Pozole rojo
Rich, warming Mexican pork and hominy stew with a smoky red-chilli sauce, served with crisp cabbage, radish and lime.
Pozole rojo is the kind of bowl that demands attention — smoky, tart and deeply comforting. It’s the Mexican hominy stew famed for festive tables but perfectly at home on a rainy weekday.
This version uses pork shoulder simmered until melting, a purée of toasted guajillo and ancho chillies for that characteristic red colour, and classic garnishes—crisp cabbage, peppery radish and lime—to cut through the richness. Make it for a crowd; it only tastes better the next day.
Ingredients
- 1.4 kg pork shoulder, bone-in
- 2 1/2 l cold water
- 2 brown onion — one used for the stock, one used in the chilli purée
- 8 garlic — separate cloves used in stock and purée
- 2 bay leaves
- 15 ml sea salt — total for cooking; adjust to taste
- 6 dried guajillo chillies
- 2 dried ancho chillies
- 30 ml vegetable oil
- 800 g tinned hominy — drained weight
- 5 ml ground cumin
- 5 ml dried oregano — plus extra to sprinkle at the table
- 5 ml ground black pepper
- 200 g white cabbage — finely shredded for garnish
- 6 radishes — thinly sliced for garnish
- 3 limes — cut into wedges
- 15 g fresh coriander — roughly chopped for garnish
- 1 avocado — sliced for serving
Equipment
- blender
- fine sieve
- large heavy-based saucepan or casserole
- ladle
Instructions
Place the pork shoulder in a large heavy-based saucepan or casserole and add the cold water, 1 brown onion halved, 4 garlic cloves (crushed lightly), the bay leaves and 1.5 tsp sea salt. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, skim any grey scum from the surface, then reduce to a very low simmer and cook partially covered until the pork is tender, about 90 minutes.
While the pork cooks, toast the dried guajillo and ancho chillies in a dry frying pan over medium heat for about 1 minute, turning them so they smell fragrant (do not burn).
Remove stems and seeds from the toasted chillies, place them in a heatproof bowl and pour over about 400 ml just-boiled water. Cover and leave to soak for 20 minutes until softened.
Drain the chillies but reserve about 120 ml of the soaking liquor. In a blender, combine the softened chillies, the reserved soaking liquid, 3 garlic cloves and the remaining half brown onion (roughly chopped). Blitz to a smooth purée — about 2 minutes.
Heat the vegetable oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Pour in the chilli purée and fry, stirring, for 10 minutes until fragrant and the raw edge has cooked off. Stir in the ground cumin, dried oregano, ground black pepper and a further 1 tsp sea salt.
Strain the fried purée through a fine sieve into the casserole with the pork stock, pressing through with the back of a spoon. Discard the sieved solids. Stir in the drained tinned hominy and simmer gently for 15 minutes so the hominy absorbs flavour.
Lift the pork from the pot, shred the meat with two forks (discard the bone and any large pieces of fat), then return the shredded pork to the pot and warm through for 2 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning.
Ladle the pozole into bowls and offer shredded white cabbage, sliced radishes, lime wedges, chopped fresh coriander and sliced avocado for people to add to taste. Sprinkle a little extra dried oregano over each bowl if liked.
Tips
- Use bone-in pork shoulder if you can — the bone and fat deepen the stock. If using boneless, reduce initial simmer time slightly and check tenderness earlier.
- Toast chillies only until fragrant. Burnt skins make the sauce bitter; if any look scorched, cut away the blackened parts before soaking.
- Reserve some of the chilli soaking liquid and a ladle of the pork stock when blending — you’ll need them to reach a smooth, spoonable purée without diluting flavour.
- Make ahead: pozole tastes excellent reheated after a day in the fridge. Reheat gently and add a splash of water if the broth thickens.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days, or freeze in portions for up to 3 months.
Substitutions
pork shoulder, bone-in → pork leg or pork neck, same weight
Stays closetinned hominy → precooked frozen hominy or well-rinsed cooked maize kernels, same weight
Stays closedried guajillo chillies → dried New Mexico or pasilla chillies for milder, fruitier flavour
Noticeably differentvegetable oil → sunflower oil or light olive oil, same quantity
Stays close
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 660
- Calories
- 45 g
- Protein
- 35 g
- Carbs
- 38 g
- Fat
- 6 g
- Fibre
- 5 g
- Sugar
- 850 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
Can I make pozole with chicken instead of pork?
Yes — use bone-in chicken thighs and reduce simmer time to around 40–50 minutes until tender. The flavour will be lighter and the broth less fatty.
How spicy is this pozole rojo?
Moderately spicy: guajillo and ancho chillies give depth and mild heat rather than fierce spice. Add a chipotle or a fresh chilli if you want more kick.
Do I have to strain the chilli purée?
Straining smooths the broth and removes gritty bits from the chillies. If you prefer a rustic texture, you can skip it but the final soup will be less glossy.
Can I prepare the chilli purée in advance?
Absolutely — make the purée a day ahead and keep it chilled. Fry it just before adding to the stock for best flavour.
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