Ingredients

3 lb. pork shoulder, cut into 2" pieces

Kosher salt 

Freshly ground black pepper

1 large yellow onion, quartered

3 cloves garlic, sliced

1 tsp. whole cloves

1 tsp. cumin seeds

1 bay leaf

4 c. low-sodium chicken broth

2 dried chiles de arbol, stem and seeds removed

2 dried ancho chiles, stem and seeds removed

2 dried guajillo chiles, stem and seeds removed

3 (15-oz.) cans hominy, drained and rinsed 

Thinly sliced radishes, for serving

Thinly sliced green cabbage, for serving

Freshly chopped cilantro, for serving 

Preparation

Step 1Season pork with salt and pepper. In a large pot over medium heat, add pork, onion, garlic, cloves, cumin seeds, bay leaf, and broth. Add enough water to cover pork by 2”. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to a simmer. Let simmer 1 ½ hours, skimming foam off top as necessary.  Step 2Place dried chiles into a medium bowl and pour 2 cups boiling water over. Let soak 30 minutes. Place chiles and about ½ cup of their soaking liquid into a blender. Blend until smooth, adding more water as necessary. Step 3Add chile puree and hominy to pot with pork. Continue to simmer, covered, until pork is very tender, 1 hour and 30 minutes more. Step 4Serve pozole with radishes, cabbage, and cilantro.

This pozole is meant to be a little spicy, but adjust the heat to your liking by adding more or less of the chile puree. We call for 3 different types of dried chiles here to round out the soup’s complexity with each variety’s distinctive characteristics: some are smokier, some have more fire in them, and every type adds a layer of savory fragrance. To make sure you are extracting more flavor and less spice, take the extra time to pull out the membrane and seeds inside each chile before soaking. The toppings are there to counteract the heat and provide a crunch of freshness in each bite. Sweet cabbage and juicy radish will help cool things off a bit, and if you’d like a pop of green, herbs are always a good idea. If you want an even easier, more hands-off version, try our Slow-Cooker Chicken Pozole! Once you’ve made this, leave us a rating and let us know how it went in the comments below!