Mexican recipe

Pozole Rojo

Name: Pozole Rojo
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 2 h 30 min
Total time: 3 h 15 min
Yield: 8
Cuisine: Mexican cuisine
Ingredients: 1200 g pork shoulder, cut into large cubes; 800 g cooked white hominy, drained and rinsed; 2500 ml water; 180 g white onion, halved; 6 garlic cloves; 45 g dried guajillo chiles, stemmed and seeded; 25 g dried ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded; 3 g ground cumin; 4 g Mexican oregano, plus more to serve; 14 g fine salt; 300 g white cabbage, finely shredded; 180 g radishes, thinly sliced; 120 g white onion, finely chopped for serving; 4 limes, cut into wedges

A celebratory red pozole with tender pork and plump hominy in a guajillo-ancho broth, served with crisp cabbage, radish, onion, oregano and lime for contrast.

Central and western Mexico

Prep: 45 min
Cook: 2 hr 30 min
Total: 3 hr 15 min
Servings: 8

Red pozole with pork, hominy, cabbage and radish — **Real finished-dish photograph**Photograph by DiegosalcidoSource page · Original file · CC BY-SA 4.0Cropped, resized, and compressed by Recipe Nest Vault.

Ingredients

1200 g
pork shoulder, cut into large cubes
800 g
cooked white hominy, drained and rinsed
2500 ml
water
180 g
white onion, halved
6
garlic cloves
45 g
dried guajillo chiles, stemmed and seeded
25 g
dried ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded
3 g
ground cumin
4 g
Mexican oregano, plus more to serve
14 g
fine salt
300 g
white cabbage, finely shredded
180 g
radishes, thinly sliced
120 g
white onion, finely chopped for serving
4
limes, cut into wedges

Method

01
Start the pork broth
Put pork, water, half the onion, 3 garlic cloves and half the salt in a large pot and bring slowly to a simmer.
Cooking-step illustration, not a photograph
02
Skim and simmer the pork
Skim the grey foam from the surface, lower the heat and simmer partly covered for 75 minutes until the pork is beginning to tenderise.
Cooking-step illustration, not a photograph
03
Toast the dried chiles
Toast guajillo and ancho chiles on a dry skillet for 30 seconds per side until fragrant but not burnt.
Cooking-step illustration, not a photograph
04
Rehydrate the chiles
Cover the toasted chiles with hot water for 20 minutes until soft, then drain.
Cooking-step illustration, not a photograph
05
Blend the red chile sauce
Blend the softened chiles with the remaining onion, 3 garlic cloves, cumin, oregano and 300 ml pork broth until completely smooth.
Cooking-step illustration, not a photograph
06
Strain into the broth
Press the red sauce through a fine sieve directly into the pork broth, discarding tough skins and seeds.
Cooking-step illustration, not a photograph
07
Add the hominy
Stir in the drained hominy and bring the pot back to a gentle simmer.
Cooking-step illustration, not a photograph
08
Simmer until the broth melds
Simmer uncovered for 35 minutes so the hominy takes on the chile broth and the pork becomes fork-tender.
Cooking-step illustration, not a photograph
09
Adjust salt and broth
Taste, add the remaining salt as needed, and add a little hot water if the broth has reduced below a generous soup consistency.
Cooking-step illustration, not a photograph
10
Prepare the fresh garnishes
Arrange shredded cabbage, sliced radish, chopped onion, oregano and lime wedges in separate bowls just before serving.
Cooking-step illustration, not a photograph
11
Ladle and garnish at the table
Ladle hot pozole into deep bowls and let each person add the crisp garnishes, oregano and lime to taste.
Cooking-step illustration, not a photograph

Practical notes

Tips

Build colour in the early stages, then keep the finished pot at a gentle simmer so meat stays tender and starches do not catch.
Taste for salt only after smoked meat, stock and reducing liquid have contributed their seasoning.

Common mistakes

A hard boil can toughen meat and reduce the liquid before the flavours have time to meld.
Letting a thick chile sauce sit unstirred over direct heat can scorch the bottom quickly and turn the whole pot bitter.

Substitutions

Use unsalted or low-sodium stock when possible so you can control seasoning after chiles, roasted vegetables and reduced cooking liquid have concentrated.
If the exact dried chile is unavailable, choose another Mexican dried chile with similar heat and fruitiness; the dish will remain workable but its regional flavour will shift.

Storage

Cool leftovers promptly and refrigerate within 2 hours at 0–4°C for up to 3 days. Reheat only the portion needed until piping hot throughout.

Cultural context

Pozole is a deeply rooted Mexican maize dish with many regional forms—red, green and white among them—and is closely associated with gatherings and celebrations as well as everyday fondas.

Sources and photo credit

This standardized method was independently rewritten after cross-checking the references below. Recipe Nest Vault does not claim that the credited photographer cooked from this exact version.

Recipe references

Pozole Rojo — Photograph by Diegosalcido; CC BY-SA 4.0.

Step illustrations: Original illustrations created by Recipe Nest Vault with OpenAI image_gen.

Back to Mexican recipes

Pozole Rojo

Ingredients

Method

Start the pork broth

Skim and simmer the pork

Toast the dried chiles

Rehydrate the chiles

Blend the red chile sauce

Strain into the broth

Add the hominy

Simmer until the broth melds

Adjust salt and broth

Prepare the fresh garnishes

Ladle and garnish at the table

Sources and photo credit

Recipe references

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