Late in the season, when the lot is cold and the grill takes forever to heat, a hot cup of something is what people line up for. Pozole is a Mexican stew of hominy and meat, and the red version gets its color from dried guajillo and ancho chiles. It's built for a crowd: one big pot feeds a dozen, it needs no grill, and it holds its heat in a towel-lined cooler. Cook it the night before, reheat it to a boil in the morning, and let everyone build their own cup from a row of cold garnishes: shredded cabbage, radish, onion, lime, cilantro and a pinch of oregano.
At the lot: Carry it hot in a towel-lined cooler, or in a slow cooker on a power station where the lot allows power. Check that it reads 140°F or above, then ladle it into cups. Cook ahead: Make it the day before, cool it fast in shallow containers, and reheat it to a boil on game morning. Homegating: Leave the pot on the stove on low and set the garnishes out on the counter.
140°F+
Check it at the lot
165°F
Reheat it to a boil
ON ICE
Garnishes ride cold
12
People
Ingredients
Pork
- 4 lb boneless pork shoulder, cut into 2-inch chunks
- 1 white onion, halved
- 1 head garlic, halved crosswise
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tbsp kosher salt (Diamond Crystal; 2 tsp if Morton)
- About 4 quarts water
Red chile sauce
- 8 dried guajillo chiles
- 3 dried ancho chiles
- ½ white onion, roughly chopped
- 4 garlic cloves
- 1 tbsp dried Mexican oregano
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 2 cups of the hot pork broth
Stew
- 2 cans (about 29 oz each) white hominy, drained and rinsed
- More kosher salt, to taste
Garnishes (carried cold)
- ½ head green cabbage, finely shredded
- 1 bunch radishes, thinly sliced
- 1 white onion, finely chopped
- ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 3 limes, cut into wedges
- 2 tbsp dried Mexican oregano
- Crushed red chile flakes
- Tostadas or tortilla chips
Steps
Cook ahead
- The day before, put the pork, halved onion, garlic, bay leaves and salt in a 10- to 12-quart pot. Add water to cover by 2 inches. Bring it to a boil, skim the foam, then simmer it partly covered until the pork is tender enough to shred with a fork, 2½ to 3 hours.
- While it simmers, stem and seed the chiles. Toast them in a dry skillet over medium heat, 20 to 30 seconds a side, just until they smell toasty; they turn bitter if they scorch. Cover them with hot water and soak 20 minutes, until soft.
- Drain the chiles and blend them with the chopped onion, garlic, oregano, cumin and 2 cups of the pork broth until very smooth. Press it through a fine sieve to catch the skins.
- Lift out the pork and throw out the onion, garlic and bay leaves. Shred the pork with two forks and return it to the pot with the chile sauce and the hominy. Simmer 30 minutes. Taste and add salt.
- Cool it fast: divide it among shallow containers, no more than about 2 inches deep, and get them into the fridge within 2 hours. Cover them once they're cold.
- Prep the garnishes, pack each in its own lidded container and refrigerate at 40°F or below. The tostadas stay dry in their bag.
At home
- On game morning, scrape the hardened fat off the top of the containers. Reheat the pozole on the stove, stirring, until it boils and reads 165°F.
- Fill a cooler with hot water for 10 minutes, then pour it out. Ladle the boiling pozole into a lidded pot that fits inside, lay plastic wrap under the lid so it won't slosh, and wrap the pot in a towel. Set it in the cooler with a second towel on top and close it. Nothing cold goes in it. The garnishes ride in the cold cooler at 40°F or below.
- Where your lot allows power, you can carry it in a slow cooker instead: ladle it in boiling, wrap it in towels for the drive, then plug it into a power station at the lot on Warm or Low. Check the cooker's wattage against what your station can run for the hours you need.
At the lot
- Keep the cooler shut until you serve. Stir and check the middle of the pot: it should read 140°F or above.
- Set out the cups, a ladle and the garnishes in a row. Ladle the pozole into cups and let everyone add their own cabbage, radish, onion, cilantro, oregano, chile flakes and a squeeze of lime. Once it drops below 140°F, eat it within 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F. Garnishes go back in the cooler within 2 hours.
Pack for the lot
What is pozole rojo?
A Mexican stew of hominy and meat in a broth colored and flavored with dried red chiles. There are red, green and white versions, and it's served with fresh garnishes added at the table.
Is pozole made with pork or chicken?
Either. This one is pork shoulder. For chicken, use about 4 lb of bone-in thighs with the skin pulled off and simmer them until they pull apart and read at least 165°F, 40 to 50 minutes, in place of step 1. Then carry on from step 2, pulling the meat off the bones in step 4.
What do you put on top of pozole?
Shredded cabbage or lettuce, sliced radish, chopped onion, cilantro, dried oregano, chile flakes and lime, with tostadas or chips on the side.
What chiles go in pozole rojo?
This version uses guajillo for most of the color and ancho for depth. Add 2 or 3 dried chiles de árbol to the blender if you want more heat.
Can you make pozole ahead of time?
Yes. Make it the day before, cool it fast in shallow containers and refrigerate it; USDA guidance is to use leftovers within 3 to 4 days. Reheat it to 165°F before serving.
How do you keep pozole hot at a tailgate?
Bring it to a boil at home, carry it in a lidded pot wrapped in towels inside a preheated cooler, and check it at the lot: it should read 140°F or above.
More big pots for cold games: big-batch chili, Brunswick stew and Creole gumbo. More from the same kitchen: quesabirria tacos. Something warm to drink: hot apple cider. Carrying it hot? See how to keep food hot at a tailgate. No grill at your lot? See tailgating without a grill, and our cold-weather tailgating guide.
Gear for this cook
