Pozole is Mexico’s feast day soup — eaten at Christmas, at New Year, at baptisms, at quinceañeras, and at any other occasion that demands a dish of communal warmth and celebration. Its pre-Columbian origins give it a history stretching back thousands of years to the Aztec civilisation, where hominy corn — maize treated with lime in the process called nixtamalization — was a staple food of immense cultural significance.

The hominy is the ingredient that makes pozole unique. Dried maize kernels treated with calcium hydroxide to remove the outer hull and make the nutrients bioavailable, hominy is chewy, slightly earthy, and has a distinctly corn-forward flavour that canned or fresh sweetcorn cannot replicate. When simmered for hours in the pork and chile broth it blooms and opens like a flower — each kernel splits slightly and becomes tender throughout.

The garnish table is as important as the soup itself. Finely shredded white cabbage, sliced radishes, dried Mexican oregano, dried chilli flakes, lime wedges, and tostadas arranged around the pot allow each diner to build their bowl to their own taste. This customisation at the table is fundamental to pozole culture — the same soup becomes a different experience for each person eating it.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 480 kcal   |   Protein: 38g   |   Carbs: 44g   |   Fat: 16g   |   Fiber: 8g

Pozole Rojo

Recipe by By butter u0026 berriesCourse: Mexican, Soup

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

20

minutes

Cooking time

2

hours 

30

minutes

Calories

480

kcal

Ingredients

• •t1kg pork shoulder, cut into large pieces

• •t500g pork trotters or neck bones (for gelatin and richness)

• •t800g canned hominy corn, drained and rinsed

• •t1 white onion, halved

• •t8 garlic cloves

• •t2 bay leaves

• •tSalt

• •tFor the red chile sauce: 5 dried guajillo chillies

• •tFor the red chile sauce: 3 dried ancho chillies

• •tFor the red chile sauce: 2 dried pasilla chillies

• •tFor the red chile sauce: 4 garlic cloves

• •tFor the red chile sauce: 1/2 onion

• •tFor the red chile sauce: 1 tsp cumin

• •tFor the red chile sauce: 1 tsp Mexican oregano

• •tFor serving: finely shredded white cabbage

• •tFor serving: thinly sliced radishes

• •tFor serving: dried Mexican oregano

• •tFor serving: dried chilli flakes

• •tFor serving: lime wedges

• •tFor serving: tostadas or tortilla chips

• •tFor serving: diced white onion

• •tFor serving: sour cream (optional)

Directions

• Place pork shoulder, trotters, onion, garlic, and bay leaves in a large pot. Cover with cold water by 5cm. Bring to a boil, skimming foam. Reduce heat and simmer for 1.5-2 hours until pork is very tender.
• While pork cooks, make the chile sauce: toast dried chillies in a dry pan for 30 seconds per side. Soak in hot water for 20 minutes. Drain. Blend with garlic, onion, cumin, oregano, and 200ml of the pork cooking broth until smooth.
• Remove pork from the broth. Discard trotters. Shred the pork shoulder and set aside.
• Strain the pork broth through a fine sieve. Return to the pot. Add the blended chile sauce and hominy corn. Simmer for 30 minutes.
• Add shredded pork back to the pot. Season generously with salt. Simmer for a further 15-20 minutes until all flavours are integrated and the soup is rich and deeply coloured.
• Serve in large deep bowls with all garnishes arranged on the table for each person to add to their own bowl.

Notes

• Hominy corn from a can is perfectly acceptable and saves hours of preparation. Available at Latin grocery stores and online.
  Pork trotters or neck bones add gelatin that makes the broth rich and slightly sticky — the mark of a truly excellent pozole. Ask your butcher.
  The garnish table is not optional — it is a fundamental part of the dish. Each garnish contributes something essential: the cabbage for crunch and freshness, the radish for sharp bitterness, the oregano for herbaceous aroma, the lime for acidity.
  Mexican dried oregano has a distinctly different, more robust flavour than Mediterranean oregano. It is worth seeking out at Mexican grocery stores

Storage

Pozole keeps in the fridge for up to 4 days and the flavour deepens each day. Freeze in portions for up to 3 months. Reheat gently over low heat. Store the garnishes separately — they should always be fresh and added at the table.

Serving Tips

Serve in large deep bowls with all garnishes at the table. Tostadas and tortilla chips alongside for crumbling into the soup. A cold Mexican lager — Modelo or Negra Modelo — is the traditional pairing. A shot of mezcal alongside is also culturally appropriate and very welcome.

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