Pork Pozole Rojo is a traditional Mexican stew made with tender pork, hominy (dried corn kernels), and a rich red chile broth. It’s hearty, comforting, and often enjoyed during celebrations or family gatherings. The flavorful broth gets its deep color from a blend of dried red chilies. Served with fresh toppings like radishes, cabbage, lime, and oregano, it’s a true crowd-pleaser.
⏱ Prep & Cook Time
- Prep time: 25 minutes
- Cook time: 2 hours 30 minutes
- Total time: ~3 hours
- Servings: 8
🍳 Equipment Needed
- Large stockpot
- Medium saucepan
- Blender
- Skimmer or slotted spoon
- Cutting board & knife
🥩 Ingredients
For the Soup:
- 3 lbs pork shoulder (cut into chunks)
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 large onion (halved)
- 8 cups water (or chicken broth)
- 1 tsp salt (more to taste)
- 2 cans (15 oz each) white hominy (drained & rinsed)
For the Red Chile Sauce:
- 6 dried guajillo chilies (stems & seeds removed)
- 3 dried ancho chilies (stems & seeds removed)
- 3 cloves garlic
- ½ medium onion (chopped)
- 1 tsp Mexican oregano
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 cup reserved pork broth
Garnishes (optional but recommended):
- Shredded cabbage
- Sliced radishes
- Diced onions
- Lime wedges
- Chopped cilantro
- Mexican oregano
- Crispy tostadas or tortilla chips
📝 Ingredient Notes
- Pork shoulder: Ideal for tenderness and flavor. You can mix with pork ribs for extra richness.
- Dried chilies: Guajillo and ancho provide mild heat and smoky-sweet depth.
- Hominy: A key ingredient—don’t skip it. Canned is easiest, but you can also use dried if soaked and cooked.
👩🍳 Instructions
- Cook the Pork:
- In a large pot, add pork chunks, onion halves, bay leaves, and water (or broth).
- Bring to a boil, skim off foam, then reduce heat and simmer for about 1.5–2 hours until pork is tender.
- Remove pork, shred into bite-size pieces, and set aside. Strain broth and return to pot.
- Make the Red Chile Sauce:
- Toast the dried chilies lightly in a skillet (don’t burn). Soak in hot water for 20 minutes until softened.
- In a blender, combine softened chilies, garlic, chopped onion, oregano, cumin, and 1 cup of pork broth. Blend until smooth.
- Strain sauce into the pot with the broth.
- Combine & Simmer:
- Add shredded pork and drained hominy to the chile-infused broth.
- Simmer on low for 30–40 minutes, letting flavors meld. Taste and adjust salt.
- Serve:
- Ladle pozole into bowls and set out toppings for everyone to garnish to taste.
🥗 Nutrition (per serving, without garnishes)
- Calories: ~380
- Protein: 32g
- Fat: 16g
- Carbohydrates: 26g
- Fiber: 5g
💡 Tips & Variations
- For a spicier broth, add 2–3 dried chile de árbol when blending the sauce.
- Swap pork with chicken for a lighter version (Pozole Rojo de Pollo).
- Make it ahead—pozole tastes even better the next day as flavors deepen.
- Serve with warm tostadas for an authentic experience.