Pozole Rojo with Pork
MEXICAN · MEXICO

Pozole Rojo with Pork

Pozole rojoSoup

A deep-red bowl of hominy and pork in a chilli broth that tastes slow even when it isn't. Pile on the crunch: cabbage, radish, onion, lime, oregano, and as much salsa as you dare.

Total
180 min
Heat
3/5
Serves
6

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Flavour profile

Heat
Funk
Acid
Richness
Umami
  • Rich
  • Savoury
  • Smoky
  • Spicy

The real deal

Region
Michoacán and Jalisco, western Mexico; pozole rojo is the red chilli version of the pre-Hispanic hominy and pork stew.
Technique
Build the broth twice: boil pork with aromatics until tender, then blend guajillo-based adobo and fry it until it darkens before the hominy goes in.
We kept
Nixtamalized hominy, whole dried chillies, bone-in pork, and a raw garnish table; the broth is unfinished until the eater piles in lime, cabbage and radish.

Ingredients

6 Serves

Broth

  • 1.2 kg · cut into large chunks
  • 500 g
  • 1 · halved
  • 10 cloves
  • 2
  • 1 tsp
  • 1 tbsp
  • 1 tsp
  • 3.5 l

adobo

  • 8 · stems and seeds out
  • 4 · stems and seeds out
  • 4 · stems and seeds out
  • 1 tsp · Mexican oregano if you can
  • 2
  • 2 tbsp

simmer

  • 1.5 kg · canned, drained

Garnish

  • 1 · finely shredded
  • 8 · thinly sliced
  • 1 · finely diced
  • 4 · cut into wedges
  • 1 bunch · optional · chopped
  • 6 · optional
  • 1 tsp · optional · toasted chilli flakes

Method

  1. Cut into large chunks, big enough to stay juicy through a long simmer. Rinse and set both aside. Halve and smash . Put and in a small bowl so they're ready to drop in.

    Bone-in pork and a couple of bones give the broth its body; boneless alone tastes thin.

  2. Put the pork and bones in a big pot with the onion, garlic, bay, cumin and 1 tbsp . Add 3.5 l . Bring to a boil, skim off the grey foam, then drop to a gentle simmer and cook until the pork is tender but still sliceable, about 1 h 30 min.

    Never let it boil hard after the initial skim: hard boiling clouds the broth and shreds the pork.

  3. While the pork simmers, tear , and into flat pieces. Heat a dry comal or skillet over medium heat and press the chillies flat for a few seconds a side, until they smell nutty and pliable. Do not let them darken or they turn bitter.

    Burnt chillies ruin the whole pot; if they darken too fast, lift them out immediately.

  4. Cover the toasted chillies with hot water and leave for 20 min, until soft and pliable. Drain, keeping the soaking liquid.

  5. Blend the soaked chillies with , , and a ladle of the soaking water until completely smooth. Add more liquid as needed so it pours.

    A rough adobo shows up as flecks in the finished broth; blend longer than feels necessary.

  6. Heat 2 tbsp in a wide pan over medium heat. Pour in the adobo: it will spit. Fry, stirring, until it darkens to a deep brick red and thickens, about 8 min.

    This step is what makes pozole taste cooked rather than raw; the adobo should look almost pasty before it goes into the pot.

  7. Strain the fried adobo into the pork broth through a sieve, pushing the solids through. Simmer for 15 min so the chilli flavour marries with the pork.

  8. Add and simmer uncovered until the kernels plump and the broth is thick and glossy, at least 30 min. Taste and season with .

    Hominy needs time to drink up the chilli broth; if it still tastes firm and chalky, keep going.

  9. Finely shred , thinly slice , finely dice and cut into wedges. Put each in its own bowl. Set out , and alongside.

  10. Ladle the pozole into deep bowls, making sure each gets pork and plenty of hominy. Serve with the garnishes and let everyone build their own bowl: cabbage, radish, onion, coriander, a squeeze of lime, a crumbled tostada and chilli to taste.

    Don't add the raw garnishes for your guests; pozole is meant to be finished at the table, spoonful by spoonful.

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