How to make Pozole Blanco with Pork

Today we’re making pozole blanco with pork!

Whenever there is a reason to celebrate, I can always count on my family to have a giant pot of pozole blanco simmering on the stove in wait. Pozole is a traditional stew made with hominy and pork, with onion and garlic as the base for the broth, topped with shredded cabbage, Mexican oregano, avocado, sea salt, and lime juice. 

Of course, there are different variations of pozole, like pozole rojo (red), pozole verde (green), and pozole seco (dry), which Colima is famously known for. The day after mi mamá made pozole blanco, she would make us pozole seco with the leftovers by heating up a tablespoon or two of lard and frying up the leftover pozole until the broth evaporated and the lightly crisped hominy would be left behind. It is served in a bowl and topped with traditional pozole fixings!

Variations of Pozole

The three main variations of pozole are:

Pozole Blanco: The base for the broth for pozole blanco is onion and garlic, with pork being the traditional protein of choice.

Pozole Rojo: The base for the broth for pozole rojo typically includes chiles like chile guajillo, chile ancho and chile de arbol, which is where it gets its red tinge from. Pork and chicken are the traditional proteins of choice.

Pozole Verde: The base for pozole verde typically includes tomatillos, chiles poblanos, cilantro, and even pepitas, which give it it’s siganture green color. Pork and Chicken are the traditional proteins of choice.

Although you can use pork or chicken, I personally tend to use pork when making pozole blanco. After making the base for the broth, I like to heat up half a tablespoon of lard and brown the pork chunks for about 5-6 minutes, then flip and brown for another 5-6 minutes. This step isn’t traditional, but the browning the pork helps further enhance the flavor of the broth.

Make sure to check out my pozole rojo recipe here. It is one of my most popular recipes! For pozole verde, make sure to pick up a copy of my first cookbook, Chicano Eats.

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Pozole Blanco

Serves 5-6 people

Cuisine Mexican

Keyword pozole, pozole blanco, pozole estilo colima

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 2 hours hours 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 2 hours hours 50 minutes minutes

Calories 0kcal

Author Esteban Castillo

Ingredients

• For the Pozole
• ½ Medium Yellow Onion, roughly chopped ,sliced
• 8 Garlic Cloves ,peeled
• 1 teaspoon Distilled White Vinegar
• 2 teaspoons Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt , or substitute with 1 teaspoon of fine sea salt
• ½ teaspoon Dried Mexican Oregano
• ½ teaspoon Fresh Thyme Leaves
• 1 ½ teaspoon Lard
• 2 ½ lbs Pork Shoulder , cut into 4-inch (10 cm) cubes
• 2 (29 ounce/822 g) Cans White Hominy , undrained
• Garnish
• Sea Salt
• Shredded Cabbage
• Sliced Avocado
• Limes
• Salsa Roja

Instructions

• In a blender, combine the onion, garlic, 2 cups (475 ml) water, vinegar, salt, oregano, and thyme and blend until smooth.
• In a 6-quart (6 liter) Dutch oven, melt the lard over medium heat. Add the pork and sear for 6 minutes on one side, then flip and sear for another 6 minutes.
• Pour in the blended mixture and use a silicone spatula to give it a stir and to loosen up any chunks of pork that might have stuck to the bottom.
• Add 4 cups (1 liter) water and the hominy and its liquid. Give it one last stir and bring to a boil, then cover, reduce the heat to low, and cook the pozole until the pork shreds easily, 2 hours to 2 hours 30 minutes. Adjust the salt to taste.
• To serve: Ladle the pozole into bowls and top with your favorite fixings like cabbage, radishes, and salsa roja. Add a sprinkle of sea salt and Mexican oregano and finish with a squeeze of lime.