Pozole Rojo {Pork and Hominy Stew}

I called Armando’s mom a few weeks back to get her pozole recipe.

I thought it might be fun to share it with all of you, especially during the holiday season when so many people in Mexico and elsewhere eat this traditional pork and hominy stew.

Turns out she makes green pozole not red pozole which I knew because I wrote about it on this very blog and have had this very same conversation with her before (she for sure, by now, thinks I’m nuts).

“So what’s the red stew you make?” I asked her, convinced I had tasted a red pozole at her house before.

“Menudo.” She said, then gave me the recipe for that one.

But I will probably never share that with you because tripe is not easily obtained in these parts, not to mention my innards appreciation is lamentable.

I’ve tried, I really have.

Not to be deterred I asked her for some tips on making red pozole to which she pretty much confirmed its existence but said that’s not what she makes.

Sent out into the world with nothing I pulled together inspiration from a few of my favorite Mexican cooking sources: Diana Kennedy, Pati Jinich, and Margarita Carilla Arronte.

I think what results is a posole that will not disappoint and is in lock-step with the red version of this Mexican classic: spicy dried chiles, Mexican oregano-infused broth, tender strips of pork, and lots of chewy hominy.

Let’s Talk Pozole Rojo

This is not an ultra-complicated recipe, but one that does take a bit of time.

You will need a large stockpot because if you are going to go to the trouble of cooking posole, you might as well make a big batch.

The first step is to simmer the pork with onions, bay leaves, and other aromatics in boiling water. This not only cooks the pork but also produces a rich broth you will use later to make the soup.

You can skip this step and used already cooked pork and store bought chicken broth if you’re looking for a quicker version.

While the pork is cooking you will make the red sauce that flavors the pozole. The star of the sauce is ancho chiles, guajillo chiles, onions, and spices.

Then you combine the pork with the chile sauce, the broth, and hominy and cook, partially covered until all the flavors have melded together into one gloriously unified soup.

Top with all the essential garnishes and you’ll be set.

I have yet to make this pozole in an Instant Pot but if you’d like to give that a try, Sylvia’s recipe for Instant Pot Chicken Pozole looks pretty darn good.

Other Favorite Soup Recipes

• The Easiest Creamy Mexican Vegetable Soup
• Green Chile Vegan Pozole
• Slow Cooker Mexican Chicken Soup {Caldo de Pollo}

Pozole Rojo {Pork and Hominy Stew}

★★★★★

5 from 4 reviews

Posole will keep covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, and improves with flavor the longer it sits. You can also freeze it for up to 3 months.

• Author: Kate Ramos
• Prep Time: 1 hour
• Cook Time: 3 hours
• Total Time: 4 hours
• Yield: 12 Servings 1x
• Category: soup
• Method: simmer
• Cuisine: Mexican
• Diet: Gluten Free

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

For the Pork:

• 4 pounds pork shoulder
• 1 large onion, sliced
• 6 cloves garlic, peeled
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 3 bay leaves
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano

For the Soup:

• 2 dried ancho chiles, stems and seeds removed
• 2 dried guajillo chiles, stems and seeds removed
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 2 whole cloves
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 3 (14.5 ounce) cans white hominy, drained and rinsed

To Garnish:

• dried oregano
• minced onion
• lime wedges
• minced radishes
• chopped cilantro
• cubed avocado
• thinly sliced cabbage
• tortilla chips

Instructions

1. Combine pork, sliced onion, 6 garlic cloves, salt, bay leaves and oregano in a large soup pot. Cover with water by 2-inches and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
2. Skim off any foam, lower the heat to a simmer, and cover. Cook until pork is very tender, about 3 hours.
3. Meanwhile, place chiles in a dry cast iron frying pan or comal and toast on all sides until darker in color and fragrant. Transfer to a heatproof bowl and cover with hot water. Let soak until soft, about 30 minutes.
4. Drain chiles (saving the water) and place in a blender. Add chopped onion, garlic, cumin, cloves, and salt, and about 1/2 cup of the chile soaking liquid. Blend on high until smooth (you may need to add more soaking liquid to get the blender moving).
5. Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Carefully pour the chile sauce into the hot oil (it will splatter) and stir until sauce is fragrant and fried, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
6. Once pork is tender and easily pulls away with a fork, remove it from the broth and set aside to cool. Strain broth, discard the solids and wash out the pot. Return broth to the pot, you should have about 10 cups. Add more water if needed.
7. Return broth to a simmer. Once pork is cool enough to handle, shred into bite-sized pieces, removing any gristle or fat. Return shredded pork to the pot with the broth. Add chile sauce and hominy and bring to a simmer. Taste and add more salt if needed. Serve with as many of the garnishes as you’d like.

Keywords: pozole rojo

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