Posole Rojo Recipe

Cover the dry hominy with water and soak overnight. Drain and rinse and set aside.

Pat the pork dry and season all over with salt and pepper.

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the pork, in batches if necessary, and cook without moving for 4-5 minutes per side until well-browned.

Cover with 8 cups water and add the quartered onion, garlic, a few shakes more of salt and pepper, paprika, and the oregano. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer for 3 hours.

After the pork has simmered for 3 hours, use tongs to transfer the pork to a large bowl and shred it into large pieces.

Pour the broth through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl and discard all the solids. Reserve the broth.

Return the pot back to the stove.

While the pork is cooking, prepare the chili paste. Heat a dry skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the chiles and cook for 1-3 minutes until blistered and browned all over. Transfer to a plate. Remove the stems and the seeds.

In a saucepan, cover the chiles with 1 cup of water and a sprinkle of salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 15 minutes or until softened.

Transfer the chiles and liquid to a food processor and pulse until a paste forms. Set aside.

Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon neutral oil in the pot over medium high heat. Once hot, add the diced onion and cook for 5 minutes until softened. Pour in the broth and scrape up any browned bits stuck to the bottom.

Add the reserved pork, drained hominy, and the chili paste and stir to incorporate the paste. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer for 45 minutes or until the hominy is tender but still a bit chewy. Taste and season to your preference. Turn off the heat. Note: Stir the posole occasionally and add water as necessary to keep the hominy from sticking.

Ladle the posole into bowls and garnish as desired. Enjoy!