Pozole Rojo: Mexican Pork and Hominy Stew

Pozole rojo is a Mexican stew of tender pork and hominy in a brick-red broth flavored with dried chiles, garlic, and oregano. It is served hot with crisp, fresh toppings, and its balance of rich broth, chewy corn, and bright garnishes makes each bowl satisfying; ingredients and methods vary by region and household.

Ingredients

3 lb (1.36 kg) boneless pork shoulder, cut into 2-inch (5 cm) chunks
10 cups (2.4 L) water, plus up to 2 cups (480 ml) hot water if needed
1 medium white onion (about 8 oz/225 g), peeled and halved
6 large garlic cloves (about 30 g), peeled and lightly crushed
2 bay leaves
2 teaspoons (10 g) fine salt, plus more to taste
6 dried guajillo chiles (about 30 g), stemmed and seeded
2 dried ancho chiles (about 20 g), stemmed and seeded
1 teaspoon (2 g) Mexican oregano, plus more to taste
½ teaspoon (1 g) ground cumin
2 tablespoons (30 ml) neutral oil, such as canola or sunflower oil
2 cans white hominy, 25 oz (709 g) each, drained and rinsed
For serving: ½ small white onion (about 2 oz/55 g), finely diced; 4 radishes (about 60 g), thinly sliced; 2 cups (60 g) shredded cabbage or lettuce; 2 limes (about 120 g), cut into wedges; ½ cup (15 g) chopped cilantro; 1 teaspoon (2 g) dried Mexican oregano; and ½ cup (30 g) tostadas or tortilla chips, broken into pieces

Instructions

Start the pork broth. Put the pork, water, onion halves, garlic, bay leaves, and salt in a large, heavy pot. Bring it just to a boil over medium-high heat, skimming off the gray foam that rises to the surface. Lower the heat to maintain a gentle simmer, partially cover, and cook for 1 hour 45 minutes, or until the pork is very tender. A vigorous boil can make the broth cloudy and the meat less tender, so adjust the heat as needed.
Prepare the chiles while the pork simmers. Set a dry skillet over medium-low heat. Press the guajillo and ancho chiles against the hot surface for about 10 seconds per side, turning them as they become fragrant. Do not let them blacken; scorched chiles can make the broth bitter. Put them in a heatproof bowl, cover with hot water, and soak for 15 minutes until pliable. Drain, reserving about ½ cup (120 ml) of the soaking liquid only if it smells clean and pleasantly chile-like.
Blend the red chile sauce. Put the softened chiles, Mexican oregano, cumin, and 1 cup (240 ml) of the pork broth in a blender. Blend until smooth, then carefully pour through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl, pressing the pulp with a spoon. Straining catches tough chile skins and gives the broth a smoother texture. If the blender struggles, add a little more broth rather than a large amount of chile-soaking water.
Finish the broth. When the pork is tender, remove the onion halves and bay leaves and discard them. Lift out the pork and set it on a plate. Check a thick piece 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; for this stew, the shoulder should be cooked further until it is easy to pull apart. Stir the chile sauce into the pot. Warm the oil in the skillet over medium heat, add a ladleful of the chile broth, and stir for 1 minute, scraping up any fragrant chile residue; pour this mixture back into the pot.
Add hominy and return the pork. Shred the pork into bite-size pieces, discarding large pieces of excess fat, and return it to the pot. Stir in the drained hominy. Simmer uncovered for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, so the chile flavor spreads through the broth and the hominy becomes hot and tender. If the stew is thicker than you like, add hot water a little at a time. Taste and adjust the salt, oregano, and chile flavor. Serve hot with the garnishes set out separately.

Tips

Keep the chile flavor mellow, not burnt. Dried chiles need only a brief toast to release their aroma. If they darken heavily or smell acrid, start again with fresh chiles; a burnt chile flavor is difficult to correct in a whole pot.
Choose a gentle simmer. Pork shoulder has connective tissue that softens with slow cooking. If the meat is still resistant when pierced after the initial simmer, give it another 15 minutes before shredding rather than relying only on the clock.
Adjust the heat with care. Guajillo and ancho chiles bring a deep, fruity flavor and are generally mild. For more heat, blend in one stemmed, seeded dried árbol chile; for a milder pot, use fewer guajillos. Add chile gradually, since the flavor concentrates as the stew simmers.
Use practical swaps thoughtfully. If Mexican oregano is unavailable, regular dried oregano works, though its flavor is less citrusy and earthy. Anchos can be hard to find; substitute an additional guajillo for a brighter, less raisin-like broth. Canned hominy is convenient; if using dried hominy, follow its package directions for soaking and cooking before adding it.

Serving Suggestions

Serve pozole in wide bowls with the pork and hominy distributed evenly and enough broth to cover them. Put the garnishes on the table so each person can add shredded cabbage or lettuce, radish, diced onion, cilantro, a squeeze of lime, and a pinch of dried oregano. Tostadas or crisp tortilla chips add crunch; warm corn tortillas are also useful for scooping up the last bites.

The fresh toppings are more than decoration: cabbage and radish give the stew a crisp contrast, while lime cuts through the richness of the pork and chile broth. Add garnishes just before eating rather than simmering them in the pot. If serving a group, keep the stew warm over low heat and let guests build their own bowls; avoid leaving it at room temperature for more than two hours.

Variations

For a lighter bowl, use 2 lb (900 g) pork shoulder and 1 lb (450 g) boneless pork loin. Add the shoulder first, then add the loin during the final 35 to 45 minutes so it does not dry out; check that pork reaches the USDA FSIS safe minimum temperature described above. The broth will be less rich than one made entirely with shoulder. You can also use bone-in shoulder, removing the bones before shredding, though the exact cooking time may be longer.

To make a meatless version, replace the pork with 1½ lb (680 g) mushrooms, such as oyster or cremini, and use vegetable broth instead of water. Brown the mushrooms in batches before adding them to the chile broth, then simmer with the hominy for about 20 minutes. The result has a different, earthier character and will not have the same pork-rich broth. For a more chile-forward version, add another guajillo or a small árbol chile; for a green pozole, use a separate recipe based on green ingredients rather than simply swapping the red chiles here.

Storage and Reheating

Cool leftovers promptly and refrigerate them within 2 hours in shallow, covered containers. Keep the stew refrigerated for 3 to 4 days. Store toppings separately, since cabbage, radishes, and tostadas soften in the broth. The pork and hominy may absorb liquid as they sit, so stir in a splash of water or broth when reheating.

Reheat only the portion you plan to serve on the stovetop over medium heat, stirring until steaming hot throughout; leftovers should reach 165°F (74°C), measured with a food thermometer. In a microwave, cover the bowl loosely, heat in short intervals, and stir between intervals so the center warms evenly. Freeze the stew, without fresh garnishes, for up to 2 to 3 months for best quality. Thaw it in the refrigerator and reheat to 165°F (74°C); do not leave it to thaw on the counter.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does pozole rojo mean?

Pozole refers to a stew traditionally made with hominy, and rojo means red in Spanish. The red color here comes from dried guajillo and ancho chiles blended into the broth. Pozole has regional and family variations, so the chile blend, meat, and toppings are not identical everywhere.

Can I make pozole rojo ahead?

Yes. You can cook the stew a day ahead, cool it promptly, and refrigerate it. The flavors meld as it rests, and the broth may thicken as the hominy absorbs liquid. Reheat it to 165°F (74°C), adding a little water or broth if needed, and prepare fresh garnishes just before serving.

How can I make the broth smoother?

Blend the softened chiles thoroughly with broth, then pass the sauce through a fine-mesh strainer before adding it to the pot. This removes bits of skin that can feel tough. A little texture is normal, but avoid blending the pork or hominy into the sauce.

Is canned hominy already cooked?

Canned hominy is cooked and ready to use, but draining and rinsing it removes some of the canning liquid and lets the stew’s chile broth take center stage. Add it during the final simmer so it heats through and takes on flavor without breaking down excessively.

Can I make this in a slow cooker?

Yes. Simmer the pork, water, onion, garlic, bay leaves, and salt on low until tender, about 7 to 8 hours, or on high for about 4 to 5 hours; appliance times vary. Make and strain the chile sauce on the stovetop, then stir it and the hominy into the slow cooker for the last 30 minutes. Check pork doneness with a thermometer and tenderness before serving.

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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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