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Pozole blanco
Pork and hominy soup
Jalisco's clear pork and hominy broth, dressed at the table with radish, cabbage, oregano, chilli and lime
Before any chilli goes in, this is what pozole tastes like: the white version eaten across Jalisco and in Guadalajara's pozolerías, especially on Independence night and at family gatherings. It is a pork dish, made with pork shoulder and a pig's trotter that gives the clear broth a silky body, simmered with big, chewy kernels of hominy until everything is tender. All the colour and fire are added at the table, where each person piles on shredded cabbage, radish, onion, crumbled oregano, ground dried chilli and a good squeeze of lime. Tostadas spread with crema are the usual side. Chef's tip: cook the meat a day ahead and chill the broth; the fat sets on top and lifts off in one sheet, leaving the broth beautifully clean.
- Total time
- 205 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
For the pozole
- 2 ⅝ lb boneless pork shouldercut into 5 cm chunks
- 1 pig's trottersplit lengthways by the butcher; or 500 g pork neck bones
- 16 ¾ cups water
- 1 white onionhalved
- 1 head garlichalved across the middle
- 1 tbsp saltplus more to taste
- 2 ¼ lb cooked white hominy (maíz pozolero)drained and rinsed (about two 800 g tins)
To serve
- 0.3 head white cabbagefinely shredded
- 10 radishesthinly sliced
- 1 white onionfinely chopped
- 2 tbsp dried Mexican oregano
- 1 tbsp ground dried chile de árbol or piquínor hot chilli flakes
- 4 limescut into wedges
- 12 tostadas (optional)
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Put 2 ⅝ lb boneless pork shoulder and 1 pig's trotter in a large pot with 16 ¾ cups water and bring slowly to the boil over a medium heat. Skim off all the grey foam that rises in the first 10 minutes.
20 minStep 2: Add 1 white onion, 1 head garlic and 2 bay leaves, turn the heat down to low and simmer with the lid ajar. Keep it at the barest tremble: a hard boil is the most common mistake, and it turns the broth cloudy and greasy instead of clear.
90 minStep 3: Stir in 2 ¼ lb cooked white hominy (maíz pozolero) and simmer on until the pork is fork-tender and pulls apart easily and the kernels are soft and have opened a little at the top, like flowers.
60 minStep 4: Lift out the trotter, onion, garlic and bay leaves. Pick the soft meat off the trotter, discard the bones and return the meat to the pot. Break the shoulder into large bite-size pieces with a spoon.
Step 5: Skim the fat from the surface, then season with 1 tbsp salt, adding more a little at a time; the broth should taste clean, porky and well salted, since the garnishes are unsalted.
5 minStep 6: Set out 0.3 head white cabbage, 10 radishes, 1 white onion, 2 tbsp dried Mexican oregano, 1 tbsp ground dried chile de árbol or piquín, 4 limes and 12 tostadas in small bowls. Ladle the pozole into deep bowls and let everyone finish their own: rub the oregano between your palms over the bowl.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 590 kcal
- Protein
- 48 g
- Carbs
- 38 g
- Fat
- 27 g
- Fibre
- 7 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does pozole blanco take?
- About 205 minutes in total: 25 minutes to prepare and 180 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of white onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
- What can I use instead of garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
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