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Traditional Pozole Rojo with Pork

A close-up of a hearty bowl of Pozole rojo topped generously with shredded pork, sitting on a wooden table near a bright window.
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Make a rich, traditional Mexican hominy stew featuring tender pork simmered in a deep red chile broth, perfect for celebrations.

Ingredients

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  • 4 lb pork shoulder, cut into 2-inch chunks
  • 1 large white onion, halved
  • 4 cloves garlic, smashed
  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon dried 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
  • 1/2 cup reserved pork cooking liquid
  • For serving: shredded cabbage or lettuce, sliced radishes, chopped white onion, lime wedges, dried Mexican oregano

Instructions

  1. Place the pork shoulder, onion halves, smashed garlic, salt, and oregano in a large pot. Cover with water by about two inches. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, for 1.5 to 2 hours, or until the pork is very tender. Skim off any foam that rises to the top during the first 30 minutes.
  2. Remove the pork from the broth and set aside to cool slightly. Strain the cooking broth through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl; discard the solids. Measure out 1/2 cup of this broth and set aside. You should have about 8 cups of broth remaining.
  3. While the pork cooks, prepare the chile sauce. Place the dried guajillo and ancho chiles in a saucepan. Cover with water and bring to a boil. Remove from heat, cover, and let the chiles soak for 30 minutes until soft.
  4. Transfer the soaked chiles and their soaking liquid to a blender. Add the reserved 1/2 cup of pork cooking liquid. Blend until completely smooth. Strain the chile puree through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, pressing down on the solids to extract all the liquid. Discard the solids.
  5. Return the strained pork broth to the clean pot. Stir in the strained chile puree. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.
  6. Shred the cooled pork using two forks. Add the shredded pork and the drained hominy to the simmering red broth.
  7. Simmer the pozole for another 30 minutes, allowing the flavors to combine. Taste and adjust salt if needed.
  8. Serve hot in bowls, offering shredded cabbage, radishes, onion, and lime wedges on the side for garnishing.

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.
  • The pork cooking liquid is essential for building the base flavor of the stew.
  • This Mexican hominy stew tastes even better the next day.

Nutrition

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