Jalisco Style Red Pozole Recipe
Cinco de Mayo is a chance for all peoples of the world to celebrate Mexican culture, cuisine, and cerveza. But for the people of Puebla, it is the day 4,000 Mexican soldiers defeated the well-equipped French army, twice in number and unbeaten in the 50 years prior. Nobody fiestas harder on this day than them, so on the morning of Seis de Mayo (Sixth of May), I'm sure the Capital City of Puebla is filled with the scent of this excellent hangover dish from the neighboring state of Jalisco. Hominy will soak up the alcohol, and the hearty aroma will re-energize your senses, and when paired with the original hangover cure, beer, it will have you back dancing La Cucaracha in no time.

Ingredients

  • 1 ½lb loin or pork leg
  • 1 ½lb pigs head
  • 2 pig legs, cleaned and quartered
-Or-
  • 5lbs pork shoulder, cut into one inch cubes
  • 1 head garlic, peeled
  • 1 white onion, quartered
  • 10 bay leaves
  • 6 Ancho Chiles and/or Red New Mexico Chiles, dried
  • 2 tsp oregano
  • 2 ½lb hominy corn
  • kosher salt
Garnish:
  • 4 limes or lemons, cut into wedges
  • ½ head of lettuce or cabbage, finely shredded
  • 1 white onion, finely chopped
  • 6 radishes, sliced
  • Piquin or chiltepin chile, to taste

Directions

  1. Combine loin/leg, head, and legs, or pork shoulder, and salt in a large pot with enough water to cover.  Simmer over low heat for 1 ½ hours, until soft.  Drain liquid and remove and shred meat.
  2. Put the Garlic, onion, bay leaves, remaining oregano, salt to taste, and water into a large pot and simmer over medium-low heat for 30 minutes.  Set aside.
  3. Remove seeds from dried chiles.  Soak chiles in enough hot water to cover for 15 minutes.  Blend chiles, soaking liquid, and 1 tsp oregano until smooth.  Strain into a pan and simmer over medium heat for 15 minutes.  Remove from heat and set aside.
  4. Add the hominy to the garlic liquid and simmer for 30 minutes, until soft.  Remove onion, garlic, bay leaves.  Add chile puree and meat. Salt to taste.