Pozole Rojo is a delicious and smokey Mexican stew made with an aromatic broth of dried chiles, onions and oregano and full of pork and hominy.
I can see my Mexican friends yelling at me. “But there’s no cabbage!”, “Where’s the cabbage?” Yes. I am fully aware that I missed the most important garnish to this rustic soup, but I still hope I made all my Latin friends proud by making their classic and so delicious Pozole Rojo.
For months my mouth would water as I listened my Mexican friends brag and show off photos of this “amazing” pozole made by their mom, aunt, cousin, sister or family friend and no one would give away the recipe. They would bloat and show off how comforting and time consuming this soup was and then here’s this white girl begging to find out what the flavors of this masterpiece was made up of.
Pozole rojo is a deliciously hearty Mexican stew with hominy and either pork or chicken. The deep red broth is made with dried chile’s and aromatics such as onion, garlic and fresh oregano. I used both guajillo and ancho chile’s which gave it a rich deep smokey flavor. My tip: take out ALL the seeds and stems from the chile’s. The peppers still have a nice smokey kick to it with a little heat, but by removing the seeds, you won’t be running to the fire extinguisher and will still have all the flavor.
Also, I should note that this is a somewhat time consuming soup, easy, but takes time. You first have to make the pork or chicken broth and allow your meet to cook and broth to come together for at least 3 hours. Then you add in all the rest of the ingredients and allow it to simmer for another 30 minutes (at least). It’s a tad time consuming but so so worth it. And like any labor intensive meal, it tastes even better the next day. And the next.
Method:
1) In a large soup pot, add pork, 1 onion cut in quarters, 1 garlic bulb cut in half, 3 bay leaves, salt and pepper. Cover everything with water and allow to simmer for 2 hours. As water begins to evaporate, add hot water to keep the broth at the same amount.
2) While stock is cooking, make the chile sauce. Cut open your dried chile’s and remove all the seeds and stems. Soak the chiles in water for at least 30 minutes to soften.
3) When chiles are soft, add them to your blender (or food processor) as well as 1 onion (roughly chopped), 6 garlic cloves, few sprigs of fresh oregano, drizzle of olive oil and about 1/2 cup of the chile water (from soaking). You may need more depending on consistency. Blend everything together until it is all pureed.
4) When stock is done and pork is cooked through, remove pork to cutting board and shred or cut into bite size pieces. Discard stocks onion, garlic and bay. Then add the pureed chile sauce to pork stock and store through. Add hominy and cubed pork. Taste for seasoning.
5) Bring soup to a gentle simmer and allow to continue cooking for an additional 30 minutes.
6) When pozole rojo, ladle soup into bowls and top with garnishes, such as sliced cabbage, sliced radishes, fresh oregano, avocado, like and tortilla chips.
Pozole Rojo (Mexican Stew with Pork and Hominy)
Ingredients
Stock
- 2 lbs pork butt or chicken
- 1 yellow onion cut in quarters
- 1 garlic bulb cut in half
- 3 bay leaves
- Water
Chile Sauce
- 5 dried ancho chiles seeds and stem removed
- 5 dried guajillo chiles seeds and stem removed
- 1 yellow onion roughly chopped
- 6 garlic cloves
- Few sprigs of fresh oregano
- Olive oil for drizzling
- Reserved water from soaked chiles
- 2 19 oz cans hominy drained and rinsed
Pozole Toppings
- Cabbage sliced
- Tortilla chips
- Avocado
- Lime
- Radishes sliced
- Fresh oregano and/or cilantro
- Queso fresco
- Crema
Instructions
- In a large soup pot, add pork, 1 onion cut in quarters, 1 garlic bulb cut in half, 3 bay leaves, salt and pepper. Cover everything with water and allow to simmer for 2 hours. As water begins to evaporate, add hot water to keep the broth at the same amount.
- While stock is cooking, make the chile sauce. Cut open your dried chile's and remove all the seeds and stems. Soak the chiles in water for at least 30 minutes to soften.
- When chiles are soft, add them to your blender (or food processor) as well as 1 onion (roughly chopped), 6 garlic cloves, few sprigs of fresh oregano, drizzle of olive oil and about 1/2 cup of the chile water (from soaking). You may need more depending on consistency. Blend everything together until it is all pureed.
- When stock is done and pork is cooked through, remove pork to cutting board and shred or cut into bite size pieces. Discard stocks onion, garlic and bay. Then add the pureed chile sauce to pork stock and store through. Add hominy and cubed pork. Taste for seasoning.
- Bring soup to a gentle simmer and allow to continue cooking for an additional 30 minutes.
- When done, ladle soup into bowls and top with garnishes, such as sliced cabbage, sliced radishes, fresh oregano, avocado, like and tortilla chips.
Pozole rojo is a bit time consuming (yes, but so worth it), for a quicker meal with loads of intense Latin flavor, this Mexican noodle soup called sopa de fideos only takes a handful of ingredients and fraction of the time. And if pork isn’t your jam, try my vegetarian red pozole loaded with hominy, beans and squash!
And if you’re looking for other hearty stews, try my Dominican sanchoco recipe!
What a beautiful soup! I’ve never tried pozole but I would love to!
I just wanted to say thank you for the recipe. I made this pozole a couple of days ago and my family loved it!
Thank you so much Jaime!! You made my day and so glad the whole fam liked it!
Totally, like and tortilla chips!
Then add the pureed chile sauce to pork stock and store through. Store through!
ummm…we don’t put cheese “queso fresco” or table cream “crema” in pozole???? that’s just weird. but good job!! 🙂
Thanks Vanessa! I love learning about other cultures 🙂
Actually some of us do use cheese, queso cotija to be precise. It adds a saltiness to the pozole, you can also use pork rinds instead of tortilla chips. Loved the recipe I had never made red pozole, our family specializes in green pozole. You do your thing Samantha, make it your own.
Thanks Tony!! I have not made a green pozole yet as I’m still researching it! Can’t wait to try another pozole 🙂
Thank you so much!! I’m going to make this tomorrow. I searched but love your way of doing it. I’m so curious about that fresh cheese!! Can’t wait to taste it 🙂 thanks a million!
Hi Jenifer! How did it turn out??
Only thing missing is the jalapeños for flavor and I’ve never ate it with crema or fresh cheese
Awesome I found out the recipe lol (:
I’m 18 I’m moved out of home, I’m shy and embarrassed to ask my mom how to make it but reading the ingredients this is pretty much what she uses ! I’m living with my Boyfriend, I Can’t wait to show him I CAN cook REAL MEXICAN FOOD ! thank you !!!
Hi Karine! Thank you so much for commenting! I hope you make it and both you and your boyfriend enjoy it :)) Let me know if you have any more questions..now I want pozole!! lol
I looked at a lot of recipes for pozole and decided to go with this one. Needed to double it for a party. The results were amazing! Perfectly rich, smoky, meaty. So delicious. I really like the acid a little lime juice adds to it. It was incredibly easy. Like she says, just time consuming. So worth it! 🙂
Hi Ellie! That is fabulous!! So happy it came out well and everyone enjoyed!! I love the smoky flavor the chiles offer! Thank you for sharing 🙂
Great recipe!! Thank You for sharing.
Thank you Cindy!
Thank you so much for the recipe. I am making this for Christmas. My wife’s idea to start a new tradition, and she’s Filipino!! Growing up, my mom made her delicious menudo, but she never made posole. She will be present on Christmas Day to taste our family’s new tradition!! Thank you!!
Ohhh I LOVE Filipino food!! Please let me know how the pozole comes out! Now I’m craving some! And thank you for your lovely comment 🙂
Thank you Samantha! The posole was a huge hit!! My dad made sure my wife packed him some to go. He must of mentioned it 4 times! Loved it! Thanks again!
Woohooo thanks for letting me know!! Happy New Year!!
Thanks for the lovely recipe. I recently made red chicken pozole. This was the first time I made pozole. Just published it on our world cuisine blog too.
Although I am generally not a big fan of soup, I have to admit pozole is probably going to change my mind about soups ! I will definitely make this one again as the whole family loved it and it was not too spicy for the children (the chiles I used were on the mild side)
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If you don’t mind me asking what kind of chiles did you use I want a mild pozole too
Hi Cheyanna! Ok so I’ll be honest..I actually love spicy foods..haha This pozole does have a bite to it, but once there’s cabbage, queso and crema and even avocado added, it mellows out the spice to me! With that being said though, my few tips to making this pozole a bit less spicy: take out every single seed of the dried chiles. The seeds and ribs of the chile are what give it the hot factor. Ancho chiles are probably the mildest of the dried chiles, so look for those or dried poblano are pretty mild as well. Maybe look at a Latin/Mexican market if you have those by you. When you make the paste and add it to the stock, taste for seaoning and if too hot, add a bit more stock. Good luck and let me know how it comes out!
I’ve made this recipe a couple of times and my family couldn’t get enough of it. I think I’ll make it again this weekend.
Awesome Jami!!! I havent made it in a little while and now I”m craving pozole! Perfect weather-time food!
yea, I made your recipe and I’m so glad I chose this instead of the other one that uses canned enchilada sauce. the only thing I’ve added was chicken bouillon powder aside from the salt. It was really tasty and a keeper. thank you so much for sharing!
So happy to hear that Eliza!!! I may try the bouillon too!
How many people does this recipe serve? I need to make enough for 40 people so need to double or triple the ingredients? Please let me know…I start making it early Christmas Eve!
Hi Kimberly!! This makes about 8-10 servings..it fit my large 6qt dutch oven. I would suggest to triple it for that many people!! Have fun and please let me know how it comes out 🙂
OMG……LOVE THIS RECIPE……….I’ve always wanted to know how to make Red Pozole. I’ve tried it from different places both red and green pozole and from two good friends of mine. But there was always flavor missing!! Now I know and I’m glad you shared your recipe. I will definitely make this soon and I’ll let you know how it comes out!!
Hi Liz! Please let me know how it comes out 🙂
If we use chicken do we still allow it to simmer for two hours to make the stock? Wouldnt chicken take less time than pork? I cant wait to try this!!!!
Hi Kara! So sorry I didn’t reply sooner as we’re in the process of moving!! I agree with you, the chicken should take less depending if its a a whole chicken or parts. I would boil chicken with other aromatics and then reduce to a simmer until fully cooked through, about 45-1 hour or so? Then remove chicken, shred, make rest of the soup and then add chicken back in! I think it will be delicious!! Also when making the stock, be sure to skim off any “foam” that accumulates from the bones. Have fun!
I created this recipe almost to the letter except I did not have ancho chile, just guajillo. I roasted the chicken, too, after deboning it, so that the stock could boil and not make the chicken too overcooked. Thank you so much! This is better tasting than the Rick Bayless pozole he has on his site.
Love the idea of roasting the chicken!!
Yeah, we have never used any type cheese. Wanted to note we add diced tomatoes, diced onion, diced radishes, chopped lettuce and lemon for the fixins. I make it just using chili powder and spices, but, your recipe sounds good.
Thanks for the comment!! I think cheese is a nice touch..lol And love the addition of tomatoes and lettuce!!
I just made your recipe!! Very easy!! I added a little cumin to when the meat was cooking.. But it turned out Very delicious!! I usually make pozole verde! This is a keeper! Thank you!!
Thanks Sabrina! I haven’t made the green pozole yet but now i can’t wait!! Any tips? 🙂
This looks delish! How much water would estimate you start out with cooking the pork? Thanks so much!
Hi Teresa! I put enough water to it just coveres the pork and aromatics. You can cut up the pork too and not leave it in a huge piece like I did..haha
Great recipe . The taste is very authentic ..
I was looking for a good recipe for pozole and have definitely found it .. Everyone has different ways of garnishing , but the main dish itself is awesome .. Again, thank you for a great recipe 🙂
I love pozole and i couldn’t remember how my mother n law in Mexico made it exactly. Then i found your recipe and that was it, i knew it was going to be great! The only thing different that i did and that’s only cause my mother n law did was add cumin and cloves ooh and i also used chile cascabel instead. I love these peppers and i don’t think they’re spicy, they just have a lovely taste and flavor to them!!! But I can’t Thank You enough for your recipe, it was AMAZING!!!! THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!!! LOL.
Jessica, I LOVE that you added cumin and clove!! I’m definitely going to add that next time I make it..which will be soon since I’ve been craving a good soup!! Yayyy so glad you liked it :))
Just want to say thank you so much for this recipe .. I made it exactly as written, and it was awesome .. Brought me back to when I was younger and my friends family would make this for New Year’s Eve .. Thank you again ?
Makes me so happy!! Thanks for sharing Danny!!
Hello Samantha I been looking for a good pozole recipe and this one seems to be the one to catch my attention I been craving Pozole never made it but my dad use to make it for me and his wasn’t spicy and that’s how I liked I don’t mind some kick but for me spicy isn’t my thing so I was curious. Is this spicy? Like what would you say on say on a scale from 1-10 please let me know I really want to try this! Take care
Just made this and I do have to say, it’s really fantastic!! Authentic, seasoned perfectly and very flavorful…thank you for sharing!
Thank you so much Angie!!