Name: Mexican Pozole Rojo
Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients: *For the broth and meat:**; 3 lbs (1.4 kg) bone-in pork shoulder (or a combination of shoulder and pork neck bones); 1 onion, quartered; 6 cloves garlic, peeled; 2 bay leaves; 1 tablespoon salt; 10 cups (2.4 L) water; *For the chile sauce:**; 6 dried guajillo chiles, stemmed and seeded; 3 dried ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded; 2 dried chiles de árbol (for heat — adjust to taste); 3 cloves garlic; 1 teaspoon cumin seeds (or ½ teaspoon ground); 1 teaspoon dried oregano (Mexican oregano if possible); ½ teaspoon black pepper; 1 tablespoon vegetable oil; *For the pozole:**; 2 cans (29 oz / 822 g each) hominy, drained and rinsed (or 1 lb dried hominy, soaked overnight and cooked until tender); Salt to taste; *Toppings (serve all — this is essential):**; Shredded green cabbage; Sliced radishes; Diced avocado; Dried oregano; Crushed red pepper flakes or ground chile de árbol; Lime wedges; Sliced jalapeños; Chopped cilantro; Tostadas or tortilla chips

Mexican Pozole Rojo

Cultural Context: Pozole is one of Mexico's oldest dishes, with roots in pre-Hispanic Aztec ceremonial feasts. It's a rich, red-chile broth with hominy — large, puffy kernels of dried corn treated with lime (nixtamalization). Pozole is celebration food, served at birthdays, holidays, and gatherings,

Ingredients

*For the broth and meat:**
3 lbs (1.4 kg) bone-in pork shoulder (or a combination of shoulder and pork neck bones)
1 onion, quartered
6 cloves garlic, peeled
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon salt
10 cups (2.4 L) water
*For the chile sauce:**
6 dried guajillo chiles, stemmed and seeded
3 dried ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded
2 dried chiles de árbol (for heat — adjust to taste)
3 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon cumin seeds (or ½ teaspoon ground)
1 teaspoon dried oregano (Mexican oregano if possible)
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
*For the pozole:**
2 cans (29 oz / 822 g each) hominy, drained and rinsed (or 1 lb dried hominy, soaked overnight and cooked until tender)
Salt to taste
*Toppings (serve all — this is essential):**
Shredded green cabbage
Sliced radishes
Diced avocado
Dried oregano
Crushed red pepper flakes or ground chile de árbol
Lime wedges
Sliced jalapeños
Chopped cilantro
Tostadas or tortilla chips

Method

**Simmer the pork.** Place the pork shoulder, onion, garlic, bay leaves, and salt in a large pot. Cover with 10 cups of water. Bring to a boil, skim any foam that rises, then reduce to a gentle simmer. Cook partially covered for 2 to 2½ hours, until the pork is completely tender and falling off the bone.
**Toast and soak the chiles.** While the pork simmers, heat a dry skillet over medium heat. Press each dried chile flat against the pan for 10-15 seconds per side until they darken slightly and become pliable and fragrant. Don't burn them. Place the toasted chiles in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Soak for 20 minutes until soft.
**Make the chile sauce.** Drain the softened chiles (reserve ½ cup of the soaking liquid). Place chiles in a blender with the garlic, cumin, oregano, pepper, and reserved soaking liquid. Blend until very smooth, scraping down sides as needed. Add a splash more liquid if necessary to get the blender moving. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve — this removes any remaining bits of skin and creates a silky sauce.
**Fry the sauce.** Heat the vegetable oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Pour in the strained chile sauce (it will splatter — be ready). Fry, stirring frequently, for 5-7 minutes until the sauce darkens and thickens. This step intensifies the flavor dramatically.
**Shred the pork.** Remove the pork from the broth. Shred into bite-sized pieces using two forks, discarding bones and excess fat. Strain the broth and skim the fat.
**Assemble the pozole.** Return the strained broth to the pot. Add the fried chile sauce and hominy. Bring to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes to let the flavors meld. Add the shredded pork back in. Taste and adjust salt.
**Serve** in deep bowls with all toppings laid out on the table. The toppings aren't optional — the contrast of crunchy cabbage, cool avocado, sharp radish, and bright lime against the rich broth is what makes pozole great.
*Storage:** Refrigerate for up to 5 days. Freezes beautifully for up to 3 months. The flavors deepen with time. Keep toppings separate and add fresh when serving.