Pozole Rojo
Hominy and pork simmered with a red chilli broth of guajillo and ancho. A Sunday and celebration soup, finished at the table with shredded cabbage, radish, oregano and lime.
Overview
Pork shoulder and pork ribs are simmered with onion, garlic and bay until tender, building a stock that becomes the soup base. Dried guajillo and ancho chillies are toasted, soaked and blended with the cooking stock, then strained back into the pot with cooked hominy and the shredded meat for a final simmer. The bowls are topped at the table with shredded cabbage, sliced radish, dried oregano, lime wedges and tostadas, so each diner finishes their own.
Ingredients
Pork and stock
- 1 kg pork shoulder (cut into 6 cm chunks)
- 500 g pork rib tips (or country-style ribs, cut between bones)
- 1 onion (halved)
- 6 garlic cloves (whole)
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tablespoon salt
- Water to cover (about 2 ½ litres)
Red chilli base
- 6 guajillo chillies (stems and seeds removed)
- 3 ancho chillies (stems and seeds removed)
- 4 garlic cloves
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 teaspoon salt
Pozole
- 1600 g tins white hominy (drained, rinsed)
- 2 teaspoons salt (to adjust)
To serve
- ¼ green cabbage (finely shredded)
- 6 radishes (thinly sliced)
- 1 white onion (finely diced)
- 1 lime (cut into wedges)
- Dried Mexican oregano
- Tostadas (or warm corn tortillas)
Method
Stage 1 - Simmer the pork
- Place the pork shoulder, rib tips, halved onion, whole garlic, bay leaves and salt in a large stockpot.
- Cover with water and bring to a boil.
- Skim the grey foam from the surface for the first 10 minutes (this keeps the broth clean).
- Reduce to a low simmer and cook for 1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours, until the meat is fork-tender.
Stage 2 - Make the red chilli base
- While the pork simmers, tear open the dried chillies and remove the stems and seeds.
- Toast the chillies in a dry pan over medium heat for 20-30 seconds a side, pressing them flat (any longer and they turn bitter).
- Place the toasted chillies in a bowl and cover with hot water; soak for 20 minutes until soft.
- Drain the chillies (reserving a cup of the soaking water) and add to a blender with the garlic, cumin, oregano, cloves, salt and a ladle of the pork stock.
- Blend on high until completely smooth, 2-3 minutes; add more stock if needed to keep the blender turning.
- Pour the chilli mixture through a fine sieve into a bowl, pressing the solids with the back of a ladle to extract every drop (this removes any tough skin).
Stage 3 - Combine
- Lift the pork out of the broth and let it cool enough to handle.
- Strain the broth through a sieve into a clean pot; discard the onion, garlic and bay.
- Shred the pork into bite-sized pieces, discarding any bones or thick fat.
- Return the shredded pork to the strained broth and stir in the strained chilli base.
- Add the drained hominy.
- Bring to a gentle simmer and cook uncovered for 30 minutes for the flavours to combine.
- Taste and adjust salt.
Stage 4 - Serve
- Set out small bowls of shredded cabbage, sliced radish, diced onion, lime wedges, dried oregano and a stack of tostadas.
- Ladle the pozole into deep bowls and let each diner top their own.
Notes
- Toast the chillies briefly: A flat press for 20-30 seconds wakes the oils. Hold them down longer and they scorch, turning the broth bitter.
- Strain the chilli puree: Even a powerful blender leaves bits of skin behind. Sieving gives the velvet texture pozole is known for.
- Mexican oregano is different: Mediterranean oregano is mintier. Mexican oregano has citrus and anise notes that belong in this broth. Substitute marjoram if you can't find it.
Storage
- Refrigerate up to 4 days. The flavour deepens overnight.
- Freezes well for 2 months; freeze without the toppings.
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