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- 1
Prep and Sear the Pork
Ask your grocery store butcher to debone a 3-pound bone-in pork butt and cut the meat into 2-inch chunks — save that bone, it builds incredible flavor. At home, trim off large fat caps. Season the pork pieces all over with kosher salt. Heat a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium-high, add 1 tablespoon of oil, and sear the pork in batches with space between each piece, about 1–2 minutes per side until browned. Don't crowd the pot or it'll steam instead of sear. Remove seared pork to a plate and repeat with remaining pieces, adding more oil as needed.
- 2
Build the Broth
Return all the pork and the bone to the pot. Pour in 10 cups of water, then add 1 roughly chopped onion, 10 smashed garlic cloves, 3 tablespoons chicken bouillon base, the bay leaves, cumin, and 2 teaspoons kosher salt. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat — this can take 20–30 minutes. Once boiling, reduce to a low simmer, cover, and cook for 1 and a half hours. Every 30 minutes or so, skim off any foam or protein bits that float to the top with a large spoon.
- 3
Toast and Blend the Chile Sauce
While the broth simmers, remove stems, seeds, and veins from all the dried chiles — anchos, guajillos, and chiles de arbol. Place the chile flesh in a dry skillet, drizzle with 2 teaspoons oil, and toast over medium-high heat for 1–2 minutes, stirring constantly, until very fragrant. Add 2 whole garlic cloves and a quarter of a white onion, roughly chopped. Pour in 4 cups of water, bring to a boil, then simmer for 20 minutes. Transfer everything to a blender and blend on medium-high until smooth, then strain through a fine mesh strainer back into the pan.
- 4
Simmer and Season the Chile Sauce
Add 2 and a half teaspoons oregano and a half teaspoon of kosher salt to the strained chile sauce. Bring to a boil over medium-high, then reduce to low and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring regularly, until it deepens in flavor and color. Remove from heat and set aside.
- 5
Add the Chile Sauce and Hominy
Once the pork is nearly tender after its 1.5-hour simmer, do one last skim of the broth. Stir in 1 teaspoon white vinegar. Pour the chile sauce directly into the soup and stir to combine. Drain the hominy and add 4 cups to the pot. Bring back to a boil, then reduce to a steady simmer. Cook for 1 to 1 and a half more hours, until the pork is fall-apart tender and the hominy is cooked through. Leave the lid off for a thicker stew-style soup, or keep it on for a brothy bowl.
- 6
Prep the Toppings
While the soup finishes, cut the limes into wedges, thinly slice the radishes, finely dice the remaining white onion, and chop the cilantro. Slice the avocado and squeeze a bit of lime over it if there's a wait. Arrange tostadas on a baking sheet and toast under the broiler for 2–3 minutes — watch closely, they burn in a blink.
- 7
Serve It Up
Ladle the pozole into large bowls. Set out all the toppings and let everyone build their bowl: shredded cabbage, radishes, diced onion, cilantro, lime wedges, a tostada on the side, avocado, and a drizzle of Mexican crema. Don't skip the toppings — they are not optional. They are the whole point.
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Pozole Rojo
Created by: TacoEveryDay
Ingredients
- 3 lb pork butt
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil
- 10 cup water
- 2 white onion
- 12 garlic
- 3 tbsp chicken bouillon base
- 3 bay leaves
- 2 tsp cumin
- kosher salt
- 6 dried ancho chiles
- 8 dried guajillo chiles
- 3 dried chile de arbol
- 2 1/2 tsp oregano
- 4 cup hominy
- 1 tsp white vinegar
- 2 lime
- 10 oz cabbage
- 10 radishes
- 1 cup cilantro
- 10 tostadas
- 1 avocado
- Mexican crema
Instructions
- Prep and Sear the PorkAsk your grocery store butcher to debone a 3-pound bone-in pork butt and cut the meat into 2-inch chunks — save that bone, it builds incredible flavor. At home, trim off large fat caps. Season the pork pieces all over with kosher salt. Heat a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium-high, add 1 tablespoon of oil, and sear the pork in batches with space between each piece, about 1–2 minutes per side until browned. Don't crowd the pot or it'll steam instead of sear. Remove seared pork to a plate and repeat with remaining pieces, adding more oil as needed.
- Build the BrothReturn all the pork and the bone to the pot. Pour in 10 cups of water, then add 1 roughly chopped onion, 10 smashed garlic cloves, 3 tablespoons chicken bouillon base, the bay leaves, cumin, and 2 teaspoons kosher salt. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat — this can take 20–30 minutes. Once boiling, reduce to a low simmer, cover, and cook for 1 and a half hours. Every 30 minutes or so, skim off any foam or protein bits that float to the top with a large spoon.
- Toast and Blend the Chile SauceWhile the broth simmers, remove stems, seeds, and veins from all the dried chiles — anchos, guajillos, and chiles de arbol. Place the chile flesh in a dry skillet, drizzle with 2 teaspoons oil, and toast over medium-high heat for 1–2 minutes, stirring constantly, until very fragrant. Add 2 whole garlic cloves and a quarter of a white onion, roughly chopped. Pour in 4 cups of water, bring to a boil, then simmer for 20 minutes. Transfer everything to a blender and blend on medium-high until smooth, then strain through a fine mesh strainer back into the pan.
- Simmer and Season the Chile SauceAdd 2 and a half teaspoons oregano and a half teaspoon of kosher salt to the strained chile sauce. Bring to a boil over medium-high, then reduce to low and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring regularly, until it deepens in flavor and color. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Add the Chile Sauce and HominyOnce the pork is nearly tender after its 1.5-hour simmer, do one last skim of the broth. Stir in 1 teaspoon white vinegar. Pour the chile sauce directly into the soup and stir to combine. Drain the hominy and add 4 cups to the pot. Bring back to a boil, then reduce to a steady simmer. Cook for 1 to 1 and a half more hours, until the pork is fall-apart tender and the hominy is cooked through. Leave the lid off for a thicker stew-style soup, or keep it on for a brothy bowl.
- Prep the ToppingsWhile the soup finishes, cut the limes into wedges, thinly slice the radishes, finely dice the remaining white onion, and chop the cilantro. Slice the avocado and squeeze a bit of lime over it if there's a wait. Arrange tostadas on a baking sheet and toast under the broiler for 2–3 minutes — watch closely, they burn in a blink.
- Serve It UpLadle the pozole into large bowls. Set out all the toppings and let everyone build their bowl: shredded cabbage, radishes, diced onion, cilantro, lime wedges, a tostada on the side, avocado, and a drizzle of Mexican crema. Don't skip the toppings — they are not optional. They are the whole point.