Pozole Recipe

Make the pork broth

Place the pork shoulder cubes in a large stockpot. Add the halved onion, smashed garlic, bay leaves, peppercorns and 12 cups of water. Bring to a gentle boil over high heat, then reduce to a low simmer. Skim any foam or impurities from the surface during the first 15 minutes. Partially cover and simmer gently for 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes, or until the pork is tender and easily shredded. Add 2 tsp salt about halfway through simmering.

Reserve broth and shred pork

Remove the pork pieces to a cutting board, reserving the cooking liquid in the pot. When cool enough to handle, shred the pork with two forks into bite-sized pieces, discarding any large bits of fat if desired. Strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve or cheesecloth into a clean pot or large bowl to remove solids; keep the strained broth hot. Taste and adjust seasoning lightly — you will add more salt later after adding hominy and chile.

Prepare chiles

Heat a small skillet over medium heat. Toast the guajillo and ancho/pasilla chiles for 15–30 seconds per side, pressing lightly, until fragrant but not burned (avoid blackening). Remove from heat and break the chiles into pieces. Place them in a bowl and cover with hot water to soften for 15 minutes. Reserve the soaking liquid.

Make chile puree

Drain most of the soaking liquid but reserve about 1/2 cup. In a blender, add the softened chiles, 2 cups of warm broth (from the strained pork broth or the 2 cups of broth listed), the reserved soaking liquid, 1 tbsp oil and 1 tsp salt. Blend on high until completely smooth, adding up to 1/2 cup more warm broth if needed to achieve a smooth, pourable puree. Taste and adjust salt. Strain the puree through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl to remove skins and seeds; press with a spoon to extract as much flavor as possible.

Cook hominy with chile

Bring the reserved strained pork broth back to a gentle simmer. Stir the chile puree into the simmering broth. Add the drained hominy (both white and optional yellow) to the pot. Simmer gently for 20–30 minutes so the hominy absorbs flavor and the chile mellows. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking. If the broth reduces too much, add up to 1–2 cups hot water or broth to reach desired consistency.

Season and combine

When the hominy is tender and the chile flavor is well incorporated, add the shredded pork back into the pot. Stir in the dried oregano and ground cumin. Simmer gently for 10 minutes to let flavors marry. Taste and adjust salt and pepper to your preference (start with the additional 1 tsp salt listed). If you prefer a thinner pozole, add hot water or broth 1/2 cup at a time until you reach desired consistency.

Final texture

If the pork pieces are large, briefly shred again in the pot with two forks. Keep the pozole at a gentle simmer until ready to serve, stirring occasionally. Pozole can be held on very low heat for up to 1 hour; cover partially to prevent excessive reduction, and add a splash of hot water if necessary.

Ladle the pozole into bowls and set out the garnishes so each person can assemble to taste: shredded cabbage, sliced radishes, chopped white onion, chopped cilantro, lime wedges, a sprinkle of dried oregano, sliced avocado, and optional chile flakes. Squeeze lime over each bowl before eating. Pozole also pairs well with warm corn tortillas or tostadas.