Pozole Roja Recipe
braised pork, chilis, hominy, avocado, crema, onion, radish, cilantro, tortilla strips
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Ingredients
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Broth & Meat
Chili Sauce
Hominy & Finishing
Garnishes & Accompaniments
Method
Broth & Meat
- 1
Prepare and simmer pork
Place pork shoulder cubes in a large pot and add 10 cups water. Add quartered onion, 6 peeled garlic cloves, bay leaves and 2 tsp salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a gentle simmer. Skim any foam from the surface during the first 10 minutes. Cover partially and simmer for 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes, until pork is tender and easily shredded. Reserve the broth by straining into a large bowl; discard solids or reserve the cooked onion/garlic for another use.
- 2
Shred pork
Remove pork pieces to a cutting board, let cool slightly, then shred into bite-sized pieces using two forks or chop coarsely. Set shredded pork aside and measure out 4 cups of the reserved cooking broth for the stew, keeping extra broth for thinning if needed.
Chili Sauce
- 3
Toast and rehydrate chiles
Wipe dried chiles with a dry towel. In a dry skillet over medium heat, toast chiles for 10–20 seconds per side until fragrant (avoid burning). Transfer toasted chiles to a bowl and pour enough just-boiling water to cover; let soak 15 minutes until pliable. Reserve soaking liquid.
- 4
Blend sauce
Remove chiles from soaking liquid, slice and discard stems and seeds that remain. In a blender combine rehydrated chiles, 1–2 cloves garlic (from sauce list), 1 tbs oil, oregano, cumin, black pepper and 1 tsp salt. Add 1/2 cup of the reserved soaking liquid to help blend. Puree until very smooth. If mixture is too thick, add more soaking liquid a tablespoon at a time. Taste and adjust salt.
- 5
Cook the sauce
Heat 1 tbs oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Pour the blended chile purée through a fine sieve into the skillet (use a spatula to push sauce through), and cook 4–6 minutes, stirring constantly until slightly thickened and deepened in color. This step mellows raw chile flavor. Remove from heat.
Hominy & Finishing
- 6
Combine and simmer pozole
Return 4 cups of reserved pork broth to the large pot over medium heat. Stir in the cooked strained chile sauce and bring to a gentle simmer. Add the shredded pork and drained hominy. If mixture seems too thick, add up to 2 cups additional reserved broth to reach desired consistency. Simmer gently for 20–30 minutes so flavors meld and hominy softens. Taste and adjust salt and lime juice (add juice from 1 lime).
- 7
Adjust consistency and seasoning
If the broth is too thin, simmer uncovered another 5–10 minutes to reduce. If too thick, add small amounts of reserved broth. Adjust seasoning with additional salt (up to 1 tsp) and another squeeze of lime if desired.
Garnishes & Assembly
- 8
- 9
Serve
Ladle pozole roja into shallow bowls. Top each bowl with diced avocado, a spoonful of diced onion, a few radish slices, a drizzle of crema, and a sprinkle of chopped cilantro. Add a handful of tortilla strips and a lime wedge on the side. Serve hot, letting diners squeeze extra lime and add more garnishes to taste.