Mexican Pork and Hominy Stew (Pozole Rojo)

Mexican pork and hominy stew, often called pozole rojo, is a hearty red-chile broth filled with tender pork and chewy hominy. It is served hot with crisp cabbage, radishes, onion, cilantro, and lime, so each bowl can be dressed to taste. Family and regional versions vary; this stovetop recipe uses guajillo and ancho chiles for a savory, gently earthy broth.

Ingredients

2½ lb (1.13 kg) boneless pork shoulder, cut into roughly 1½-inch (4 cm) chunks
1 tbsp (15 ml) neutral cooking oil
1 medium yellow onion, about 8 oz (225 g), peeled and quartered
6 garlic cloves, about 18 g, peeled and lightly crushed
8 cups (1.9 L) low-sodium chicken broth
2 cups (475 ml) water
2 bay leaves, about 0.2 g
2 tsp (6 g) kosher salt, plus more to taste
½ tsp (1 g) black pepper
4 dried guajillo chiles, about 1 oz (28 g), stemmed and seeded
2 dried ancho chiles, about ¾ oz (20 g), stemmed and seeded
1 tsp (2 g) ground cumin
2 tsp (2 g) Mexican oregano, crumbled between your fingers
2 cans hominy, 15 oz (425 g) each, drained and rinsed
2 tbsp (30 ml) fresh lime juice, plus lime wedges for serving
3 cups (210 g) finely shredded green cabbage, for serving
6 radishes, about 3 oz (90 g), thinly sliced
½ cup (75 g) finely diced white onion, for serving
½ cup (15 g) chopped fresh cilantro, for serving
6 tostadas, about 6 oz (170 g), for serving, optional

Instructions

Prepare the pork and pot. Pat the pork dry with paper towels; this helps it brown rather than steam. Heat the oil in a large, heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Working in batches so the pieces have room, brown the pork on two or three sides, about 8 to 10 minutes in total. Transfer the browned pieces to a plate. A deep sear adds flavor, but the pork does not need to be cooked through at this stage.
Start the broth. Return the pork and any accumulated juices to the pot. Add the quartered onion, crushed garlic, broth, water, bay leaves, salt, and black pepper. Bring the liquid just to a boil, then lower the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Skim off excess foam during the first few minutes, if needed. Partially cover the pot and simmer for about 1 hour 32 minutes, turning the pork once or twice. Keep the liquid at a quiet bubble; a hard boil can make the broth cloudy and the meat less tender.
Toast and soak the chiles while the pork simmers. Heat a dry skillet over medium heat. Toast the guajillo and ancho chiles in a single layer for about 15 to 20 seconds per side, pressing them gently with a spatula. They should smell fragrant, not scorched. Put them in a heatproof bowl, cover with hot water, and soak for 15 minutes, until pliable. Drain them and discard the soaking water. This short soak happens during the pork simmer, so it does not add to the total time.
Blend the red-chile sauce. Put the softened chiles in a blender with the cumin, oregano, and about 1 cup (240 ml) of broth ladled from the pot. Blend until smooth, about 1 minute. For an especially smooth broth, pass the sauce through a fine-mesh strainer into the pot, pressing it through with a spoon; this is optional if your blender breaks down the chile skins well. Avoid splashing hot broth into the blender, and follow its instructions for blending warm liquids.
Check and shred the pork. After the simmer, check the thickest pork pieces with a food thermometer. USDA FSIS lists 145°F (63°C) with a 3-minute rest as the safe minimum for whole cuts of pork. Lift the pieces from the pot and let them rest for 3 minutes; for this stew, also make sure they are fork-tender. If they resist when pulled with two forks, simmer them longer before shredding or cutting them into bite-size pieces. Remove and discard the bay leaves and onion quarters; the onion has given its flavor to the broth.
Finish the stew. Stir the chile sauce and drained hominy into the pot. Return the shredded or chopped pork to the broth and simmer gently, uncovered, for 25 minutes. Stir occasionally and scrape the bottom of the pot so the chile sauce does not settle. Add the lime juice, then taste the broth. Adjust salt, pepper, or lime as needed. If it is more concentrated than you like, loosen it with a splash of hot water or broth.
Serve hot. Ladle the stew into warm bowls, making sure each serving has pork, hominy, and plenty of broth. Set out the cabbage, radishes, diced onion, cilantro, and lime wedges so everyone can add toppings at the table. Offer tostadas on the side for scooping or crunching.

Tips

Choose the right pork. Boneless shoulder has enough connective tissue to become tender during a long simmer and gives the broth a full flavor. If you use a leaner cut such as pork loin, it can dry out before it becomes as tender; simmer it only until cooked and tender rather than expecting it to shred like shoulder.
Keep the chiles fragrant. Guajillo and ancho chiles are common in pozole rojo, but they are sold dried and can become bitter if burned. Toast them briefly, and discard the soaking water, which may taste bitter. If you cannot find Mexican oregano, use regular dried oregano; the flavor will be a little less citrusy and distinctive.
Control the heat gently. Guajillo and ancho chiles contribute color and flavor more than sharp heat. For a hotter bowl, serve sliced jalapeño or a chile salsa separately rather than adding an unpredictable quantity to the whole pot. For a milder broth, use fewer chiles or remove any remaining seeds before soaking.
Do not rush the simmer. Keep the broth at a gentle simmer, not a rolling boil, and allow extra time if the pork is not fork-tender at the first check. If the liquid drops below the level of the meat, add hot broth or water a little at a time. Season again only after the hominy and chile sauce have simmered together.

Serving Suggestions

Serve the stew in wide bowls with enough broth to surround the pork and hominy. The usual toppings bring different textures: cabbage stays crisp, radish adds a peppery bite, diced onion gives a sharper edge, and cilantro and lime brighten the rich broth. Put the toppings in separate dishes rather than mixing them into the pot, especially if you expect leftovers; they keep their texture better that way.

Tostadas make a practical side, whether you eat them alongside the stew or break them over the bowl. Warm corn tortillas are another option. For a fuller meal, add a simple green salad or sliced avocado, but keep the side dishes uncomplicated so the red-chile broth remains the focus. Let each person adjust lime and salt at the table, since the broth can taste different once it is topped.

Variations

Use other dried chiles. If you cannot find guajillos, substitute dried New Mexico chiles; the broth will be somewhat fruitier and may vary in heat. Anchos can be replaced with mulato chiles for a deeper, slightly sweeter flavor. If neither is available, a small amount of mild ground chile powder can add color, but it will not give the same layered flavor or texture as a sauce made from whole dried chiles.

Make it with chicken. For a chicken version, use bone-in thighs and simmer them until cooked through and tender. Check that poultry reaches 165°F (74°C) with a food thermometer, then remove the bones and return the meat to the stew. Chicken cooks faster than pork shoulder, so begin checking it well before the pork timing in this recipe.

Adjust the hominy and broth. Add another drained can of hominy if you like a thicker, more corn-forward stew; add broth if you prefer more liquid. Canned hominy is ready to use after draining and rinsing. Dried hominy needs its own soaking and cooking time, so it is not a direct, same-timing swap for the canned hominy in this recipe.

Storage and Reheating

Cool the stew and refrigerate it within 2 hours of cooking. Store it in a covered container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. Keep the cabbage, radishes, onion, cilantro, and lime separate so the garnishes stay crisp and fresh. The broth may thicken as it chills, and a layer of fat may form on top; skim some off before reheating if you prefer a leaner bowl.

Reheat only the portion you plan to eat in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally until it is steaming throughout and reaches 165°F (74°C), the USDA FSIS safe temperature for reheated leftovers. Add a little water or broth if it has thickened. You can also reheat a serving in the microwave in a covered, microwave-safe bowl, stirring halfway through and checking the temperature in more than one spot. Freeze cooled stew in airtight containers for up to 2 to 3 months for best quality; thaw it in the refrigerator before reheating. Add fresh toppings after reheating.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this the same as pozole? Pozole is a Mexican stew built around hominy, and pork is a common choice for the red version. The name, chile blend, garnishes, and cooking methods vary from place to place and among households. This recipe is a pozole rojo-style pork and hominy stew, not a claim that there is one single version.

What is hominy, and can I substitute corn? Hominy is dried maize that has been treated through nixtamalization, which gives the kernels their distinctive plump, chewy texture and flavor. Canned hominy is convenient and works well here. Regular canned sweet corn is not a close match: it is sweeter, softer, and lacks hominy’s characteristic bite.

Can I make the stew ahead? Yes. The broth and pork can be cooked a day ahead, cooled promptly, and refrigerated. The flavors settle together as the stew rests, and the fat is easy to remove once chilled. Reheat the stew to 165°F (74°C), then add fresh cabbage, radishes, herbs, and lime when serving.

Why is my pork still tough? Pork shoulder can remain firm even after it is safely cooked; tenderness takes longer than reaching the safe minimum temperature. Keep it at a gentle simmer and check again in 15-minute increments until a fork slides in easily. Avoid increasing the heat to a hard boil, which will not make the connective tissue soften more evenly.

Can I make the chile sauce without a blender? A blender gives the smoothest sauce, but you can finely chop the softened chiles and mash them with a little broth in a mortar or with a sturdy fork. The broth will have more visible chile pieces and a less even texture. Straining the chopped mixture can help, though it will take more effort than blending.

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Safety notes: safe minimum internal temperatures from USDA FSIS; raw and undercooked fish guidance from the U.S. FDA. Food safety notes

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