Pork Pozole Rojo
Pork Pozole Rojo is a rich and flavorful Mexican stew loaded with tender braised pork shoulder and hominy in a spicy red chile broth. It’s one of my childhood favorites and it’s so cozy for this time of year.
The pork is fall-off-the-bone tender swimming in a flavorful and nourishing broth–the ultimate vessel for all your favorite toppings. It’s a one-pot recipe that’s perfect for cooler weather and cozying up at home!
Table of Contents
The Best Pork Pozole Rojo
It’s officially the 3rd annual So Much Food Soup Week! All week long I’ll be sharing brand new soup recipes that I know you’re going to love.
One of my core childhood memories was my dad teaching me to make his pork pozole rojo recipe. He taught me how make the chile sauce (which he also liked using for enchiladas) and would let me help stir everything together from the counter.
Beyond the memories associated with this recipe, my pork pozole rojo is just really good. It’s flavorful, a bit spicy, and the tender pork just melts in your mouth.
But, there are a lot of pozole rojo recipes out there–what makes mine so special? Instead of simmering the pozole on the stove, part of the cooking happens in the oven. Why? Because the flavors of the red chile broth deepen during the braising process as some of the liquid evaporates. It is truly heavenly.
After the initial cooking in the oven, the rest of the soup is finished on the stovetop when we add more broth and the hominy. I have never had a richer or bolder pozole in my life and I hope you love it just as much as I do!
What is Pozole?
Pozole (Posole) is a meat and hominy stew, traditional to Mexican cooking. It’s made with pork shoulder and served with shredded cabbage or lettuce, onions, chile peppers, cilantro, radishes, avocado, and/or lime. It can be a red, green, or white (no chilies) broth.
Pozole is a typical dish in various states such as Nayarit, Sinaloa, Michoacan, Guerrero, Zacatecas, Jalisco, and Morelos. It’s been around since the 16th century or so, and originated in Aztec culture as maize (corn) was a sacred plant and they created this dish to observe special occasions.
Red Pozole vs Green Pozole
Pozole Rojo, ‘red’ in Spanish, is a pork and hominy stew in a red broth due to the variety of dried red chilies used. I have a lighter red pozole with chicken recipe that’s also dynamite!
Pozole Verde, or ‘green’ pozole, is made with tomatillos, poblanos, and cilantro which turn the broth green. Both are delicious and I highly recommend trying both versions!
How to Make Pork Pozole Rojo
As with just about all my braises, this recipe is best made in a 5-6 qt Dutch oven. They distribute heat evenly and are one of my most used kitchen tools.
Tools Needed
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Dried chilies. The base of our pork pozole rojo broth is dried chilies. We’re using a mix of ancho, guajillo, morita, and arbol which you can find at your local hispanic market or at an online retailer like amazon.
- Hominy. This is often found in the Hispanic foods aisle of your local grocery store or sometimes near the canned corn. If you’ve never used it before, hominy is a type of maize that’s been soaked and treated with lime. You can find yellow or white hominy, but I always use white.
- Pork shoulder. You can use pork shoulder or pork butt, but I highly recommend looking for bone-in pork since the bone adds so much flavor during the cooking process.
- Spices. You’ll also need ground cumin and oregano which bolster the flavors in the pozole.
- Onion. I prefer using white onion here, but any type of onion can be used.
- Chicken broth. Homemade is always best, but if you buy store bought I recommend looking for bone broth or a nicer broth found in refrigerated goods.
- Bay leaves. I always opt for fresh bay leaves because I think they have more flavor, but any bay leaves can be used.
The Process
- Make the red chile sauce: Add the water to a small saucepan with all the dried chilies. Bring to a gentle simmer for 5 minutes. Let the chilies rest in the hot water for 10 minutes. Carefully transfer the chilies and liquid to a blender with the garlic, cumin, oregano, vinegar, and salt and blend until completely smooth. Set aside.
- Sear the pork. If your pork has a large fat cap, trim it down to 1/8 of an inch. Pat the pork dry and season all over with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large dutch oven over medium heat. Once the oil is very hot, sear the pork for 4-5 minutes per side.
- Braise the pork. Add the sliced onions and pour the red chile sauce over the pork. Add the bay leaves, cover, and transfer to the oven. Braise for 3 hours, turning the pork once halfway through, until the pork is tender.
- Shred the pork. Remove the dutch oven from the oven and let the pork rest in the juices for 20 minutes. Carefully transfer the pork to a cutting board. Shred the pork into large pieces, discarding any large bits of fat.
- Simmer the pozole. Return the shredded pork and bone to the dutch oven and add in the chicken stock and hominy. Simmer for 45 minutes. Discard the bone and bay leaves and season to taste. If the soup is too thick, add more stock as needed. Season the pozole to taste with salt and pepper.
Slow Cooker Instructions
I’m always going to recommend that you make this recipe in the oven because it has so much more flavor, but I know that’s not always feasible on busy nights!
Follow the recipe to make the chile sauce and set that aside. Sear the pork in a skillet or pot, then transfer it to the slow cooker. Scatter the onion and bay leaves over the pork then pour in the red chile broth. Add an additional 4 cups of chicken stock, stir, cover, and set it to 4 hours on high or 8 hours on low.
Remove the pork, shred it, then return it to the slow cooker with the hominy. Cook for another hour or so and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve the pork pozole rojo as desired with your favorite toppings.
How to Serve Pork Pozole Rojo
A warm bowl of pork pozole rojo is delicious on its own, but I think the toppings make all the difference! Here are some traditional toppings that I love to serve with pozole:
- shredded cabbage
- cilantro
- lime wedges
- sliced radishes
- diced white onions
- avocado
- cotija cheese
- warm tortillas, for dipping
Storage & Freezing Instructions
I love this recipe because it makes a pretty large batch! It freezes beautifully and I love storing a stash in the freezer for a quick dinner option.
Any leftover pork pozole rojo can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat gently on the stove, adding more broth as necessary.
Freezing: once the pozole rojo has cooled to room temperature, transfer it to a freezer-safe ziplock bag or an airtight container. You can store it in the freezer for up to 6 months. Defrost the pozole in the fridge overnight before reheating on the stove.
Pork Pozole Rojo is the flavorful and comforting soup that you need in your life! It’s perfect for cooler weather and easily feeds a crowd. If you do give this recipe a try, be sure to let me know! Leave a comment with a star rating below. Be sure to subscribe to my weekly newsletter and never miss a new recipe! You can also snap a photo & tag @JENNYGOYCOCHEA on Instagram. I LOVE hearing about & seeing your SMF creations!
More Authentic Mexican Recipes
Mexican Picadillo
Beef Chile Colorado
Stovetop Mexican Rice
Pollo Asado
Carne Asada
This post contains affiliate links from which I receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Affiliate links allow me to keep providing great recipes for free and I never recommend products that I don’t love and personally own.
Pork Pozole Rojo (Authentic Red Pozole)
Ingredients
Red Chile Sauce
- 4 cups water
- 6 guajillo chilies, stem and seeds removed
- 4 ancho chilies, stem and seeds removed
- 4 morita chilies, stem and seeds removed
- 2-4 chile de arbol, stem and seeds removed
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 4 garlic cloves
- 2 teaspoons mexican oregano
- 3 tablespoons white vinegar
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
Pozole
- 2 tablespoons neutral oil
- 4 lbs bone-in pork shoulder or butt
- 1 white onion, thinly sliced
- 2 fresh bay leaves
- 6 cups chicken stock, (homemade is best)
- 32 oz canned white hominy, drained and rinsed
Toppings
- Thinly shredded cabbage
- Sliced radishes
- Diced white onion
- Cilantro
- Limes
- Diced avocado
- Warm Tortillas, for dipping
Instructions
- Make the red chile sauce: Add the water to a small saucepan with all the dried chilies. Bring to a gentle simmer for 5 minutes. Let the chilies rest in the hot water for 10 minutes. Carefully transfer the chilies and liquid to a blender with the garlic, cumin, oregano, vinegar, and salt and blend until completely smooth. Set aside.
- Preheat an oven to 350 F.
- Sear the pork. If your pork has a large fat cap, trim it down to 1/8 of an inch. Pat the pork dry and season all over with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large dutch oven over medium heat. Once the oil is very hot, sear the pork for 4-5 minutes per side.
- Braise the pork. Scatter the sliced onions and pour the red chile sauce over the pork. Add the bay leaves, cover, and transfer to the oven. Braise for 3 hours, turning the pork once halfway through, until the pork is tender.
- Shred the pork. Remove the dutch oven from the oven and let the pork rest in the juices for 20 minutes. Carefully transfer the pork to a cutting board. Shred the pork into large pieces, discarding any large bits of fat.
- Simmer the pozole. Return the shredded pork and bone to the dutch oven and add in the chicken stock and hominy. Simmer for 45 minutes. Discard the bone and bay leaves and season to taste. If the soup is too thick, add more stock as needed. Season the pozole to taste with salt and pepper.
- Serve. Ladle the pozole into bowls and top with shredded cabbage, sliced radish, white onion, cilantro, and serve with lime wedges for squeezing and warm tortillas for dipping.
Rate & Review This Recipe