Pozole Rojo (Mexican Pork Stew with Hominy)

This pozole rojo is full of deep flavor with pork, chiles and garnished with shredded cabbage and sliced radish.

5 from 33 votes

Pozole rojo is a hearty Mexican stew made with tender pork, hominy and a rich red chile broth, finished with fresh, crunchy toppings.

Prep Time20

Cook Time3

Total Time3 20

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Mexican

Keyword: posole rojo, pozole rojo, red pork pozole, red posole

Servings: servings

Calories: 196kcal

Author: Samantha Ferraro

Equipment

Ingredients

For the Pork Broth

2 pounds pork shoulder or pork butt cut into 2-3 inch pieces
1 yellow onion cut in half
1 garlic bulb cut in half
2-3 bay leaves
8 cups water or enough to cover the pork by about 1 inch
1 teaspoon salt plus more to taste

For the Chile Sauce

5 dried ancho chiles stems and seeds removed
5 dried guajillo chiles stems and seeds removed
2 chile de arbol optional for heat
1 yellow onion roughly chopped
3 garlic cloves
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 cup reserved chile soaking water plus more as needed
Salt to taste

For the Posole

2 15-ounce cans white hominy, drained and rinsed
Prepared chile sauce

For Serving

Finely shredded cabbage
Radishes thinly sliced
White onion finely diced
Fresh lime wedges

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Make the Pork Broth. Add the pork, halved onion, halved garlic bulb, bay leaves, salt, and water to a large pot. The water should cover the pork by about 1 inch.
Bring the broth to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to maintain a low simmer. As the broth cooks, skim off any foam that rises to the surface. Continue simmering until the pork is very tender and easily pierced with a fork, about 1½ to 2 hours.
Once the pork is tender, remove and discard the onion, garlic, and bay leaves.
Make the Chile Sauce. While the pork is cooking, prepare the chiles. Remove the stems and seeds from chiles and place them in a small saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 10–15 minutes, until the chiles are softened.
Transfer the softened chiles to a blender, along with the chopped onion, garlic cloves, dried oregano, cumin, and 1 cup of the reserved chile soaking water. Blend until completely smooth, adding a little more chile water as needed to create a smooth, pourable sauce.
Combine the Posole. Once the pork is tender, remove the aromatics from the broth and pour the chile sauce into the pot with the pork and broth. Stir well to combine.
Add the drained and rinsed hominy and bring the posole to a gentle simmer.
Simmer and Finish. Continue simmering for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, allowing the pork, hominy, chile broth to come together. Taste and adjust the seasoning with additional salt as needed.
Serve. Ladle the hot posole into bowls and garnish with plenty of shredded cabbage, sliced radishes and other toppings.

Notes

Skim the broth: Skim off any foam that rises to the surface for a clear broth.
Save the chile water: Use the chile soaking water to loosen the sauce as needed.
Strain if desired: For a smoother sauce, strain it through a fine-mesh sieve before adding to the broth.
Make ahead: Pozole can be made up to 3 days ahead. Reheat gently and add a splash of stock or water if needed.

Nutrition