Pozole Rojo, Red Pozole

This is a real-deal, authentic pozole rojo, with no shortcuts. That said, I will offer you substitutions and shortcuts if you want to take them. The singular ingredient you can't be without for pozole is corn, and it can't be sweet corn. No hominy or dried field corn? Don't make this recipe. 

Prep time: PT20M

Cook time: PT240M

Total time: PT260M

Rating

5 stars (12 reviews)

Keywords

hominy, pork

Ingredients

3 to 4 cups dried corn for pozole, (or 2 30-ounce cans hominy)
1 tablespoon slaked lime if using dried corn
6 quarts water
1/2 pig's head, or 3 pounds pork shoulder, cut into chunks
1 or 2 pig's feet
4 to 6 dried guajillo chiles
4 to 6 dried ancho chiles
Salt
1 tablespoon dried oregano, Mexican if possible
3 to 6 key limes, halved, or 3 regular limes, quartered
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
6 radishes, sliced thin
1/2 head cabbage, sliced thin
1/2 cup diced hot fresh chiles, or have dried hot chiles at the table
1/2 cup chopped white onion
2 avocados, diced
Tortilla chips
More dried Mexican oregano, to taste

Cuisine

Mexican

Steps

PREP THE CORN
- Cover the corn with 6 cups of water, add the slaked lime and bring to a boil. Simmer for 20 minutes, and see if you can bite a kernel in half. If not, keep simmering until you can. When the corn is ready, turn off the heat, stir the pot, cover it and leave it to rest overnight.
- The next morning, drain and rinse the corn under cold water, rubbing the kernels with your hands to remove the slimy seed coat. This should take about 5 to 10 minutes. 
- Optional Step: Use a paring knife or your fingernails to nip off the dark bit of each kernel where it attached to the cob. 
COOK THE SOUP
- Cover the corn with the 6 quarts of water and bring to a simmer. Let this simmer for 1 hour. Add the pig's head or other pork bits and bring to a full boil. Skim any scum that collects on top of the soup. When you've skimmed it all off, drop the heat to a simmer. 
- Stem and seed the dried chiles and tear into large pieces. Put in a bowl and ladle some of the soup over the chiles. Cover the bowl and let sit for 30 minutes. Put everything into a blender and puree. Pour all this into the soup, and clean the blender bowl by ladling more broth into it, so you get every bit of chile goodness. Stir in the oregano.
- Simmer everything until the pork is falling off the bones. Fish it all out and chop. Regular meat you can dice or chop coarsely, but skin, fat and random bits you'll want to mince. It's your call if you want to keep the eyes. I toss them. 
- Add salt to taste and simmer until the corn is ready. This process takes quite a while, typically 4 to 6 hours once the pozole hits a simmer. 
- To serve, ladle some soup into bowls and have everyone put whatever toppings they want on top.

Nutitrion

Serving Size: 1 serving
Calories: 389 kcal
Carbohydrates: 59 g
Protein: 20 g
Fat: 13 g
Saturated Fat: 3 g
Cholesterol: 37 mg
Sodium: 331 mg
Sugar: 22 g

Reviews

Max on 2024-12-31 (5 stars):
I made this with black bear head. Turned out delicious. Also great with venison head/neck meat.
RainRain on 2022-12-12 (5 stars):
A friend invited us to eat posole? Had no idea what it was, all the fixings on the table, huge pots (3) with something red, watched others serve themselves, I followed. OMG I embarrassed myself, having eaten THREE bowls of this wonderful meal. This was nearly 15 yrs ago, I asked for this at restaurants, nope not the same. I looked for recipes, not knowing what was used, my friend had moved back to Mexico (the invite was a farewell party) . I was totally disappointed with all the attempts I tried. Out of the blue Google having eavesdropped on my conversations, I asked a friend if he knew how to make posole? No but he'd ask around.....Google started posting recipes on my news feed. For the first time ever I didn't mind reading Google's news feed, your post appeared, I read scrolling down and HERE IT WAS, THE REAL DEAL! I couldn't drive fast enough to the grocery store I found the dried Chiles, Mexican oregano, the meat the pig's feet, canned hominy! I literally hit the jackpot!! I fixed everything according to recipe, minus of course the hominy and I felt the Heavens open, I felt as though the atmosphere had me floating midair with each bite! I literally cried at the thought of finishing it and having to cook it all over again :0/ here I am SECOND batch in a month! I alone eat/ate this meal, my daughter & husband aren't into eating seconds, left overs? They're weird :0) GOOD for me! Your recipe is SPOT ON!
Sarah J Williams on 2021-05-28 (5 stars):
I spent a year in Mexico after college. I took cooking classes in the afternoon, and pozole was one thing we learned how to cook. We did ALL of it from scratch, including the corn, but sparing the pig slaughter. It was quite an authentic experience. I have made pozole ever since, and this recipe (with pork shoulder and pigs feet) is SO close to the real thing! Just want to say, Rancho Gordo Nixtamal Corn, is legit and delicious in this recipe. PS - the corn requires a 24 hour soak - I do an 8 hour soak, get the pork started in a soup pot so I can skim off the goo - then everything goes in the pressure cooker for 3 hours. Delish!!
McDaniel Carol on 2019-03-07 (5 stars):
I made this on Tuesday. Made my own hominy and froze it cause I was having a difficult time finding fresh pigs feet in The mother lode area. Finally found them at cost less and used three split feet and two pounds of pork shoulder. Guajillo peppers were easy and I added some chili negro peppers for added color. The hominy was added in and simmered on. It was fantastic!! The add ons can tailor the flavor and heat to suit everyone. Made a huge batch. Will freeze the rest.