Jalisco-Style Red Pork Pozole (Pozole Rojo)
Mise en Place / Ingredients[14]
- 2 cans (29 oz) Mexican style prepared white hominy (Juanita's)
- 2.5 lbs Pork shoulder, cut into 1.5-inch chunks
- 1.5 lbs Pork neck bones or backbone
- 6 whole Dried Guajillo chiles, stemmed
- 2 whole Dried Ancho chiles, stemmed
- 1 tbsp Mexican oregano (Badia)
- 12 cups Water
- 2 large White onion (1 whole for broth + 1 cup finely diced for serving)
- 1 head Whole head of garlic
- 2 tbsp Kosher salt
- 2 cups Finely shredded green cabbage, for serving
- 6 whole Fresh red radishes, thinly sliced
- 3 whole Fresh limes, cut into wedges
- 8 pieces Crispy corn tostadas, for serving
🛒 US Supermarket Brand Guide
Plump, uniformly tender pre-cooked corn kernels. • 📍 Hispanic canned goods.
Cooking Sequence & Checkpoints
Simmer pork shoulder and neck bones in 12 cups water with 1 whole white onion, 1 head of garlic, and 2 tbsp kosher salt. Skim surface impurities.
✓ Checkpoint: Clear, savory pork broth.
Simmer stemmed guajillo and ancho chiles until softened, then blend smooth with broth and strain through a fine-mesh strainer.
✓ Checkpoint: Silky crimson chile sauce.
Rinse hominy well, pour into the pot with the strained red chile sauce and Mexican oregano, and simmer until pork is fork-tender (195°F–205°F / 90°C–96°C).
✓ Checkpoint: Blossomed hominy and rich red broth.
Shred the tender pork, return to the broth, and ladle into wide bowls topped with shredded cabbage, sliced radishes, diced white onion, lime wedges, and crispy corn tostadas alongside.
✓ Checkpoint: Steaming celebration bowl.
🔬 Why It Works:
Collagen Backbone Broth: Simmering neck bones alongside pork shoulder creates a naturally rich broth without muddiness.
⚠️ Troubleshooting:
Broth is greasy: Skim surface oil using a ladle before serving.