Pozole Rojo Red Hominy Soup

In a large pot, combine the pork shoulder cubes, half of the onion (roughly chopped), 3 garlic cloves, 1 teaspoon of salt, and bay leaves. Cover with 8 cups of water or broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until the pork is very tender and easily shredded, about 30-40 minutes for small cubes. Remove pork, shred, and set aside. Strain the cooking liquid and reserve.

While the pork cooks, remove stems and seeds from the dried guajillo, ancho, and chile de árbol chiles. Place the chiles in a heatproof bowl and cover with hot water. Let them soak for 15-20 minutes until softened. Drain the chiles, reserving some soaking liquid.

In a blender, combine the rehydrated chiles, the remaining half onion (roughly chopped), 3 garlic cloves, dried Mexican oregano, and ground cumin. Add about 1 cup of the reserved pork cooking liquid or fresh broth. Blend until very smooth. If needed, add a little more liquid to achieve a pourable consistency.

Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in the empty pot over medium heat. Carefully pour the blended chile sauce through a fine-mesh sieve into the pot, pressing on the solids to extract all liquid. Discard the solids. Bring the sauce to a simmer, then add the shredded pork, drained hominy, and 5-6 cups of the reserved pork cooking liquid or fresh broth. Bring to a gentle boil.

Reduce the heat to low, cover, and let the pozole simmer for at least 20 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld beautifully. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed. The hominy should be tender and the broth rich.

Ladle the hot Pozole Rojo into bowls. Serve immediately with a variety of fresh garnishes on the side, such as shredded cabbage, thinly sliced radishes, lime wedges, diced white onion, and chopped cilantro. Tostadas are also a great accompaniment.