Pozole Rojo (Mexican Pork and Hominy Stew)

This Mexican pozole recipe features a rich broth, tender pork, a subtly spicy red sauce, and tons of flavor. 

What Is Pozole?

Pozole is a traditional Mexican stew made with meat (usually pork, but sometimes chicken), hominy, chile peppers, and various seasonings. It’s traditionally topped with lettuce, cabbage, limes, onions, avocados, and/or radishes. 

Pozole verde is made with a green sauce, while pozole rojo, such as this one, is made with a red sauce.

How to Make Pozole

You'll find a detailed ingredient list and step-by-step instructions in the recipe below, but let's go over the basics:

Pozole Ingredients

These are the ingredients you’ll need to make this classic pozole recipe at home: 

• Pork: This recipe starts with a pound of boneless pork shoulder, a pound of boneless pork loin, and pork neck bones. The dish requires three different cuts of pork because It's important to have both lean and fatty cuts, according to recipe creator Consuelo Aguilar.
• Water: You’ll need just enough water to boil pork and chile sauce ingredients, plus two cups of water to blend with the chile sauce. 
• Garlic: Cook a head of garlic with pork, then blend one clove of garlic in the chile sauce. 
• Seasonings: Season pozole with salt, dried oregano, and ground cumin.
• Tomato and guajillo chiles: Make red chile sauce with a plum tomato and dried guajillo chiles. 
• Hominy: For this pozole recipe, you’ll need two cans of drained white hominy. 
• Toppings: Top pozole with lettuce or cabbage, a diced onion, and four quartered limes. 

How to Make Pozole Rojo

Here’s a brief overview of what you can expect when you make this flavorful pozole recipe: 

1. Boil, then simmer pork with garlic and salt until the meat is cooked through.
2. Boil tomatoes and chiles together. Drain.
3. Blend tomato and chiles with salt, garlic, oregano, cumin, and water.
4. Shred pork, then discard bones and garlic. 
5. Stir sauce and pork into the pot, then simmer until flavors have melded. 
6. Ladle pozole into bowls and finish each serving with toppings. 

How to Store Pozole

Store the pozole in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days. Store the toppings separately. 

Can You Freeze Pozole? 

You can freeze the stew pozole for up to three months, but avoid freezing the toppings — those are best fresh. Thaw the pozole in the refrigerator overnight.  

Editorial contributions by Corey Williams