Pozole Rojo

Preparation

This hearty Mexican stew combines a rich, savory pork broth with the depth of guajillo and ancho chile salsa roja, which gives the dish its signature red hue. While traditional pozole often uses an entire pig’s head, this recipe swaps in pork spare ribs and bone-in shoulder chunks for an easy-to-make stew. Extra salsa is served on the side so everyone can adjust the spice to their liking. The dish is even better made a day or two ahead, allowing the flavors to meld. This crowd-pleasing stew can easily be doubled for larger gatherings.

*This recipe originally ran in Mexico on HexClad.mx.

1. Prepare the stock. In a HexClad 8QT/8 L Hybrid Stockpot, add spare ribs, pork shoulder, onion, garlic, bay leaves and water. Season with salt and pepper. Simmer over medium heat for 2 hours until the pork easily shreds, skimming occasionally when foam rises to the surface. Strain, reserving the pieces of pork and discarding bones, onion, garlic and bay leaves. (Makes 3 quarts/3 liters of stock.) Shred the pork and set aside. Refrigerate the stock and pork in separate airtight containers until ready to use, up to 2 days.
2. Make the salsa roja. On a HexClad 12"/30 cm Hybrid Griddle Pan over medium-high heat, lightly toast the chiles until pliable, 1 to 2 minutes. Using scissors, stem the chile and remove the seeds with a small spoon to discard. In a large heatproof bowl, add chiles, onion, garlic and salt and pour boiling water over. Cover with plastic wrap and let chiles soften for 30 minutes. Transfer all ingredients, including liquid, to a blender and blend until smooth. Season with salt if needed, then set aside. (Makes 2 cups/475 milliliters salsa). Refrigerate the salsa roja in airtight containers until ready to use, up to 2 days.
3. Make the pozole. In a HexClad 8QT/7.5 L Hybrid Stockpot, add reserved stock, oregano, bay leaves and hominy and bring to a boil. If using pre-cooked hominy, add 1 quart/1 liter of water and simmer over medium heat until the kernels are soft and completely open, about 1 hour to 1 hour 30 minutes. If using canned hominy, simmer over medium heat for 30 minutes until kernels are tender while retaining their shape. Stir in ½ cup of the salsa roja to the pot with the reserved pork. Return to a simmer, taste and season with salt and add more salsa if desired. 
4. Ladle pozole into bowls and serve with lime wedges, tostadas, cabbage or lettuce, radishes, oregano, avocado and remaining salsa on the side.

NOTE The hominy, or maíz cacahuazintle or maíz pozolero, can be found in Mexican markets pre-cooked in vacuum-sealed bags.