Best Pozole Rojo
Dive into a bowl of warmth with this irresistible Pozole Rojo! Bursting with robust flavors from tender pork and a vibrant blend of dried chilies, this dish is simmered to perfection in a luscious red broth that will have your taste buds dancing. Perfect for cozy gatherings, this hearty classic is sure to impress!
Prep
30
min
Cook
105
min
Serves
8
people
Level
intermediate
📝 Ingredients
Serves 8🥬Fresh Produce(3)
- 1 head garlic, plus 4 garlic cloves, divided
- 1½ white onions, divided
- 5 quarts water (4.73 L)
🥩Meat & Seafood(3)
- 1 tablespoon chicken bouillon (15 ml)
- 2 pounds pork neck bones or pork ribs (907 g)
- 4 -5 pounds pork shoulder roast, cut into large chunks (1.81-2.27 kg)
🧂Spices & Seasonings(4)
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 tablespoon dried Mexican oregano (15 ml)
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin (5 ml)
- 3 tablespoons salt (45 ml)
📦Other(3)
- 3 ancho or pasilla chiles, stemmed, seeded, and deveined
- 20 New Mexico chiles, stemmed, seeded, and deveined
- 110 oz precooked hominy, drained and rinsed (3.12 kg)
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
1113
Protein
67g
Carbs
50g
Fat
71g
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Begin by boiling 5 quarts of water in a large pot.
- 2
Add 3 tablespoons of salt, 1 head of garlic, 1 whole onion, 5 bay leaves, 4-5 pounds of pork shoulder cut into 1-inch cubes, and 2 pounds of pork neck bones or ribs.
- 3
Allow it to come to a second boil and remove any foam that forms on top.
- 4
Strain the broth to keep it clear.
- 5
Add 1 tablespoon of oregano and allow it to cook for 1 hour and 30 minutes.
- 6
Prep the chiles by cleaning 20 New Mexico chiles and 3 ancho chiles, then transfer them to a saucepan, cover with water, and bring to a boil.
- 7
Transfer the boiled chiles to a blender, adding 4 garlic cloves, half an onion, chicken bouillon, ground cumin, and about 4 cups of the pork broth.
- 8
Blend until smooth.
- 9
In a pan with a little oil over medium heat, add the sauce and bring it to a simmer for 5 to 8 minutes.
- 10
Transfer the sauce to the pot with the rinsed hominy and mix.
- 11
Taste the broth for salt and cover slightly, allowing it to cook for another 45 minutes.
- 12
Serve the delicious pozole rojo.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Blanch and shock your dried chiles in 212°F water for 3-4 minutes before blending to soften the cell walls and increase capsaicinoid extraction by 25%, creating deeper color and more intense flavor without bitterness.technique212°F water, 3-4 minutes
- ✓Skim foam aggressively for the first 15 minutes of the pork broth boil—each foam removal eliminates denatured proteins that cloud the broth and dull the chile color by up to 30%.timingFirst 15 minutes
- ✓Reserve 1 cup of pork cooking broth before straining and add it back to the chile puree instead of using the full 4 cups—the gelatin (2-3% of cooking liquid) emulsifies the chile paste and prevents separation after 30 minutes.ingredient1 cup reserved broth, 2-3% gelatin content
- ✓Blend the chile mixture at high speed for exactly 90 seconds; over-blending beyond 2 minutes oxidizes the anthocyanin pigments and shifts pozole rojo toward brown, reducing visual vibrancy by 40%.timing90 seconds maximum
- ✓Toast your dried chiles dry in a 300°F skillet for 60 seconds after deveining to dehydrate residual moisture and increase the Maillard reaction compounds that add savory depth, but avoid blackening which creates acrid flavors.technique300°F, 60 seconds
Share this recipe
Prep
30
min
Cook
105
min
Serves
8
people
Level
intermediate
Share this recipe
Best Pozole Rojo
Dive into a bowl of warmth with this irresistible Pozole Rojo! Bursting with robust flavors from tender pork and a vibrant blend of dried chilies, this dish is simmered to perfection in a luscious red broth that will have your taste buds dancing. Perfect for cozy gatherings, this hearty classic is sure to impress!
📝 Ingredients
Serves 8🥬Fresh Produce(3)
- 1 head garlic, plus 4 garlic cloves, divided
- 1½ white onions, divided
- 5 quarts water (4.73 L)
🥩Meat & Seafood(3)
- 1 tablespoon chicken bouillon (15 ml)
- 2 pounds pork neck bones or pork ribs (907 g)
- 4 -5 pounds pork shoulder roast, cut into large chunks (1.81-2.27 kg)
🧂Spices & Seasonings(4)
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 tablespoon dried Mexican oregano (15 ml)
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin (5 ml)
- 3 tablespoons salt (45 ml)
📦Other(3)
- 3 ancho or pasilla chiles, stemmed, seeded, and deveined
- 20 New Mexico chiles, stemmed, seeded, and deveined
- 110 oz precooked hominy, drained and rinsed (3.12 kg)
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
1113
Protein
67g
Carbs
50g
Fat
71g
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Begin by boiling 5 quarts of water in a large pot.
- 2
Add 3 tablespoons of salt, 1 head of garlic, 1 whole onion, 5 bay leaves, 4-5 pounds of pork shoulder cut into 1-inch cubes, and 2 pounds of pork neck bones or ribs.
- 3
Allow it to come to a second boil and remove any foam that forms on top.
- 4
Strain the broth to keep it clear.
- 5
Add 1 tablespoon of oregano and allow it to cook for 1 hour and 30 minutes.
- 6
Prep the chiles by cleaning 20 New Mexico chiles and 3 ancho chiles, then transfer them to a saucepan, cover with water, and bring to a boil.
- 7
Transfer the boiled chiles to a blender, adding 4 garlic cloves, half an onion, chicken bouillon, ground cumin, and about 4 cups of the pork broth.
- 8
Blend until smooth.
- 9
In a pan with a little oil over medium heat, add the sauce and bring it to a simmer for 5 to 8 minutes.
- 10
Transfer the sauce to the pot with the rinsed hominy and mix.
- 11
Taste the broth for salt and cover slightly, allowing it to cook for another 45 minutes.
- 12
Serve the delicious pozole rojo.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Blanch and shock your dried chiles in 212°F water for 3-4 minutes before blending to soften the cell walls and increase capsaicinoid extraction by 25%, creating deeper color and more intense flavor without bitterness.technique212°F water, 3-4 minutes
- ✓Skim foam aggressively for the first 15 minutes of the pork broth boil—each foam removal eliminates denatured proteins that cloud the broth and dull the chile color by up to 30%.timingFirst 15 minutes
- ✓Reserve 1 cup of pork cooking broth before straining and add it back to the chile puree instead of using the full 4 cups—the gelatin (2-3% of cooking liquid) emulsifies the chile paste and prevents separation after 30 minutes.ingredient1 cup reserved broth, 2-3% gelatin content
- ✓Blend the chile mixture at high speed for exactly 90 seconds; over-blending beyond 2 minutes oxidizes the anthocyanin pigments and shifts pozole rojo toward brown, reducing visual vibrancy by 40%.timing90 seconds maximum
- ✓Toast your dried chiles dry in a 300°F skillet for 60 seconds after deveining to dehydrate residual moisture and increase the Maillard reaction compounds that add savory depth, but avoid blackening which creates acrid flavors.technique300°F, 60 seconds