Mexico · Mexican cuisine of Jalisco and the Bajío
Pozole rojo
A big, warming bowl of tender pork and burst, chewy hominy kernels in a deep red broth of guajillo and ancho chiles, served with crunchy cabbage, radishes, onion, lime and oregano added at the table.
Cookhuddle Editorial Cookhuddle | Mexico
Editorial selection: recipes cross-checked against several documentary sources. They have not been tested in our kitchen: follow the precautions given and adapt times to your own oven.
Photo: Diegosalcido · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Source · cropped
translation Translated from Spanish. Translation by Cookhuddle Editorial. Read the original
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- Servings
- 8
- Preparation
- 30 min
- Cooking
- 210 min
- Resting
- 720 min
- Total
- 960 min
- Difficulty
- Medium
Cuisine / tradition: Mexican cuisine of Jalisco and the Bajío (MX) — declared by the author
- Soup
- Main dish
- Celebration
Ingredients
For 8 servings
- 500 g dried cacahuazintle maize, soaked overnight
- 3 l water, for the maize
- 1 piece onion, halved
- 1 piece head of garlic, halved
- 2 piece bay leaves
- 1 kg pork shoulder or leg, in large chunks
- 600 g pork ribs
- 1 l water, for the meat
- 2 tbsp salt, or to taste
- 5 piece dried guajillo chiles, stemmed and seeded
- 3 piece dried ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded
- 3 clove garlic cloves, for the sauce
- 1/4 piece onion, for the sauce
- 1 tsp dried oregano, for the sauce
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 2 tbsp oil, for frying the sauce
- 1/4 piece white cabbage or lettuce, finely shredded, to serve
- 10 piece radishes, thinly sliced, to serve
- 1 piece white onion, finely chopped, to serve
- 4 piece limes, in wedges, to serve
- 2 tbsp dried oregano, crumbled, to serve
- 8 piece tostadas, to serve
Method
- Step 1. Drain the soaked maize and put it in a large pot with 3 litres of water, the halved onion, the halved head of garlic and the bay leaves. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 1 hour 30 minutes, until the kernels have opened like flowers.⏱ 90 min
- Step 2. Add the pork, the ribs, the salt and 1 litre of water. Return to a simmer, skimming the foam, and cook for 1 hour 30 minutes, until the meat is very tender.⏱ 90 min
- Step 3. Meanwhile, toast the guajillo and ancho chiles in a dry pan for 30 seconds per side, then soak them in hot water for 15 minutes. Drain, keeping 250 ml of the soaking water.⏱ 15 min
- Step 4. Blend the chiles with the 3 garlic cloves, the quarter onion, the oregano, the cumin and the reserved soaking water until smooth, then strain through a sieve.
- Step 5. Heat the oil in a pan and fry the chile sauce for 10 minutes, stirring, until it thickens and darkens. Stir it into the pozole, adjust the salt and simmer for 30 minutes, until the broth is a deep red.⏱ 10 min
- Step 6. Lift out the meat, discard the bones, shred or cut it into large pieces, and return it to the pot. Serve very hot in deep bowls, with the cabbage, radishes, onion, lime, oregano and tostadas on the table.
Story and cultural note
Pozole comes from the Nahuatl pozolli, a maize preparation the Mexica associated with religious rituals. After the Conquest, pork replaced the original meat and European spices were added; the guajillo and ancho chiles that make the red version were added in Jalisco and the Bajío. Pozole is typically eaten at celebrations. The sources agree on cacahuazintle maize, pork and a sauce of dried chiles, and differ on the cuts of meat (head, ribs, shoulder), the quantities of chiles and the cooking time.
Tips for success
Soak the dried maize overnight and cook it until the kernels open like flowers: this takes time and cannot be hurried. Strain the chile sauce for a smooth broth, and fry it before adding it so that its flavour deepens. Skim the pot as it cooks. The pozole is better the next day.
Serving and presentation
Serve in deep bowls, very hot, with the garnishes in small bowls so that each guest adds shredded cabbage, radishes, chopped onion, a squeeze of lime, crumbled oregano and a few drops of hot sauce, with tostadas on the side.
Diet and allergens
Information declared by the author. CookHuddle does not verify or certify it. If you have an allergy, check the ingredients yourself.
DietGluten-freeDairy-freeEgg-freeNut-free
Containsnone declared
