If you want a big, comforting pot of homemade pozole, this is the kind of recipe made for a family weekend. This traditional Michoacan-style pozole is made with tender pork, hominy, and a rich red chile broth made with guajillo and ancho chiles. Everything simmers together until the pork is tender and the corn has absorbed all the flavor. Serve it hot with fresh lettuce, onion, radishes, avocado, lime, oregano, and tostadas.
Servings: 10
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 3 hours
INGREDIENTS
FOR THE POZOLE
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1 kg precooked white hominy for pozole, rinsed
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1 kg pork shoulder or pork leg, cut into large pieces
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500 g pork ribs or pork spine
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1/2 white onion
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1 head of garlic
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2 bay leaves
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Salt, to taste
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5–6 liters water
FOR THE RED CHILE SAUCE
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6 dried guajillo chiles
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3 dried ancho chiles
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3 Roma tomatoes
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3 garlic cloves
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1/4 white onion
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1 cup water from the soaked chiles
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Salt, to taste
FOR SERVING
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Finely shredded lettuce
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Finely chopped white onion
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Thinly sliced radishes
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Fresh avocado, sliced
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Fresh lime wedges
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Dried oregano
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Tostadas
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Fresh chile, optional
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Rinse the corn.
Place the precooked hominy in a colander and rinse it several times with cold water. Drain well.
2. Start the pork.
Place the pork shoulder, pork ribs, onion, garlic, bay leaves, and a generous pinch of salt in a large pot. Add the water and bring to a boil. Once boiling, lower the heat and let it simmer for about 1½ to 2 hours, or until the pork is very tender.
3. Prepare the chiles.
Remove the stems and seeds from the guajillo and ancho chiles. Place them in a pot with hot water and let them soak for about 10 minutes, until softened.
4. Roast the tomatoes.
While the chiles soak, roast the tomatoes, garlic, and onion in a dry skillet over medium-high heat. Turn them occasionally until they are softened and lightly charred.
5. Make the red chile sauce.
Add the softened chiles, roasted tomatoes, garlic, onion, and 1 cup of the chile soaking water to a blender. Blend until completely smooth. Strain the sauce through a fine-mesh strainer.
6. Add the corn.
Once the pork is tender, add the rinsed hominy to the pot. Stir and let it cook with the pork for about 30 minutes.
7. Add the red sauce.
Pour the strained chile sauce into the pot and stir well. Let the pozole simmer over low heat for another 30–45 minutes so the corn, pork, and red chile broth come together.
8. Shred the pork.
Remove the pork from the pot and shred it into bite-sized pieces. Return the meat to the pozole and taste for salt. Let it simmer for another 5 minutes.
9. Serve.
Serve the pozole piping hot in deep bowls. Top each bowl with shredded lettuce, chopped onion, radishes, fresh avocado, oregano, and a squeeze of lime. Serve with tostadas on the side.
TIPS
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Rinse the precooked hominy well before adding it to the pot.
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For a richer broth, use a combination of pork shoulder and ribs or spine.
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Strain the chile sauce for a smooth, flavorful broth.
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Let the pozole simmer slowly. This gives the pork time to become tender and allows the flavors to develop.
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Add the avocado fresh to each bowl right before serving.