Pozole Rojo Recipe (Authentic Mexican Pork & Hominy Soup)

This comforting, savory, fresh, and bright pozole rojo recipe is one of Mexico’s favorite soups for fall and winter! It’s a traditional dish served across the country and made for celebrations and festivities.

Pozole rojo is one of my favorite dishes in the world! My mom makes the best pozole I have ever tried, maybe that’s why it’s one of my favorite dishes. She always prepares it during the fall and winter months, perfect for staying warm and cozy. The tender, juicy pork, the savory and slightly fruity broth with mild heat, and all the fresh garnishes make this soup unforgettable.

This pozole rojo recipe is perfect for a cozy night in or for gathering with family and friends to celebrate a holiday or special occasion. I hope you enjoy making it as much as I do!

What is Pozole Rojo?

Pozole rojo is a Mexican soup typically made with pork, hominy, and red dried chiles as the main ingredients. The broth is made with guajillo and ancho chiles, although it can also be made with just one of these. This broth gets its deep flavor and red color from these dried chiles as well as from onion and garlic. This is a soup that is typically served during holidays, celebrations, or family gatherings all over Mexico. It’s very common during Mexican independence day celebrations, which is September 16, but is celebrated all month long during September. It’s also common during the Christmas holidays, New Year’s Eve, and the winter months. This is a delicious and comforting dish, perfect for the colder months of the year when you want to stay warm.

Pozole rojo is always served with several garnishes at the table so you can customize it how you want. The most common garnishes are finely chopped white onion, thinly sliced radish, thinly sliced green cabbage or lettuce, Mexican oregano, dried chile flakes or a homemade salsa, and lime wedges. These garnishes are just as important, because they provide crunch, freshness, brightness, and a bit of spiciness if desired to the soup.

What Cuts of Pork to Use?

Typically the cuts of pork used are ones with a good amount of fat and connective tissue because these will provide more flavor and meat that is super tender and moist. Some good cuts to use are country style pork ribs, pork butt, pork shoulder, or pork ribs. If you select a bone in pork cut, it will help more to achieve a flavorful, tender, and moist meat as it cooks. This pozole rojo recipe uses country style pork ribs, which is a cut I like because the meat is already pre cut into thick strips, ready to put into the pot. You can also cut into smaller chunks if you want, and with this cut of meat it’s easy to do so since it’s pre cut.

How To Make Pozole Rojo?

Cook The Pork

1. Add country style pork ribs, salt, garlic, and onion to a large pot. Fill the pot with water to cover the ingredients.
2. Bring the pot to a boil and then lower the heat to a simmer and cover. Simmer for about 1 and a half hours or until pork is tender and can easily be shredded with a fork.

Make the Red Salsa

1. While the Pork is simmering, place the guajillo and ancho chiles in a small pot. Fill with water to cover them.
2. Bring the pot to a boil and then lower the heat to a simmer. Simmer for about 10 minutes or until the chiles are soft and rehydrated.
3. Remove the chiles from the pot and transfer to a bowl. Let them cool down for about 10 to 20 minutes.
4. Once cool, transfer the chiles to a blender along with 1/2 cup of their cooking liquid, garlic, and onion.
5. Blend until smooth.

Make the Soup

1. Pass the red salsa through a mesh strainer, and add to the pork in the large pot. Make sure to push the red salsa with the back of a spoon or spatula as much as possible through the strainer.
2. Stir the red salsa to incorporate into the pork broth.
3. Add the hominy to the pot and stir.
4. Bring the pot to a boil and then lower to a gentle simmer.
5. Simmer for 20 to 30 minutes to let the flavors come together.
6. Taste for salt and adjust if necessary.
7. Serve pozole in soup bowls and place finely chopped onion, thinly sliced cabbage, thinly sliced radish, oregano, dried chile flakes or salsa, and limes at the table. Let your guests garnish their bowl of pozole as they like and enjoy!

Tips and Suggestions

1. Skim off the foam that the pork leaves behind when cooking in the water. This will make the broth taste and look cleaner.
2. You can also use other cuts of pork like pork shoulder, pork butt, or pork ribs instead of the country style pork ribs.
3. Check the pork meat after an hour and half. If it’s not done yet keep cooking until it’s fork tender. The internal temperature of the meat should reach between 200°F and 205°F for very tender results. Check every 15 to 30 minutes until it’s ready.
4. Make sure to pass the red salsa through a mesh strainer. This will filter out any chile skins that don’t get completely blended and will provide a smoother broth.

How to Store Pozole Rojo

Pozole rojo can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Make sure to store in an airtight container.

How to Reheat Pozole Rojo

To reheat pozole rojo, place in a pot and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to medium low and simmer for about 10 minutes or until pozole is reheated and warm. You can also reheat the pozole by placing in a microwave safe bowl and microwaving for 1 minute. Check that the pozole is warmed through, mircowave for another 30 seconds if needed. Continue with 30 second intervals if needed until pozole is warm and reheated.

What to Server Pozole Rojo with?

Pozole rojo is typically served as a main along with several garnishes. These garnishes typically include finely chopped white onion, thinly sliced radish, thinly sliced green cabbage or lettuce, Mexican oregano, dried chile flakes or a homemade salsa, and lime wedges. These garnishes really give the pozole a nice fresh, bright, and spicy flavor that complement well with the rich, savory broth. Pozole is usually also served with tostadas or bolillo bread.

I hope you enjoy this pozole rojo recipe. Please let me know in the comments below if you make it and how it went.

Gracias y provecho!

Raul

Pozole Rojo Recipe

Pozole rojo is a tradicional Mexican soup made with pork, guajillo chiles, ancho chiles, onion, garlic, hominy, and salt.

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 2 hours hrs 10 minutes mins

Servings: 6 people

Course: Main Course, Soup

Cuisine: Mexican

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

For the Pork

• 2 lbs country style pork ribs
• 1/2 white onion
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 tbsp sea salt
• 12 cups water

For the Red Salsa

• 2 guajillo chiles rinsed, stemmed, and seeded
• 1 ancho chile rinsed, stemmed, and seeded
• 1/4 white onion
• 1 garlic clove
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 cup dried chiles cooking liquid

For the Hominy

• 1 can 25 oz hominy drained and rinsed

For Serving & Garnish

• Finely chopped white onion
• Thinly sliced radishes
• Thinly sliced green or red Cabbage
• Mexican oregano or Mediterranean Oregano
• Red chile flakes or salsa
• lime wedges

Method

 

For the Pork

1. Add country style pork ribs, salt, garlic, and onion to a large pot. Fill the pot with water to cover the ingredients.
2. Bring the pot to a boil and then lower the heat to a simmer and cover. Simmer for about 1 and a half hours or until pork is tender and can easily be shredded with a fork.

For the Red Salsa

1. While the Pork is simmering, place the guajillo and ancho chiles in a small pot. Fill with enough water to cover them.
2. Bring the pot to a boil and then lower the heat to a simmer. Simmer for about 10 minutes or until the chiles are soft and rehydrated
3. Remove the chiles from the pot and transfer to a bowl. Let them cool down for about 10 to 20 minutes.
4. Once cool, transfer the chiles to a blender along with 1/2 cup of their cooking liquid, garlic, and onion.
5. Blend until smooth.

Make the Soup

1. Pass the red salsa through a mesh strainer, and add to the pork in the large pot. Make sure to push the red salsa with the back of a spoon or spatula as much as possible through the strainer.
2. Stir the red salsa to incorporate into the pork broth.
3. Add the hominy to the pot and stir.
4. Bring the pot to a boil and then lower to a gentle simmer.
5. Simmer for 20 to 30 minutes to let the flavors come together.
6. Taste for salt and adjust if necessary.
7. Serve pozole in soup bowls and place finely chopped onion, thinly sliced cabbage, thinly sliced radish, oregano, dried chile flakes or salsa, and limes at the table. Let your guests garnish their bowl of pozole as they like and enjoy!

Notes

1. Skim off the foam that the pork leaves behind when cooking in the water. This will make the broth taste and look cleaner.
2. You can also use other cuts of pork like pork shoulder, pork butt, or pork ribs instead of the country style pork ribs.
3. Check the pork meat after an hour and half. If it’s not done yet keep cooking until it’s fork tender. The internal temperature should reach between 200°F and 205°F for very tender results. Check every 15 to 30 minutes until it’s ready.
4. Make sure to pass the red salsa through a mesh strainer. This will filter out any chile skins that don’t get completely blended and will provide a smoother broth.