Pozole Rojo
- lime wedges
- dried whole oregano (preferably Mexican), crumbled
- 6 lb boneless pork butt
- thinly sliced radishes
- finely chopped white onion
- 8 corn tortillas, cut into thin strips
- vegetable oil, for frying
- 45 oz canned white hominy, drained
- 21/2 cup Chile Colorado Sauce, recipe follows
- 1 tsp dried whole oregano (preferably Mexican), crumbled
- salt
- 1 head garlic, separated into cloves and peeled
- 1 quart chicken stock (low-sodium store-bought is fine)
1. Put the pork in a large heavy stockpot or Dutch oven. Add 3 quarts water, the stock, garlic, and 1 teaspoon salt and bring to a boil. Skim off and discard any foam that rises to the surface. Stir in the oregano, reduce the heat, and simmer gently, uncovered, until the pork is tender, about 3 hours.
2. Lift the pork out of the broth onto a cutting board. Shred the pork with two forks and return it to the broth along with the Chile Colorado Sauce and hominy and another teaspoon of salt.
3. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes.
4. While the pozole cooks, line a baking sheet with paper towels. Pour 1/2 inch of vegetable oil into a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the surface shimmers but the oil is not smoking (if it is, reduce the heat!), fry the tortilla strips in batches -- so you don’t crowd the skillet -- just until they're golden brown, about 3 minutes per batch. Transfer them to the paper towels to drain and sprinkle them very lightly with salt while they’re still hot.
5. Serve bowls of pozole with the tortilla strips and bowls of onion, radish slices, lime wedges, and oregano and let your guests garnish their own servings.
Chile Colorado Sauce
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 quart chicken stock (low-sodium store-bought is fine)
- 2 guajillo chiles (1/2 ounce), stemmed, seeded, and deveined
- 1 ancho chile (1/2 ounce), stemmed, seeded, and deveined
- olive oil, for drizzling
- 8 whole garlic cloves, peeled
- 4 plum tomatoes, cored and quartered
- 8 medium fresh tomatillos, husked and washed
- 3 medium Spanish or white onions, quartered
1. Preheat the broiler.
2. Put the onions, tomatillos, tomatoes, and garlic on a baking sheet and drizzle them with olive oil. Put the baking sheet under the broiler and cook without turning until the vegetables start to get charred, about 7 minutes. Remove, set aside, and let cool to room temperature.
3. In a large dry skillet over medium-low heat, toast the guajillos, turning them over halfway through, just until they smell great, about 1 minute. Transfer them to a bowl, cover them with hot water, and let them soak until they’re soft, about 30 minutes. Drain the chiles and discard the soaking water.
4. Combine the vegetables and chiles in a blender with the chicken stock (you’ll have to work in batches) and puree until the mixture is very smooth. Transfer each batch to a bowl as it’s done, and stir the batches together well. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
5. Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week or in the freezer for up to a month.
Recipe courtesy of Simple Food, Big Flavor by Aaron Sanchez/Atria Books, a division of Simon & Schuster, Inc.
