This mouth-watering pork and hominy stew, pozole rojo, is a popular dish in Mexico. There is a white pozole that is with pork and hominy in a delicious broth, but I prefer the rich red that is made with the addition of red chile.
This time I used a combination of Guajillo and Ancho Chile Sometimes I use New Mexico dried red chile, which is a favorite of ours. We always have an abundance of New Mexico dried chiles on hand.
If I haven’t been to New Mexico to buy, I order on line. Here’s a link for brand I have purchased several times. https://amzn.to/2TKESQe
delicious pozole rojo with pork.
You make a red chile sauce by seeding the chiles, then they are submerged in very hot water and allowed to steep a little, then pureed in a blender or food processor.
I use a Nutribullet because it really pulverizes the chile. https://amzn.to/2ZwyuQB.
They are then strained to form a paste. You can use this red chile sauce or salsa for so many different dishes. Here is a link for new Mexico Red Chile Sauce that I keep on had for making enchiladas and other Mexican or New Mexico foods. Here is https://the2spoons.com/new-mexico-red-chile-sauce/. The sauce has the addition of other ingredients like Mexican oregano, onions and garlic. You will fall in love with red chile if you start making it. Here’s my Red Chile Enchiladas that are so good.https://the2spoons.com/new-mexico-hatch-red-chile-beef-enchiladas/.
delicious pozole rojo with pork.
Another note before the recipe is that I prefer the dried pozole.
The day before I boil the pozole in a pot for 2 minutes, then I let it soak overnight. If you will look at the top, there’s a little yellow “thing” that attached the kernel to the cob.
So, it is a little tedious, but you want to remove that because it is tough. I drain the pozole, remove this, then add back to a large pot, add enough water to completely cover and cook for about 2 hours before you add salt or any other ingredients.
This picture is after cooking the two hours. It has puffed up, it’s beginning to get really tender.
The next step is you will add your pork and your red cause and cook another hour and a half to two hours or until your pork is fork tender.
One of the reasons I like dried pozole is that it adds thickness to your stew. You can use the canned but it will lack that thickness, which really is ok. I have used the canned before, many times…I just prefer the dried for this dish. If you do use the canned hominy, I would simmer it with added water for about an hour before you add your pork and red chile.
This soup is not complicated, just takes a while to cook because of the pork. You want the pork to be very, very tender.
Here’s the recipe! Enjoy
Pozole Rojo
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs dried hominy
- 1 whole head garlic, sliced through the middle
- 1 onion
- water to cover the hominy plus
- salt to taste
- 1 lb pork neck bones
- 3 lbs pork shoulder, cubed
- 4 large garlic cloves, peeled and minced
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 tsp cumin
- 2 tbsp dried oregano (Mexican oregano if best)
For the condiments
- shredded lettuce
- radishes, thinly sliced
- 1 1/2 finely chopped onion
- lime quarters
- avocado slices
- tostados or chips
For the Red chile Sauce
- 6 ancho chile
- 6 guajillo chile
- 6 garlic cloves
- 1 onion
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp Mexican oregano
- 2 tbsp canola oil
Instructions
- The day before boil the pozole or hominy in enough water to cover plus about an inch for 2 minutes. Let the hominy stand overnight. Drain the pozole and remove the stem at the top of each kernel that was connected to the cob. Takes a few minutes, but worth it.
- Bring a large pot of water (covering the pozole by 2 inches) to a boil and add the pozole. Add the whole head of garlic that has been halved through the middle. Cook for at least 2 hours adding boiling water as needed.
- Remove the garlic head and add the meat, the onion, salt, the salsa and cook for about an hour and a half or until the pork and pozole is tender. Check for salt.
- To serve ladle the stew into large bowls, top each one with a little shredded lettuce, chopped onions, sliced radishes, avocados, cilantro if you like and lots of lime juice! Enjoy!
- Note: If you use canned hominy, add a 28 oz. can to a large pot and add about 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil and simmer for about an hour before you add the other ingredients. The benefit of dried pozole is it adds thickness to the stew.
For the Red chile salsa
- Remove and discard the stems, seeds, and large veins from the chili pods. Bring a pot of enough water to submerge the chile to a boil. Remove from the heat and add the chile. Allow to soak for at least 30 minutes.
- Transfer the chile to a blender or food processor along with the onion, garlic, salt and Mexican oregano and about a ladle and a half of the soaking liquid. Puree until a smooth.. Transfer from the processor to a strainer and strain over a bowl, pushing the chile through the strainer with a back of a spoon, discarding any of the seeds and skins remaining in the strainer. Heat the canola oil and add the red chile salsa. Cook on low 20 to 30 minutes.