Description
Pozole Rojo is a traditional Mexican hominy soup made with tender pork shoulder or chicken thighs simmered in a flavorful broth and enriched with a vibrant red chile sauce. This hearty soup is perfect for gatherings and festive occasions, offering comforting flavors with customizable garnishes like shredded cabbage, radishes, cilantro, lime, and jalapeños.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat and Broth
- 2 lbs pork shoulder (cut into chunks) or 2 lbs chicken thighs
- 10 cups water
- 1 onion (quartered)
- 4 cloves garlic (peeled)
- 2 teaspoons salt (or to taste)
- 2 cans (15 oz each) hominy (drained and rinsed)
Red Sauce
- 4–6 dried guajillo chiles (stems and seeds removed)
- 2–3 dried ancho chiles (stems and seeds removed)
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup chicken broth (or water)
Instructions
- Prepare the Meat: In a large pot, combine the pork shoulder or chicken thighs with 10 cups of water, quartered onion, peeled garlic cloves, and salt. Bring the mixture to a rolling boil over high heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and let it simmer until the meat is tender—about 1.5 hours for pork or 30-40 minutes for chicken.
- Remove and Shred the Meat: After cooking, carefully remove the meat from the pot and let it cool slightly so it can be handled. Shred the meat into bite-sized pieces using two forks or your hands. Strain the broth to remove the onion, garlic, and any impurities, then return the clear broth to the pot.
- Make the Red Sauce: Place the dried guajillo and ancho chiles in a saucepan and cover them with water. Bring to a boil, then remove from heat and allow the chiles to soak for about 15 minutes until they soften. Drain the softened chiles and transfer them to a blender. Add cumin, oregano, vegetable oil, and 1/2 cup of chicken broth (or water). Blend until smooth, adding a little more broth or water if needed to reach a pourable consistency.
- Combine Ingredients: Pour the strained broth back into the pot, add the drained hominy, and stir in the blended red sauce along with the shredded meat. Simmer gently on low heat for 20-30 minutes to allow all the flavors to meld together beautifully.
- Serve and Garnish: Taste the pozole and adjust the seasoning with additional salt if needed. Serve the soup hot in bowls and garnish with your choice of shredded cabbage, diced radishes, chopped cilantro, lime wedges, and sliced jalapeños for added crunch and freshness.
Notes
- You can substitute pork shoulder with chicken thighs for a lighter version; cooking times will vary accordingly.
- Adjust the number of dried chiles based on your preferred spice level.
- Garnishes like shredded cabbage, radishes, cilantro, lime, and jalapeños add traditional freshness and texture.
- Hominy is key for authentic pozole; ensure it’s drained and rinsed before adding to the soup.
- Leftovers taste even better the next day as the flavors continue to develop.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Mexican
Keywords: Pozole Rojo, Mexican soup, hominy soup, pork soup, red chile sauce, traditional Mexican recipe, hearty soup
