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Pozole Rojo Recipe

Pozole Rojo

Chef B
Pozole Rojo is a classic Mexican stew where pork and hominy simmer in a well-seasoned and chili pepper-enhanced broth. This traditional dish is deeply flavorful, thanks to the combination of guajillo and ancho chilies, which provide a smoky, slightly sweet taste with a mild heat.
5 from 1 vote
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 50 minutes
Course Main Dish, Stew
Cuisine Mexican
Servings 6 servings
Calories 153 kcal

Equipment

  • Large Soup Pot or Dutch Oven – For simmering the pork and broth.
  • Blender or Food Processor: To create the smooth chili sauce.
  • Fine-Mesh Sieve (Optional) – For straining the chili sauce to achieve a smoother broth.
  • Knife & Cutting Board: For prepping ingredients.

Ingredients
  

  • 2 lbs pork shoulder or pork butt cut into large chunks
  • 2½ lbs pork neck bones you can substitute with country style ribs or spare ribs
  • 1¼ medium onions cut into quarters, divided
  • 4 bay leaves
  • 12 large garlic cloves divided
  • 2 chicken bouillon cubes
  • 2 tsps salt
  • 1 tbsp oregano
  • 2 tsps cumin
  • 1 tsp pepper
  • 6 guajillo chilis stems and seeds removed
  • 6 ancho chilis stems and seeds removed
  • 2 corn tortillas
  • 2 cans white hominy 25-oz cans, drained

Toppings

  • cabbage thinly shredded
  • yellow or white onion diced
  • fresh cilantro chopped
  • lime wedges
  • radishes thinly sliced
  • avocado optional
  • warm corn or flour tortillas for serving

Instructions
 

  • Bring 12 cups of water along with 2 teaspoons of salt to a boil in a large soup pot or Dutch oven. Add the pork shoulder chunks and neck bones to the boiling water (all the pork should be submerged in the water), and let it simmer. Skim any foam and impurities off the top until you get the clear broth. (This will take about 10 to 15 minutes.)
    pozole rojo-step 1
  • Add 10 garlic cloves, mashed to a paste, to the pot along with 1 quartered onion, oregano, cumin, chicken bouillon, and black pepper. Simmer, covered, for an hour and a half. Check periodically to make sure that the pork is submerged under water.
    Pozole Rojo step 2
  • Meanwhile, bring a medium pot of water to a boil, add chili peppers to the water. Boil for 3 to 4 minutes. Turn off the heat, and allow chilis to soak for 20 to 30 minutes.
    Pozole Rojo step 3
  • Place the rehydrated chilis, onion, 2 large garlic cloves, 1⁄2 teaspoon salt, 2 corn tortillas (torn) and 1½ cups chili soaking broth into a blender or food processor. Puree until very smooth.
    pozole rojo step 4
  • Once the pork is tender after simmering, take it out and shred it into chunks of your desired size. Discard the bones. Remove bay leaves and any onion remnants from the broth.
    Pozole Rojo step 5
  • Add the prepared chili sauce to the broth. (We like to strain the sauce through a fine-mesh sieve into the pot for smoother pozole). Add shredded pork back into the pot along with drained hominy, and cook for 30 to 40 minutes. Taste and adjust the salt or chicken bouillon.
    Pozole Rojo step 6
  • Ladle the pozole into the bowls, making sure each bowl has both types of pork meat. Top with all the garnishes and serve with with lime wedges and warm corn tortillas or rice.
    pozole rojo step 7

Notes

  1. Pork: This recipe is great for up to 5 pounds of pork. You can use other pork cuts as well. Pork ribs or feet go great in pozole. 
  1. Chilies: You can find the dried chilies in the Mexican aisle at the grocery store or online. Guajillo and ancho chilies are not very spicy. For spicier pozole, add 3-5 arbol chilis into the mix. In some variations, tomatoes are blended along with the chilis. 
  2. For clearer pozole, skim off the impurities until you have a clear broth in the beginning.

Ingredient Variations:

  • Different Pork Cuts: This recipe works well with up to 5 lbs of pork. Try using pork ribs, pork feet, or country-style ribs for even richer flavor.
  • Spicier Pozole: Add 3–5 dried arbol chilies to the mix for extra heat.
  • Tomato Addition: Some variations include blended tomatoes with the chili sauce for added sweetness.

Cooking Tips:

  • Clearer Broth: Skim off any foam or impurities in the first 10–15 minutes of simmering.
  • Better Flavor: Letting the pozole simmer longer allows the flavors to develop more deeply.

Nutrition

Calories: 153kcalCarbohydrates: 32gProtein: 5gFat: 3gSaturated Fat: 0.4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.4gCholesterol: 0.2mgSodium: 1134mgPotassium: 768mgFiber: 12gSugar: 16gVitamin A: 10227IUVitamin C: 12mgCalcium: 49mgIron: 3mg
Keyword Hominy Soup, Mexican Stew, Pork Pozole, Pozole Rojo
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