Jose Giles's Pozole

Pozole is one of Mexico’s great celebration soups, and this version strips it down to its essentials. Pork loin simmered with garlic and salt until fall-apart tender, shredded, then served in that rich pork broth with plump hominy. Five ingredients. That’s it.

The simplicity is the whole point. The pork does the work, releasing collagen and fat into the water as it simmers, creating a broth with real body. Skimming the fat after cooling cleans it up without losing flavor. What you’re left with is a clear, deeply savory liquid that’s miles better than anything from a carton.

The shredded pork gets warmed separately in the oven with a ladle of broth to keep it moist. This means the meat stays tender and juicy instead of getting waterlogged from sitting in the soup too long.

The hominy simmers in the broth for 20 minutes, just enough time to soak up all that pork and garlic flavor. Use canned hominy but drain off half the liquid first so it doesn’t dilute the broth.

Where this pozole really comes alive is at the table. Set out bowls of shredded cabbage, sliced radishes, diced onion, chopped cilantro, dried oregano, lime wedges, and hot sauce so everyone can build their own bowl.

Chef Tips

• Simmer the pork gently, don’t boil it. High heat toughens the meat. Low and slow gives you tender, shreddable pork.
• Skim the fat after cooling the broth. Warm fat is harder to separate than cold fat.
• Shred the pork by hand, not with a knife. You want irregular, ragged pieces that trap broth.
• Warm the pork in the oven right before serving so it hits the bowl hot.

Variations

• Add dried guajillo or ancho chiles to the broth while the pork simmers for a red pozole (pozole rojo).
• Use chicken thighs instead of pork for a lighter pozole blanco.
• Stir in a spoonful of salsa verde to each bowl at the table for a tangy green pozole twist.