Pozole Rojo Red Hominy Soup

In a large pot or Dutch oven, cover the pork shoulder cubes with water and add half of the roughly chopped onion, 2 garlic cloves, and the bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 45-60 minutes, or until the pork is tender. Skim any foam that rises. Once cooked, remove the pork and shred it using two forks. Reserve 2 cups of the cooking liquid.

While the pork cooks, place the dried guajillo and ancho chiles in a bowl. Cover them with hot water and let them rehydrate for 20-30 minutes, until softened. Drain the chiles, discarding the water.

In a blender, combine the rehydrated chiles, the remaining half of the roughly chopped onion, the remaining 2 garlic cloves, Mexican oregano, and ground cumin. Add 1 cup of the reserved pork cooking liquid or chicken broth. Blend until very smooth, adding more liquid if needed to achieve a pourable sauce consistency. Strain the sauce through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, pressing on the solids to extract all liquid, then discard the solids.

In the same pot used for the pork, add the shredded pork, rinsed hominy, and the strained red chile sauce. Pour in the remaining 5 cups of chicken or pork broth (or more reserved pork cooking liquid). Season generously with salt to taste.

Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and let it simmer for at least 30 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld beautifully. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking. The longer it simmers, the richer the flavor will become.

Ladle the hot pozole into individual bowls. Serve with a variety of garnishes on the side, such as thinly sliced radishes, shredded green cabbage, finely diced white onion, fresh lime wedges, and diced avocado. Offer tostadas for scooping or crumbling into the soup. Enjoy this authentic Mexican delight!