Ingredients
Pozole
- 4 large guajillo chiles
- 2 large ancho chiles
- 3-4 arbol chiles
- 2 ¼ lbs pork shoulder, fat trimmed
- kosher salt
- black pepper
- 2 tbsp tallow or lard, or neutral high heat oil
- 1 medium white onion, chopped
- 10 garlic cloves, smashed
- 1 ½ tsp dried Mexican oregano
- ¼ tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp black peppercorns
- 1 star anise
- 8 cups low-sodium chicken broth, or water
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tsp kosher salt, or more to taste
- 30 oz can of hominy, drained and rinsed
Toppings
- lime wedges
- white onion, finely chopped
- fresh cilantro, chopped
- radishes, thinly sliced
- cabbage, thinly sliced
- tortilla chips/strips, freshly made if possible
- crema, or sour cream
- queso fresco, crumbled, or cojita
- avocado, sliced or diced
Equipment
Method
- Preheat a comal or skillet over medium heat. Add the chiles in a single layer and toast them, pressing down on them as they cook to increase surface area. Toast until they become nutty and fragrant (about 2-3 min). Do not burn them. Remove the chiles from the hot pan and set aside to cool.
- Preheat a large dutch oven over medium-high heat. While it heats up, prep the pork. Cut the pork shoulder into 2" pieces and season generously with salt and pepper.
- Add the tallow or lard and let it melt and ripple before adding half of the pork, ensuring they all have space between them so they can brown. Sear for 2-3 minutes and flip once they're browned. Sear for another 2-3 minutes. Remove the pork to a clean plate and repeat with the remaining pork. Set aside.
- You should have 1 tbsp of fat remaining, if not add more. Turn the heat down to medium and add the onion and smashed garlic. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onion softens and starts to brown.
- Once the onions are brown, stir in the oregano, thyme, peppercorns, and star anise. Toast the spices for 30 seconds, stirring frequently to avoid burning.
- Once the spices are toasted, return the pork and chiles to the pot and add the water/broth, bay leaves and kosher salt. Bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low and let it cook, covered, for 2 - 2 ½ hours.
- After 2 hours check the meat for tenderness. It should be fall-apart tender. Gently remove the pork to a clean bowl and shred the meat. Cover the meat with tin foil until ready to use.
- Pour the remaining broth and spices to a blender and blend until smooth. Return the broth to the pot and add the drained and rinsed hominy. Return to a simmer and cook for about 20 minutes until the hominy is tender. Stir the meat back in and let it simmer another 5 minutes. Taste for salt and adjust if necessary.
- Serve the stew with desired toppings. I recommend a squeeze of fresh lime with chopped white onion, cilantro, thinly sliced cabbage and radishes, fresh totopos/tortilla chips, crema, and crumbled queso fresco (or feta). Enjoy!