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Pozole Recipe

Name: El Charro Mexican Restaurants POZOLE Recipe
Cook time: 2 h 30 min
Total time: 2 h 30 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 2 lbs pork shoulder, trimmed and cut into 1.5–2 inch cubes; 12 cups water; 1 each white onion, halved; 6 each garlic cloves, peeled; 2 tsp dried oregano (Mexican oregano preferred); 2 each bay leaves; 2 tbs kosher salt; 1 tsp black peppercorns; 48 oz canned white hominy, drained and rinsed (or cooked dried hominy/nixtamal if preferred); 1 cups chili paste or guajillo-ancho blended sauce (see note); 1 tsp salt (adjust at end); 6 each dried guajillo chiles, stems and seeds removed; 2 each dried ancho chiles, stems and seeds removed; 3 each garlic cloves; 0.5 each white onion, quartered; 1 tbs vegetable oil or neutral oil; 1 cups water (for soaking/blending); 0.5 tsp salt; 2 cups shredded cabbage or shredded leaf lettuce; 6 each radishes, thinly sliced; 0.5 each white onion, finely chopped; 0.5 cups fresh cilantro, chopped; 4 each lime wedges; 1 tsp dried oregano (for sprinkling); 1 tsp dried chile flakes or crushed chiles (optional); 8 each tortillas (corn) or tostadas

Inspired by El Charro Mexican Restaurant

Time2h 30m

Serves6

Traditional pork and hominy soup. Served choice of tortillas or tostadas.

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Ingredients

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Broth & Pork

2 lbs pork shoulder, trimmed and cut into 1.5–2 inch cubes

12 cups water

1 each white onion, halved

6 each garlic cloves, peeled

2 tsp dried oregano (Mexican oregano preferred)

2 each bay leaves

2 tbs kosher salt

1 tsp black peppercorns

Hominy & Seasoning

48 oz canned white hominy, drained and rinsed (or cooked dried hominy/nixtamal if preferred)

1 cups chili paste or guajillo-ancho blended sauce (see note)

1 tsp salt (adjust at end)

Chili Paste (for red pozole) - makes ~1 cup

6 each dried guajillo chiles, stems and seeds removed

2 each dried ancho chiles, stems and seeds removed

3 each Garlic cloves

1/2 each white onion, quartered

1 tbs vegetable oil or neutral oil

1 cups water (for soaking/blending)

1/2 tsp Celtic sea salt

Garnishes & Sides (choose as desired)

2 cups shredded cabbage or shredded leaf lettuce

6 each radishes, thinly sliced

1/2 each white onion, finely chopped

1/2 cups Fresh cilantro, chopped

4 each Lime wedges

1 tsp dried oregano (for sprinkling)

1 tsp dried chile flakes or crushed chiles (optional)

8 each tortillas (corn) or tostadas

Method

Broth & Pork

Prepare and simmer pork

In a large heavy-bottomed stockpot (6–8 quart), add pork shoulder cubes and 12 cups cold water. Bring to a gentle boil over high heat. As it reaches a boil, skim off any foam/impurities with a slotted spoon. Add halved onion, 6 peeled garlic cloves, oregano, bay leaves, black peppercorns, and 2 tablespoons kosher salt. Reduce heat to low–medium to maintain a gentle simmer.

Simmer uncovered for 1.5 to 2 hours, or until pork is very tender and can be shredded easily with two forks. Check occasionally and skim foam if needed. If the liquid reduces too much, add up to 1–2 cups hot water to keep meat submerged.

When pork is tender, remove the meat with a slotted spoon to a bowl. Strain the cooking liquid through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean pot or back into the stockpot to remove onion, garlic solids, and peppercorns. Discard solids and return the strained broth to the pot.

Shred the pork into bite-size pieces, discarding excess fat and connective tissue. Reserve.

Chili Paste (for red pozole)

Toast and soak chiles

Remove stems and seeds from guajillo and ancho chiles. Heat a dry skillet over medium heat and briefly toast each chile 5–10 seconds per side until pliable and aromatic (do not burn). Place toasted chiles in a bowl and cover with 1 cup hot water. Let soak 15–20 minutes until softened.

Blend chiles into sauce

In a blender, add softened chiles (reserve soaking liquid), 3 garlic cloves, quartered onion (½ onion), 1 tablespoon oil, ½ teaspoon salt, and about ½ cup of the chile soaking liquid. Blend until smooth, adding more soaking liquid as needed to reach a pourable, smooth paste (about 1 cup total). Taste and adjust salt. If you prefer a thinner sauce, add up to ¼ cup additional hot water.

Optional step for cleaner flavor: Pass the blended sauce through a fine-mesh sieve, pressing with the back of a spoon to remove skins/seeds for a silky pozole broth. Discard solids.

Set the chili paste aside until ready to add to the broth.

Hominy & Final Assembly

Heat hominy in broth

Bring the strained pork broth back to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Add drained and rinsed canned hominy (48 oz total) to the broth and simmer 10 minutes to heat through and let flavors mingle.

Add chili paste and pork

Stir the prepared chili paste (about 1 cup) into the simmering broth and hominy. Start with 3/4 cup if you prefer milder flavor and add more to taste. Simmer 15–20 minutes to allow the chile flavor to integrate and the sauce to cook. Return shredded pork to the pot and simmer another 5–10 minutes until everything is hot and flavors meld. Taste and adjust seasoning with up to 1 teaspoon additional salt as needed.

If the soup is too thin, simmer uncovered a bit longer to concentrate the broth. If too thick, add hot water or stock 1/2 cup at a time to reach desired consistency.

Remove bay leaves before serving.

Garnishes & Serving

Prepare garnishes

While the pozole simmers, prep the garnishes: shred cabbage or lettuce, thinly slice radishes, chop onion and cilantro, and cut lime wedges. Arrange tortillas or tostadas for serving.

To serve, ladle pozole into bowls. Offer bowls or plates of shredded cabbage, radish slices, chopped onion, cilantro, lime wedges, a pinch of dried oregano and optional crushed chile flakes. Diners add garnishes to taste and serve with warm corn tortillas or tostadas on the side.

Pozole can be made ahead: cool, refrigerate up to 3 days (fat will rise; skim before reheating) or freeze. Reheat gently on the stovetop until steaming.