Pozole Rojo
User Reviews
4.8
Pozole Rojo
Description
Pozole Rojo begins with making a red chile sauce by soaking dried guajillo, ancho, and árbol chiles, then blending them with spices, garlic, and optional Mexican chocolate, which adds subtle complexity without sweetness. Pork shoulder is seasoned and browned to build flavor before simmering gently in the chile sauce combined with broth and hominy. The stew cooks slowly to tenderize the meat until it easily shreds, while the hominy adds a soft, chewy texture. The use of traditional dried chiles provides a nuanced balance of smokiness, warmth, and a hint of spice.
This stew is typically served with a variety of fresh toppings such as chopped onion, cilantro, lime wedges, thinly shredded cabbage, and sliced radishes, which add contrast in texture and brightness to the rich broth and pork. The inclusion of oregano reinforces the herbaceous notes common to Mexican cuisine.
Practical tips include adjusting the amount of árbol chile to control heat intensity, swapping pork for beef if preferred, and customizing broth volume to achieve the desired soupiness. The recipe suggests sourcing dried chiles from Hispanic markets or online and recommends tasting frequently to tailor the seasoning.
Ingredients
For the broth
- 4 cups water divided
- 6 guajillo chiles rinsed and seeded
- 4 ancho chile rinsed and seeded
- 2 arbol chiles rinsed (seeds removed if you prefer a mild spice level
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 2 teaspoons cumin ground
- 1 ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 4 cloves garlic
- 8 grams Mexican chocolate optional (about ⅛ disc
For the stew
- 2 ½ pounds pork shoulder cut into large 4-inch chunks
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper freshly ground
- 2 tablespoons neutral cooking oil generic cooking oil
- 6 cups broth (chicken, vegetable, or beef)
- 3 (15-ounce) cans hominy drained and rinsed, white
- 1 tablespoon oregano dried, Mexican
Suggested toppings
- cabbage thinly shredded cabbage, diced onions, lime wedges, sliced radishes
- cilantro
- onion
- lime
- radish
- Mexican oregano
Instructions
- Make the chile sauce: Add 3 cups of water and the guajillo, ancho, and árbol chiles to a medium pot. Bring to a boil over high heat, cover, remove from heat, and let soak for 15 minutes.
- Carefully transfer the softened chiles and the hot water to a large blender. Add the remaining fresh water, the chili powder, ground cumin, salt, garlic, and Mexican chocolate. Blend for 2-3 minutes until completely smooth. Set aside.
- Prepare the meat: Season all sides of the pork with the salt and black pepper. Heat the oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the pork, and sear the meat on all sides until nicely browned.
- Combine and cook: Pour in the red chile sauce and scrape the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon to loosen all the brown bits. Stir in the broth, hominy, and dried oregano.
- Bring the pot to a boil, reduce the heat to a low, cover, and simmer for 2 ½ hours until the pork is fall-apart tender.
- Shred the pork with a fork or tongs (it should fall apart very easily). Taste and season with more salt, if necessary.
- Serve with toppings such as thinly shredded cabbage, cilantro, lime juice, sliced radishes, diced onions, and dried Mexican oregano.
Notes
- Mexican chocolate deepens flavor without adding sweetness; it's optional but recommended for complexity.
- Beef chuck roast can be substituted for pork shoulder and cooked the same way.
- Use dried chiles from Hispanic grocery stores or online for authentic flavor.
- Adjust árbol chiles to reduce or increase spiciness as preferred.
- Add extra broth at the end if a soupier pozole is desired.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 10servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 194 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1serving | |
| Calories | 194kcal | 10% |
| Carbohydrates | 15g | 5% |
| Protein | 16g | 32% |
| Fat | 9g | 14% |
| Saturated Fat | 2g | 10% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 2g | 12% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 4g | 20% |
| Trans Fat | 0.01g | 1% |
| Cholesterol | 46mg | 15% |
| Sodium | 1698mg | 71% |
| Potassium | 576mg | 12% |
| Fiber | 5g | 20% |
| Sugar | 8g | 16% |
| Vitamin A | 4848IU | 97% |
| Vitamin C | 6mg | 7% |
| Calcium | 38mg | 4% |
| Iron | 2mg | 11% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.8
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