready when: Sauce darkens to a deep brick red, thickens slightly and no longer smells raw
Tip: Frying the sauce mellows the raw chile edge and deepens the flavor. Lower the heat if it spatters wildly.
6
Shred the pork
- Using a slotted spoon, lift the pork onto a cutting board.
- Fish out and discard the onion quarters, garlic and bay leaves from the broth.
- Pull the pork into bite-size chunks and shreds with two forks, discarding any large pieces of fat or gristle.
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Ready when: Pork shreds with no resistance and is no longer pink
Tip: Leave some chunks larger than shreds. They hold up better during the final simmer.
7
Simmer with hominy
- Stir the fried chile sauce into the broth, then add the drained hominy and the shredded pork.
- Bring to a bare simmer over medium-low heat and cook uncovered for 30 minutes.
- Taste and add the remaining kosher salt a pinch at a time, up to 2 teaspoons, until the broth tastes savory and well seasoned.
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Ready when: Broth is a rich red and slightly thickened, and hominy kernels have burst open like flowers and taste tender and chewy
Tip: If the broth reduces too much, add up to 1 cup (240 ml) hot water. Skim any red oil from the surface if you prefer a lighter soup.
8
Prep the garnishes
- While the pozole simmers, put the shredded cabbage, sliced radishes, finely diced onion and lime wedges in separate small bowls.
- Set out the tostadas and chile flakes, if using.
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Ready when: Cabbage is in thin ribbons and radishes are in thin rounds
Tip: Keep the radishes in ice water until serving if you like them extra crisp; drain well before using.
9
Serve the pozole
- Ladle the hot pozole into wide bowls with plenty of pork and hominy in each.
- Top generously with cabbage, radishes and onion, crush the remaining 1 tsp oregano between your palms over each bowl, and squeeze in lime juice.
- Serve with tostadas and chile flakes at the table.
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Ready when: Soup is steaming hot throughout and the toppings stay crisp on top
Tip: Add the garnishes at the table, not in the pot, so the cabbage and radishes stay crunchy.

Good to know

Tips

Don't skip straining the chile sauce; it gives the broth a silky texture without bits of chile skin.
Season in stages and taste at the end. Canned hominy contributes salt, so wait until the final simmer to finish seasoning.
Chill the finished soup and lift off the solidified fat from the top if you want a leaner pozole.
For a milder soup, seed the chiles thoroughly and skip the chile flakes. For more heat, add 2 dried chiles de árbol to the soak.

Make ahead

The pozole tastes even better the next day. Cook through step 7, cool, and refrigerate for up to 4 days. Prep garnishes the day you serve. The chile sauce alone can be blended and strained up to 3 days ahead and kept covered in the fridge; fry it just before adding to the pot.

Storage & reheating

Room temperature: no more than 2 hours. Fridge: store the soup without garnishes in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Freezer: freeze in portions for up to 3 months and thaw overnight in the fridge. Reheat gently on the stove over medium-low heat until steaming, adding a splash of water if it has thickened. Store garnishes separately; cabbage and radishes keep 2–3 days in the fridge.

Substitutions

boneless pork shoulder (pork butt) → bone-in pork country ribs or neck bones. Bone-in cuts add body to the broth. Use 3½ lb (1.6 kg), and remove the bones after simmering before shredding the meat.
dried ancho chiles → additional guajillo chiles (2 more). The soup will be a little less sweet and a bit brighter in flavor.
canned white hominy → 2 cups (about 340 g) dried hominy, soaked overnight. Simmer the soaked hominy with the pork for the last 60 minutes, or until tender, before adding the chile sauce.
dried Mexican oregano → dried marjoram or regular oregano. Use about half as much as regular oregano, which is stronger and more minty.