I love authentic pozole rojo on a cold, crisp fall day – it’s one of my all-time favorite comfort soups and uses budget-friendly ingredients to feed a crowd!

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Traditional Pozole Rojo

Pozole Rojo is a traditional Mexican stew that’s both hearty and deeply flavorful. It’s typically made with hominy, large corn kernels that have been soaked and cooked until they puff, and pork, which adds a rich, savory element.

The “rojo” or red aspect of the dish comes from a variety of chiles used to make a vibrant, spicy, and smoky sauce that permeates the soup. Often garnished with fresh ingredients like radishes, lettuce, lime, and oregano, Pozole Rojo is a balance of textures and flavors that is beloved across Mexico. This dish is often served on special occasions and is particularly popular for celebrations like Mexican Independence Day and Christmas.

Pozole Rojo Recipe Ingredients

To make this recipe, we will use the following ingredients:

• Pork Shoulder: This is the primary protein and contributes a hearty, robust flavor. The fat in the shoulder also helps to add richness to the soup.
• Onion: It provides a sweet and savory base flavor, and its sugars caramelize during cooking to enhance the soup’s overall taste.
• Bell Pepper: This adds a sweet and slightly tangy flavor, contributing to the soup’s overall complexity.
• Garlic: It imparts a distinct savory, aromatic quality that is fundamental to many soup recipes, including Pozole.
• Jalapeños: These give the soup a spicy kick. By setting some aside for garnishing, you also add a fresh, crisp contrast.
• Hominy: This is dried corn that has been treated with an alkali. It has a unique, slightly earthy and sweet flavor and a chewy texture, which adds heartiness to the soup.
• Ro-Tel: This canned mix of diced tomatoes and green chilies gives the soup added tanginess, sweetness, and a hint of heat.
• Chili Powder: This adds a smoky, spicy flavor to the dish, enhancing its overall depth and warmth.
• Ground Cumin: Cumin adds a warm, earthy flavor that complements the other spices.
• Ground Ancho Chiles: These chilies add a sweet, mild, smoky flavor to the soup. They’re a great way to incorporate authentic Mexican flavors.
• Salt and Pepper: These basic seasonings enhance all the other flavors in the soup.
• Chicken Broth: This serves as the base of the soup, giving it depth and body. It also carries the flavors of all the other ingredients.
• Cilantro: Used as a garnish, cilantro adds a bright, citrusy flavor that balances the soup’s rich, hearty taste.
• Radishes: Also used as a garnish, radishes provide a crunchy texture and a peppery flavor that contrasts nicely with the soup’s richness.
• Limes: Serving the soup with quartered limes allows each person to add a squeeze of fresh, tangy flavor, which helps balance out the dish’s heat and richness.

How to Make Red Pozole

Once you’ve gathered your ingredients, we will use the following method:

1. Heat a large pot over medium heat. Add the pork shoulder pieces, season with salt, pepper, and cumin, and brown them on all sides.
2. Remove the browned pork from the pot and set aside. In the same pot, add the onion, peppers, and garlic, cooking until they become soft and fragrant.
3. Add the chili powder to the onions and garlic, stirring to combine.
4. Add the browned pork back into the pot with the onions and garlic. Pour in the Ro-Tel, chicken broth, and the drained and rinsed hominy.
5. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and let it simmer for about 2-3 hours, or until the pork is tender and the flavors are well combined.
6. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.
7. Serve the pozole in bowls, garnishing with fresh cilantro and sliced radishes, tortilla chips, fritos, jalapeños, or cilantro. Have quartered limes on hand for squeezing into the pozole.

Enjoy this traditional and hearty Mexican dish!

Red Pozole Recipe Tips and Tricks

Use Quality Chilies: The type and quality of dried chilies you use can greatly affect the flavor of your Pozole Rojo. Ancho, guajillo, or New Mexico chilies are often used. Each has its own flavor profile, so experiment to find the combination that you like best.

Properly Treat Your Chilies: To get the most flavor from your dried chilies, lightly toast them in a dry pan until they become fragrant, then rehydrate them in hot water. Once they are rehydrated, blend them into a paste for a smooth, richly flavored broth.

Don’t Rush the Cooking Process: Allow ample time for the soup to simmer. This not only tenderizes the meat but also allows the flavors to meld together.

Rinse Your Hominy: Hominy is dried corn that’s been treated with an alkali process. Rinsing it before adding to the soup removes the excess starch and prevents the soup from becoming overly thick.

Garnish Generously: The garnishes are an important part of Pozole. They add fresh, bright flavors and a variety of textures that complement the rich, hearty soup. Don’t skimp on them!

Adjust to Taste: Taste your Pozole as you cook, adjusting the seasoning as needed. Remember, you can always add more spices, but you can’t take them away.

Make Ahead: Like many soups and stews, Pozole often tastes even better the next day, after the flavors have had more time to meld together. It’s a great dish to make ahead of time.

How to Store Posole Rojo

Posole can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 4 days. It can also be frozen for up to 3 months, although the texture of the hominy may change slightly when reheated.

Pozole Rojo FAQs

What to Serve With Red Pozole

Tostadas or Tortilla Chips: The crunch of tostadas or tortilla chips adds a pleasing textural contrast to the hearty soup. They can be eaten on the side or crumbled on top for added crunch.

Avocado Slices: The creamy and mild flavor of avocado slices can help balance the spiciness of the pozole rojo.

Lime Wedges: Serving lime wedges on the side allows guests to add a splash of acidity to their soup, brightening up the flavors.

Mexican Rice or Spanish Rice: Serving rice on the side can make the meal more filling and provide a mellow, starchy contrast to the spicy, flavorful soup.

Refried Beans: Like rice, refried beans are a traditional accompaniment to many Mexican dishes, adding a creamy element that pairs well with the soup.

Fresh Chopped Cilantro and Onion: These can be served as additional garnishes that your guests can add to their own bowls for added freshness and bite.

Green Salad: A simple green salad with a citrus vinaigrette can provide a refreshing contrast to the hearty and spicy Pozole Rojo.

Pico de Gallo or Salsa: These could be used as an additional condiment, offering a fresh and spicy accompaniment to the soup.

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