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Take a Whisk Kitchen

Pozole Rojo

A Mexican pork stew that is warming and incredibly filling. This is budget-friendly, makes lots of servings, and makes great leftovers! It's also great for parties since people pick and choose the toppings they'd like!
Print Recipe
Total Time 3 hours
Servings: 8 people
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Pork Shoulder
  • 5 lb boneless pork shoulder left whole
  • 2 tbsp salt
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp chipotle chili powder
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
Stock
  • 2 cloves whole
  • 2 tsp coriander seeds whole
  • 1 allspice whole
  • 5 large dried guajillo chiles stems and seeds removed
  • 1 large New Mexico chile stem and seeds removed
  • 2 large ancho chiles stems and seeds removed
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 medium onion peeled and cut into quarters
  • 1 head garlic cloves separated and peeled
  • 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tbsp dried Mexican oregano
Other stew ingredients
  • 3 15.5 oz cans white hominy
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 4-5 sprigs fresh cilantro
Optional toppings for serving
  • Fresh chopped cilantro
  • Tostadas or tortilla chips
  • Crema
  • Cotija cheese
  • Lime wedges
  • Shredded cabbage
  • Sliced radishes

Equipment

  • Dutch oven
  • Wireless probe thermometer optional, but helpful

Method
 

Prep the ingredients
  1. Preheat the oven to 450℉.
  2. Season the pork generously with the salt, chili powder, chipotle chili powder, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder. For better results, season the day before and put in the fridge for up to 24 hours before making the pozole.
  3. Drain the hominy and spread it onto a sheet tray. Bake in the oven at 450℉ for 15-20 minutes or until fragrant and beginning to brown. Set aside and decrease the oven temperature to 350℉.
  4. In a large dutch oven, heat 2 tbsp of vegetable oil (or a high smokepoint oil of your choosing) at medium heat until it sizzles when water is splashed into it. Then, place the pork shoulder in the oil and brown on all sides. (The goal is not to cook the pork through - just to get the flavor of browned meat before it braises) Set pork aside.
  5. With a mortar and pestle, grind the cloves, coriander seeds, and allspice. Set aside.
  6. Remove the stems and seeds from all chile peppers and toast them in a dry pot on medium high heat just until fragrant (be careful not to brown or burn them). Set aside.
  7. In the same dry pot, toast the ground cloves, coriander seeds, and allspice on medium high heat just until fragrant.
  8. Once fragrant, add the water, onion, garlic, and toasted chiles to the pot. Cover with the lid, turn down the heat, and allow to simmer for about 10 minutes or until all the ingredients are soft.
  9. With an immersion blender, blend the water mixture until smooth. Set mixture aside.
Preparing the stew
  1. In the dutch oven, add the white hominy at the bottom and then place the pork shoulder on top with the probe thermometer inside of the pork.
  2. Pour the water/chile pepper mixture into the dutch oven along with the apple cider vinegar and then add more water until the pork is mostly submerged, with just a little bit peaking out at the top.
  3. Tie together a bay leaf and a few stems of cilantro and put it in the dutch oven submerged in the liquid along with the dried oregano.
  4. Place in the oven at 350℉ for about 2½ hours or until the pork should has an internal temperature of 190℉.
  5. Remove the bay leaf and cilantro bunch and cut or shred pork shoulder into bite-sized pieces before returning it to the pot.
  6. Taste for seasoning. Add salt, water, or apple cider vinegar as desired.
  7. Serve with fresh toppings of choice: lime, tostadas, shredded cabbage, sliced radishes, chopped cilantro, chopped onions, crema, cotija cheese

Notes

This pozole is a medium heat level. To tone down the heat, add more apple cider vinegar or water to the pot, omit the New Mexico chile, or add more of the fresh toppings at the end.