Pozole Blanco
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
20 mins
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Cook Time
4 hrs
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Total Time
4 hrs 20 mins
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Servings
12
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Calories
137 kcal
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Course
Main Course, Soup, Lunch
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Cuisine
Mexican
Pozole Blanco
Description
Pozole Blanco combines pork meat, preferably from a pig's head or shoulder with pig's feet, simmered with either dried field corn or canned hominy. The inclusion of Mexican oregano, bay leaves, cloves, allspice, black peppercorns, onion, and garlic build a flavorful broth. Depending on the corn used, it is added either at the start or after simmering the meat for one hour. Slow cooking continues until the meat is tender enough to shred or mince. The innards from the pig's head, such as the tongue, are also incorporated after careful chopping. The stew is served in bowls garnished with lime, shredded cabbage, sliced radishes, avocado, cilantro, and optional dried chili for heat.
The method accommodates using a combination of meats and even poultry substitutions, adapting the cooking time accordingly. The broth develops a subtle savory profile with aromatic spices and the richness of pork. The hominy or corn adds body and a slight chewiness that complements the tender meat. Eating it with fresh vegetable toppings balances the hearty stew.
For practical advice, a chicken or other poultry version requires about 5 to 6 pounds of poultry plus feet for best broth results. Using pig's feet adds gelatin and body to the broth, improving mouthfeel. The texture should have the meat separating easily while the broth remains clear yet flavorful. The dish can be quite filling and traditionally served for special gatherings.
Ingredients
POZOLE
- 2 pounds dried field corn or two 30-ounce cans of hominy, nixtamalized
- 1 pig's head or 4 pounds pork shoulder and 2 pig's feet
- 1 tablespoon Mexican oregano
- 3 bay leaf
- 6 clove whole
- 10 allspice berries
- 15 black peppercorns whole
- 1 onion large, white, chopped
- 8 cloves garlic sliced thin
- salt
TOPPINGS
- 6 lime halved
- 1/4 head cabbage shredded
- 2 avocado sliced
- 6 radish sliced
- 1/2 cup cilantro chopped
- dried hot chile to taste
Instructions
- Submerge the pig's head in water. If you are using dried corn, add it now. If not, wait a while. Bring this to a simmer, and skim off any froth that accumulates. When the froth subsides, add the remaining pozole ingredients and keep the pot at a simmer. If you are using the pork shoulder and feet, it's the same procedure.
- If you are using freshly nixtamalized corn or canned hominy, add it after the pork has been simmering for 1 hour. Continue to simmer everything until the meat wants to fall off, or the shoulder meat can be shredded easily. This will take longer for a head than pork shoulder.
- If you are using the head, fish it out and strip off all the meat; discard the skull. If it had its tongue, peel that and chop roughly. The rule of thumb with a head is to chop recognizable meat rough, everything else fine. If you are using the shoulder and feet, fish out the feet and discard the bones, then mince everything fine. Regardless, once it's chopped, return all the meat to the pot. OPTIONAL: Once the head is out of the broth, I try to pick out the bay leaves, cloves, allspice berries and peppercorns. This makes the soup easier to eat later, but if you miss a few, it's not a big deal.
- Once the meat and corn are tender, you are ready to rock. Lay out all the toppings, and let people mix and match as they like.
Notes
- If using poultry instead of pork, use about 5 to 6 pounds of meat plus feet for proper broth richness.
- Remove bones and chop meat finely or shred after cooking to incorporate back into the stew.
- Add hominy or nixtamalized corn after simmering meat for an hour if using canned or fresh corn.
- Use the pig's tongue and other edible parts from the head, chopped appropriately, for flavor and texture.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 12Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 137 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 137kcal | 7% |
| Carbohydrates | 20g | 7% |
| Protein | 3g | 6% |
| Fat | 6g | 9% |
| Saturated Fat | 1g | 5% |
| Cholesterol | 1mg | 0% |
| Sodium | 271mg | 11% |
| Potassium | 276mg | 6% |
| Fiber | 6g | 24% |
| Sugar | 3g | 6% |
| Vitamin A | 136IU | 3% |
| Vitamin C | 22mg | 24% |
| Calcium | 43mg | 4% |
| Iron | 1mg | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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