Pozole Rojo
Pozole Rojo is a deeply savory Mexican soup of tender pork and plump hominy in a brick-red broth scented with dried chillies, garlic, and oregano. Crisp cabbage, peppery radish, and fresh lime add brightness and crunch that make every bowl rich yet lively.
Ingredients
Caldo y carne
- 350 gpork shoulder, cut into 3 cm chunks
- 1.2 Lwater
- 120 gwhite onion, halved
- 4garlic cloves, peeled
- 2 gdried oregano
- 1bay leaf
- 8 gfine salt
Salsa roja
- 20 gdried ancho chillies, stemmed and seeded
- 18 gdried guajillo chillies, stemmed and seeded
- 2garlic cloves
- 1 gcumin seeds
- 150 mlwater from soaking chillies
Maíz y acabado
- 400 gcooked white hominy, drained
- 2 gfine salt, to taste
Guarniciones
- 120 ggreen cabbage, finely shredded
- 80 gradishes, thinly sliced
- 1lime, cut into wedges
- 1 gdried oregano
- 4tostadas
Instructions
- 1
Put the pork shoulder, water, halved onion, peeled garlic cloves, dried oregano, bay leaf, and salt into a medium pot. Bring to a gentle boil over medium-high heat, skimming off any foam in the first few minutes for a cleaner broth. Lower to a steady simmer, partially cover, and cook for 30 minutes until the pork is beginning to soften.
- 2
While the pork simmers, place the ancho chillies and guajillo chillies in a bowl and cover with hot water. Soak for 10 minutes until pliable. Toast the cumin seeds in a dry small pan for 30-45 seconds until fragrant, being careful not to burn them or they will taste bitter.
- 3
Transfer the softened chillies to a blender with the garlic cloves, toasted cumin seeds, and 150 ml soaking water. Blend until completely smooth. For the best texture, strain the sauce through a fine sieve, pressing firmly to extract all the pulp.
- 4
After the pork has simmered 30 minutes, remove the onion halves and bay leaf from the pot. Stir in the red chilli sauce and the drained hominy. Return to a gentle simmer and cook uncovered for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the broth turns deep red, the pork is tender enough to pull apart with a spoon, and the hominy is fully heated through.
- 5
Taste the pozole and adjust with the remaining salt as needed. If you want slightly larger pieces of pork, leave them as they are; for a more rustic texture, lightly break up a few chunks in the broth.
- 6
While the pozole finishes, prepare the garnishes: finely shred the cabbage, thinly slice the radishes, cut the lime into wedges, and set out the dried oregano and tostadas for serving.
- 7
Ladle the hot pozole into bowls. Top generously with cabbage and radish, finish with a pinch of oregano, and serve with lime wedges and tostadas alongside. Squeeze lime over just before eating for the classic bright finish.
Nutrition per serving
Notes
- •Using canned cooked hominy keeps the dish within 60 minutes while still giving authentic texture and flavor.
- •If the broth reduces too much during simmering, add a splash of hot water; pozole should be brothy, not stew-like.
- •For deeper flavor, the chilli sauce can be cooked in a teaspoon of oil for 1 minute before adding, but this is optional.
- •Serve with extra chopped onion or avocado if desired, though the classic essentials here are cabbage, radish, oregano, lime, and tostadas.
Background
Pozole is a traditional Mexican ceremonial soup with pre-Hispanic roots, originally prepared with nixtamalized corn known as maíz cacahuazintle. Pozole rojo, common in states such as Jalisco and Guerrero, gets its color and earthy heat from dried red chillies and is often served at celebrations, weekends, and family gatherings.
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