Mexican · main

Pozole Rojo with Hominy and Pork

Pozole Rojo with Hominy and Pork reads umami 5.7, richness 5.4 and salinity 4.8 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Mexican main, about 2 hr 50 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

• Umami & Savory — 6.2 / 10
• Sweet & Fruity — 1.8 / 10
• Sour & Bright — 5.8 / 10
• Bitter & Earthy — 2.4 / 10
• Rich & Fat — 5.7 / 10
• Aromatic & Spice — 5.0 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Umami 5.7 · Richness 5.4 · Salinity 4.8 · Citrus 4.6 · Allium 4.5 · Sourness 4.0 · Heat 3.3 · Earthy 2.1 · Warm Spice 2.1 · Sweetness 1.7 · Herbaceous 1.4 · Smoke 1.1 · Bitterness 1.1 · Nutty 0.8

What's in it (16)

• boneless pork — 907 g
• salt — 10 g
• vegetable oil — 14 g
• white onion — 110 g
• garlic — 12 g
• bay — 2 g
• low-salt chicken broth — 1893 g
• dried arbol chiles — 20 g
• ancho chiles — 15 g
• garlic — 12 g
• dried leaf oregano — 4 g
• cumin — 5 g
• yellow hominy — 879 g
• green cabbage — 473 g
• radishes — 400 g
• limes — 130 g

Time & effort: about 2 hr 50 min (2 hr 30 min active) · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 54.1 kcal, 5 g protein, 1.6 g fat, 5.2 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (11 steps)

1. Season the pork chunks all over with the salt.
2. Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat and sear the pork in two batches, turning occasionally, until deeply browned on most sides, 8-9 minutes per batch; transfer to a bowl.
3. Return all the pork to the pot with the quartered onion, unpeeled garlic, bay leaves, and broth. Bring to a boil, skim off any foam, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until the pork is fork-tender, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
4. While the pork simmers, toast the guajillo and ancho chiles in a dry skillet over medium heat, pressing flat with a spatula, until fragrant and pliable, about 1 minute per side; watch closely so they don't scorch.
5. Transfer the toasted chiles to a heatproof bowl, cover with 2 cups hot water, and let soak until fully softened, 15-20 minutes.
6. Drain the chiles, reserving 1 cup of the soaking liquid, and transfer them to a blender with the peeled garlic, 1 teaspoon of the oregano, the cumin, and the reserved soaking liquid; blend until completely smooth, about 1 minute.
7. Strain the chile puree through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, pressing firmly on the solids to extract all the liquid; discard the skins left in the sieve.
8. Once the pork is tender, transfer it to a cutting board and shred into bite-sized pieces with two forks. Strain the broth back into the pot, discarding the onion, garlic, and bay leaves.
9. Stir the strained chile puree into the broth, bring to a simmer over medium heat, and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened and no longer tastes raw, about 15 minutes.
10. Return the shredded pork to the pot along with the hominy; simmer over medium heat until heated through and the flavors meld, 15-20 minutes, then season with more salt to taste.
11. Ladle the pozole into bowls and top each with shredded cabbage, sliced radishes, a lime wedge, and a pinch of the remaining oregano. Serve immediately.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

• Pozole Rojo — Mexican
• Pozole Rojo Jalisciense — Mexican · Jalisco
• Pork Green Chile Stew — Tex-Mex · Southwestern
• Grilled Skirt Steak with Garlic Butter — American
• Pork Chile Colorado — Mexican

Keep reading: what umami, richness, salinity mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.