Pozole Estilo Jalisco

Introduction

Pozole is one of those recipes that smells like a Sunday with family. In Jalisco we make it red, with a deep broth of guajillo and ancho chiles that hugs every kernel of hominy until it blooms open like a little flower. This version comes from generations of cooks who understood that the secret isn't rushing — it's letting the meat and chile get to know each other slowly, for hours. It's the perfect dish for birthdays, New Year's, Mother's Day, or simply a rainy Sunday when the whole family gathers around the table with their bowl of cabbage, radish and lime on the side. Once you try it homemade, you'll never settle for the canned version again.

Ingredients

• 1 kg (2.2 lb) pre-cooked hominy corn (cacahuazintle)
• 1.5 kg (3.3 lb) pork (shoulder and neck bones, cut into pieces)
• 1/2 head of garlic, plus 4 extra cloves
• 1/2 whole white onion, plus 1/2 finely chopped for serving
• 6 guajillo chiles, deveined and seeded
• 3 ancho chiles, deveined and seeded
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano, plus extra for serving
• 2 bay leaves
• Salt to taste
• 3 liters (12.5 cups) water
• Finely shredded cabbage, for serving
• Sliced radishes, for serving
• Lime wedges, for serving
• Tostadas, for serving

Instructions

1. In a large pot, place the pork, half the onion, half the head of garlic, and the bay leaves. Cover with the 3 liters of water and bring to a boil.
2. Lower the heat to medium-low, skim off any foam that forms on the surface, and let the meat simmer covered for 1 hour 30 minutes, until tender.
3. While the meat cooks, toast the guajillo and ancho chiles on a hot comal for 20-30 seconds per side, without letting them burn.
4. Soak the toasted chiles in hot water for 15 minutes until softened.
5. Blend the soaked chiles with the 4 extra garlic cloves, the oregano, and a little of the soaking water until you get a smooth sauce.
6. Strain the chile sauce directly into the pot with the meat to remove any bits of chile skin.
7. Add the pre-cooked hominy corn to the pot and let everything simmer together, half-covered, for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until the corn kernels bloom slightly open and the broth turns a deep red.
8. Season with salt to taste in the last 10 minutes of cooking and adjust the heat level if desired.
9. Serve hot in deep bowls and let everyone add cabbage, chopped onion, radish, oregano and lime to taste, alongside tostadas.

Chef tips

• Never let the broth boil hard once you've added the chile: keep it at a gentle simmer, half-covered, or the chile turns bitter and the broth clouds up.
• If you can't find pre-nixtamalized hominy corn, use drained and rinsed canned cacahuazintle corn — it cuts the kernel's cooking time by at least an hour.
• Toast the dried chiles for just 20-30 seconds per side on a hot comal; if they toast too long, the broth tastes burnt and can't be fixed.
• The most common mistake is salting from the start: the meat releases its own flavor as it cooks, so season at the end to avoid over-salting once the broth reduces.

Pairing suggestions

Serve the pozole with tostadas smeared with crema, a well-chilled hibiscus agua fresca, or a light lager-style beer. For those who like something stronger, a straight white tequila pairs perfectly with the broth's heat.