Pozole Rojo with Pork

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This pozole rojo is my take on the traditional Mexican stew! It's rich and hearty, layered with smoky chile flavor, and perfect for sharing with the family, especially during Christmas! Watch the video below to see how I make this in my kitchen.

Prep Time15

Cook Time3

Total Time3 15

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Mexican

Keyword: pozole, pozole recipe, pozole rojo

Servings: servings

Author: Lisa Bryan

Equipment

Ingredients

For the broth

3 pounds boneless pork shoulder or butt trimmed of excess fat and cut into 3-inch chunks
1 white onion halved and peeled
1 head garlic tip cut off
3 bay leaves
2 teaspoons kosher salt
10 cups water

For the red chili sauce

6 dried guajillo chiles rinsed and seeded
4 dried ancho chiles rinsed and seeded
½ white onion peeled and cut into large chunks
4 garlic cloves unpeeled
2 teaspoons dried Mexican oregano
1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
1 cup broth (from the pot)

For the pozole stew

2 (25-ounce) cans white hominy drained and rinsed
Optional toppings: sliced radishes, shredded cabbage, chopped cilantro, diced avocado, diced white onion and/or lime wedges.

US - Metric

Instructions

Cook the pork. Place the pork, onion, garlic, bay leaves, and salt in a large stockpot. Add 10 cups of water, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer. Skim off any foam and impurities that rise to the top. Simmer uncovered for 1 ½ to 2 hours, until the meat is fall-apart tender.
Shred the pork. Use tongs to remove the pork to a cutting board, and shred into bite-sized pieces. Remove the onion, garlic, and bay leaves from the pot, then return the shredded meat to the pot.
Simmer the chiles. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan over medium-high heat, add the dried chiles and enough water to cover them, about 4 cups. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Simmer for 15 minutes, until the chilies have softened.
Roast the onion and garlic. While the chilies are simmering, add the onion and garlic cloves to a quarter sheet pan. Broil them for 4 to 6 minutes, until lightly charred. Let cool to the touch.
Blend the sauce. Transfer chiles and 1 cup of the water that soaked the chilies to a high-powered blender. Remove the roasted garlic from its peel and add it along with the onion to the blender. Add the oregano and salt. Blend on high for 1 to 2 minutes, until completely smooth. Note: I make and blend the sauce while the pork is cooking and then set it aside.
Simmer together. Pour the red chile sauce and hominy into the stockpot, stir together, and simmer for 1 hour, partially covered, letting the flavors combine.
Serve and garnish. Ladle the pozole into bowls and garnish with your favorite toppings!

Video

Notes

Each serving is around 2 cups of pozole.
If you'd like more heat, you can add 1 to 2 chiles de arbol in step 1. Guajillo and ancho chiles are milder and more traditional to pozole, while chiles de arbol are hotter and more frequently show up in birria, though you could add them here if you'd like.
You could also saute the garlic and onion for the red chile sauce instead of roasting them. Just don't add raw garlic to a high-powered blender, as it can become sharp and pungent.
While cumin is common in Tex-Mex and Southwestern cooking... I've found that in Mexico (at least on my trips), most classic pozole recipes don't use it. In Mexico, cumin shows up more in adobos for birria, barbacoa, and some moles, but not in pozole. It's more authentic to let the hominy, chilies, and oregano be the flavor base. I talk more about this, and why I also don't add vinegar, in the video above—make sure to watch it!
If you feel that too much broth evaporated after one hour of boiling the pork, you can partially cover the pot to reduce the evaporation.
Storage tip: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for 4–5 days. Reheat on the stove with a splash of broth. Freeze (without toppings) up to 3 months and thaw in the fridge before serving. Keep garnishes separate until ready to eat.

Nutrition