Pozole rojo is a beloved Mexican soup of tender pork and hominy in a brick-red chile broth, finished with crisp fresh garnishes.
The pork simmers until tender while dried chiles are blended into a smooth sauce, creating a deeply flavored but approachable pot of soup.
Toast the dried chiles lightly, not until blackened. A brief toast brings out their fruitiness without adding bitterness.
Serving Suggestions
Set out cabbage, radishes, onion, cilantro, lime, dried oregano, and tostadas so everyone can build their own bowl.
Recipe Notes
Pozole tastes even better the next day. Chill it promptly, lift off excess fat if desired, and reheat the broth before adding fresh garnishes.
Mexican Pozole Rojo with Pork
A red chile pork and hominy soup served with cabbage, radish, onion, cilantro, lime, and tostadas.
Equipment
- Large Dutch oven
- Blender
- Fine-mesh strainer
- Chef’s knife
- Ladle
Ingredients
Pork and broth
- 2 lb pork shoulder cut into large chunks
- 30 oz white hominy drained
- 8 cups chicken stock
- 1 medium yellow onion quartered
- 6 cloves garlic
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp dried Mexican oregano
Red chile sauce and garnishes
- 6 pieces guajillo chiles stemmed and seeded
- 2 pieces ancho chiles stemmed and seeded
- 3 cups green cabbage shredded
- 4 pieces radishes thinly sliced
- 3 medium limes cut into wedges
- 1 cup fresh cilantro chopped
- 8 pieces tostadas for serving
Instructions
Simmer the pork:
- Place the pork, stock, onion, garlic, cumin, oregano, and salt in a Dutch oven.
- Bring to a gentle simmer, skim the surface, cover, and cook for 90 minutes until the pork is tender.
- Remove the pork, shred it, and strain the broth if desired.
Make the chile sauce:
- Toast the guajillo and ancho chiles briefly in a dry skillet.
- Soak them in hot water for 15 minutes, then blend with a cup of broth until smooth.
- Strain the chile sauce into the pot and return the shredded pork.
Finish and serve:
- Add the hominy and simmer for 30 minutes.
- Taste and adjust the salt.
- Ladle into bowls and serve with cabbage, radish, onion, cilantro, lime, oregano, and tostadas.
Notes
- Skim the broth as it cooks for a cleaner soup.
- Adjust the chile blend with extra guajillo for fruitiness or ancho for depth.
- Add garnishes just before eating so they stay crisp.
Nutrition
Calories: 540kcalCarbohydrates: 48gProtein: 39gFat: 23gSaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 105mgSodium: 1150mgFiber: 8gSugar: 8g