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4.9 from 207 votes

Best Beef Pozole Rojo

Pozole soup is a Mexican classic! This version is made with beef & hominy topped with cabbage, onions, cilantro, and of course, a squeeze of lime.

Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
2 hrs
Total Time
2 hrs 30 mins
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 423 kcal
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ pounds chuck roast trimmed (see note #1 below) fat trimmed off and cut in 1 ½" chunks
  • 1 to 1 ½ pounds bone-in shank center cut with bone (see note #2 below)
  • 1 large white onion remove outer skin but keep it whole (do a cross cut one the top of the onion only to help release the flavors)
  • 1 whole garlic head cut a little bit of the top
  • 12 cups of hot water (plus more as needed) about 3 liters
  • 2 cup prepared red sauce (or more to taste) ingredients to make below
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 2 to 3 bay leaf
  • 2 beef bullion cubes
  • 2 tablespoon kosher salt
  • 1 tablespoon ground black pepper
  • 6 lbs & 12 oz can Mexican style hominy drained and rinsed
Red Sauce (chile colorado) - Makes 2 cups
  • 3 dried chile guajillos seeds removed & rinsed
  • 3 dried ancho chiles seeds removed & rinsed
  • ¼ medium onion (yellow or white)
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • ½ teaspoon oregano
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt (if using table salt use a little less teaspoon)
  • 4 cups water
Garnishes
  • Shredded cabbage, finely diced onion, sliced radishes, fresh cilantro, lime juice & hot sauce.

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. In a large pot, add the water, beef, whole onion, oregano, bay leaf, beef bullion, salt & pepper.
  2. Bring liquid to a boil then cover and simmer until beef is tender (about two hours). As water begins to evaporate, add boiling hot water to keep the broth at the same amount.
  3. Once the beef is tender, remove & discard the bones, onion, garlic and bay leaf.
  4. Add the hominy and 2 cups red sauce (instructions below). Cook for about 30 more minutes. Taste for seasoning.
  5. When done, ladle soup into bowls and garnish with any of these ingredients that you like: shredded cabbage, chopped cilantro, minced onions, lime juice, hot sauce.
  6. serve with tostadas or tortilla chips.
Make the sauce (while the meat is cooking or make ahead)
  1. Remove the stem and seeds from the chiles. Rinse well to remove any dust.
  2. Place in a medium pot along with the onion, garlic, spices & water.
  3. Cook on low heat for about 20 minutes or until the chiles are soft. Remove pot from heat and cool.
  4. Transfer to a blender or food processor along with 1 cup of the water where the chile cooked on.
  5. Puree chiles and then pass thru a strainer to remove the remaining seeds and skins. If you have a lot of pulp left, you may add it back to the blender along with ½ cup of the chile water. Blend and strain again.
  6. Set aside.

Notes

  • Bring meat to room temperature before cooking. 
  • If you're using pork or chicken, use about 2.5 or 3 lbs of a combination of meat with bones.
  • If you need to add more water when cooking the meat, make sure it's boiling hot as you don't want to bring the temperature down. 

Nutrition Information

Serving 1large bowl Calories 423kcal (21%) Carbohydrates 43g (14%) Protein 41g (82%) Fat 9g (14%) Saturated Fat 2g (10%) Cholesterol 68mg (23%) Sodium 1199mg (50%) Potassium 2mg (0%) Fiber 7g (28%) Sugar 5g (10%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 8servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories 423

% Daily Value*

Serving 1large bowl
Calories 423kcal 21%
Carbohydrates 43g 14%
Protein 41g 82%
Fat 9g 14%
Saturated Fat 2g 10%
Cholesterol 68mg 23%
Sodium 1199mg 50%
Potassium 2mg 0%
Fiber 7g 28%
Sugar 5g 10%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.