Ingredients
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Instructions
Measure 14 quarts of water into a huge (30-quart) pot and add the corn (either the rinsed nixtamal or the dried corn) and garlic. Bring to a boil, partially cover the pot and simmer gently over medium-low heat until the corn is thoroughly tender - at a minimum allow about 3 hours for nixtamal, about 5 hours for dried corn. Add water as necessary to keep the water level more or less constant. Slower, longer cooking only means better pozole, as evidenced by the fact that in many places in Mexico huge pots of the fragrant mixture simmer for wood fires overnight before a fiesta.
While the corn is simmering, cook the meat. Place all the meats in another large pot, cover with 8 quarts of water, add 1/4 cup salt and bring to a boil, skim off the grayish foam that rises during the next few minutes, then add half of the chopped onions. (Scoop the remaining onion into a strainer, rinse under cold water, shake off the excess, then place in a serving bowl, cover and refrigerate for serving.) Partially cover the pot and simmer over medium-low heat until all the meat is thoroughly tender, about 3 hours. Remove the meat from the broth and let cool. Or, if time allows, cool the meat in the broth for the best flavor and texture, then remove it.
Skim the fat from the broth; you'll have about 4 quarts broth. Add it to the corn, along with 2 tablespoons salt, partially cover and continue simmering until the corn is completely tender and you're ready to serve.
Pull off the meat from the pork shanks and pull the shoulder meat into large shreds. Collect in a large roasting pan. Cut the bones and knuckles out of the trotters. Discard the bones and knuckles, then chop what remains into 1/2-inch pieces. Add the shredded meat (there will be about 12 cups meat in all). Cover and refrigerate if not serving within an hour.
When you're ready to serve, heat the meat in a 350 degree oven until just warm through (no need for the meat to get really hot), about 20 minutes. Taste the pozole and season with additional salt if you think necessary. Set out bowls of the condiments for your guests to add to their steaming, fragrant bowlfuls al gusto: the reserved onion, the ground chile, lime wedges, sliced cabbage or lettuce, sliced radishes and oregano.
Ladle portions of the pozole into large soup bowls, letting your guests add the condiments to suit their own tastes. Before sprinkling it over the bowl, each guest should powder the whole-leaf oregano by rubbing it between his or her palms.
I recently made red chicken pozole for our world cuisine blog. This was the first time I made pozole.
Although I am generally not a big fan of soup, I have to admit pozole is probably going to change my mind about soups ! I will definitely make this one again as the whole family loved it and it was not too spicy for the kids (the chiles I used were on the mild side)
Hi just wondering if you have a recipe for menudo
Hello Lety –
The only version of Menudo that we have is a menudo rojo that we have not published on the website – it is in Rick’s first book, Authentic Mexican!
Where to find pozole? Dried version? Is there a source that ships reliably?
Hi Laura –
For our testing we used dried pozole!
Laura King: Try Rancho Gordo out of California. They have dried hominy as well as wonderful heirloom beans. I have made several purchases from them, and been very happy with what I’ve got!
Wonderful recipe! Definitely agree with longer cooking on lower temperatures, meat is tender and delicious. Provecho!
25-30 servings? Rick! I live alone in Manhattan. My largest dinner party can accomodate 6 people. we’re not all running a restaurant or living in a huge suburban home like you. Please write your recipe for at least a family dinner – not 25-30. I don’t even have freezer room for the remainder. or a 30 quart pot.
Convert the recipe for a party of six. There may be a recipe conversion app or something to help with this on google.
Rick: first GRACIAS — my husband uses your pozole recipe and it has become one of his most requested ‘sopas’. Our family is Filipino & Puerto Rican from the SF-Oakland area. We are now retired in ATL and getting to know our new neighbors with… a BIG pot of Pozole. Rick since this is a heavy stew, can you reccomend what to serve as beverage and postre? thank you
Hi Rosa, The go to beverage for us is always Modelo Negra! 😉
so this is the first year for navidad that I will be making posole, I remember maybe 5 years ago watching your episode of this classic opsole and thought to myself to use dried posole corn ive very excited to be using your recipe !!!
love you and your show always
Victoria Moreno
Is there a typo? 1 cup chile arbol? Shouldn’t that be ancho or even guajillo? Arbol is hot stuff.
It pays to read through the entire recipe several times to get the “gist” of it. I thought the same thing at first (a CUP of ground chile de arbol?”, whoa!), but it’s used as a condiment to go with the soup, not to be added into the soup itself.