Pozole Rojo

For this update I would like to return to a dish that holds a special place in my heart, pozole! To me this is a dish that represents home, family, comfort and just how good food can be. This is also one of the first things I learned how to make from my mom.

The word pozole in Mexican Spanish is refers to hominy. Hominy in the US is most commonly found ground in grits. In Mexico, pozole is kept whole and serves as the basis for the dish of the same name. Pozole the dish is a soup which consists of hominy and pork and can vary in color from red to green to clear depending on the whether or not the broth is flavored with chiles and spices. The version I grew up with was red which gets its color from guajillo chiles.

One of the most interesting aspects of pozole is the garnishes. Alongside the soup itself you have an option of adding as much shredded cabbage, sliced radishes, diced onion, cilantro, Mexican oregano and broken up tostada pieces as you like. The fresh ingredients contrast with the hot soup and add texture. The closest comparison I can think of is Vietnamese pho. Both soups are actually eaten in a similar context, usually being the breakfast/brunch meal shared with loved ones.

The broth for pozole is primarily a pork broth but you get a certain also get a certain corn flavor from the hominy itself. To begin I used a pork shoulder with as much fat trimmed off as possible. This fat can be used to crisp up in the oven as an additional garnish if you so choose. I placed the pork shoulder in a 400 degree oven and roasted for about a half hour before placing in a stock pot and covering with water. I added a half an onion and a few cloves of garlic and simmered on low for about 3 hours until the pork meat is tender. I removed the pork meat to cool for cutting into chunks and got to work on the hominy.

For the pozole part of the dish I decided to use dried hominy that I picked up at the local Mexican grocery store. The suggested preparation for dried hominy is to let it sit overnight in cold water then to boil in the broth slowly for about 2 hours. I usually use canned hominy but I found that boiling the dried hominy directly in the broth gives a thicker broth with more corn flavor. Either option gives great results.

While the hominy was boiling I took off the stems and shook out the seeds from 10 guajillo chiles. I placed the chiles in a bowl and I used some of the hot pork broth to cover them to soften for 15 minutes or so.

I moved the chiles to a blender and added a couple of cloves of garlic, Mexican oregano, cumin, bay leaves, salt and pepper. I added a bit of the broth and blended for a few minutes until all the ingredients are fully ground. The result is a deep red sauce that can be added directly to the soup.

I added the guajillo mixture along with the chunks of pork back into the pot with the hominy during the last half hour of cooking so that all the flavors could come together. While the soup finished cooking I shredded cabbage, thinly sliced radishes, diced onions and chopped cilantro to prepare my dish of garnishes for people to add what they like. I also had tostadas on hand to break into the soup prior to eating.

This soup to me is addictive. The rich pork and corn flavor really came through and the soup thickened a bit as the hominy boiled away. The chiles provided a deep red color, spice and a certain earthy depth of flavor that really makes this version stand out. I usually like to garnish with a bit of everything, cabbage being my personal favorite.

This dish, like many traditional homestyle Mexican dishes are really made by using all the senses and sort of winging it. It is really difficult to pinpoint exact measurements, but I have made an attempt at a recipe. If you end up trying this, I’d love to hear your thoughts!

Recipe after the jump...