Pozole Rojo

Pozole is one of Mexico's oldest ceremonial foods, traced back to Aztec ritual feasts. The word comes from the Nahuatl pozolli, meaning "foamy," a reference to the bloomed hominy kernels that swell and open like flowers during cooking. This red-chile version, beloved across Jalisco and Guerrero, is built on a deep ancho-guajillo broth and is traditionally served at baptisms, weddings, and New Year's celebrations.

Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 1 kg (2.2 lb) bone-in pork shoulder, cut into large chunks
• 800 g (28 oz) canned hominy (maíz cacahuazintle), drained and rinsed
• 4 dried ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded
• 3 dried guajillo chiles, stemmed and seeded
• 1 white onion, halved
• 6 garlic cloves
• 1 tsp dried Mexican oregano
• 1 tsp cumin seeds, toasted
• 2 tsp salt, plus more to taste
• 2 litres (8 cups) water or chicken stock

To serve: shredded cabbage, sliced radishes, dried oregano, lime wedges, tostadas

Instructions

1. Place pork, half the onion, and 3 garlic cloves in a large pot. Cover with water, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 60–70 minutes until pork is tender. Skim foam every 15 minutes.
2. While pork cooks, toast dried chiles in a dry skillet over medium heat for 30 seconds per side until fragrant. Soak in 500 ml (2 cups) hot water for 20 minutes.
3. Blend soaked chiles with their soaking liquid, remaining onion, remaining garlic, oregano, cumin, and salt until completely smooth. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve.
4. Remove pork from broth; shred into large chunks, discarding bones. Return pork to the broth.
5. Add hominy and chile purée to the pot. Simmer uncovered 25–30 minutes until hominy is tender and broth is deeply flavored. Adjust salt.
6. Serve in deep bowls with cabbage, radishes, dried oregano, a squeeze of lime, and tostadas on the side.

Cook's Notes: Dried hominy gives superior texture — soak overnight and boil 2 hours if using. The broth improves dramatically the next day; make it ahead when you can.