Skip to content

Red Pozole

📍 Mexico
⏱️Prep: 30 min
🔥Cook: 120 min
Total: 150 min
🍽️8 servings
Difficulty: Medium

Red pozole is one of Mexico's oldest ceremonial dishes: cacahuazintle corn — the large hominy kernels that bloom open when cooked — simmered in a long broth of guajillo and ancho chillies with shredded pork. Each diner builds their own bowl at the table, adding shredded lettuce, dried oregano, radishes, tostadas and lime to taste. Party food, New Year's food, the kind of meal that turns into a long afternoon.

🛒 Ingredients

8 servings
  • 500g cooked hominy or cacahuazintle corn
  • 600g pork meat (spine or head)
  • 5 guajillo chilies
  • 2 ancho chilies
  • 4 garlic cloves
  • 1 onion
  • Oregano, salt
  • For garnish: lettuce, oregano, tortilla chips, radishes, lime

👨‍🍳 Step-by-step instructions

  1. Cook the corn in a pressure cooker for 45 minutes until it bursts.

  2. Cook the meat in water with onion, garlic, and salt for 45 minutes.

  3. Hydrate the chilies in hot water for 20 minutes. Blend with garlic and strain.

  4. Fry the blended chili in oil for 5 minutes. Add to the meat broth.

  5. Add the cooked cacahuazintle corn. Cook together for 20 minutes.

  6. Shred the meat and add to the pozole. Serve with all the complements.

💡 Chef's tip

The chilies should be lightly toasted on a griddle before hydrating to intensify their flavor. The pozole must be flavorful before adding the complements.

📝 Our take

Red pozole is Mexico's quintessential festive dish, and the separately served garnishes are what make it unique: tostadas, oregano, radish, onion, lime... Each diner builds their own version. The broth must be bold and glossy before any of that arrives.

🍷 Wine & food pairing

Dark Mexican beer such as Negra Modelo. Or well-chilled hibiscus agua fresca for the non-alcoholic version.

⭐ Have you tried this recipe?

Select a rating

🍳 Did it turn out well? Share it in the chat!
Share your version, tips or questions with the cooking community.
Enter chat →