Pozole Jalisco

Pozole Jalisco is the kind of weekend cooking project that pays you back in spoonfuls. You start two days out, soaking whole white corn kernels with a pinch of unslaked lime so the husks slip free and the kernels bloom into those signature flowering hominy petals when they finally hit a hard boil.

The broth pulls double duty: pork shoulder, butt, and neck bones simmer alongside a halved chicken until the meat surrenders, then the reserved liquid keeps topping up the hominy pot during a four-hour simmer. Toasted pepitas, fresh tomatillos, dried red chiles, and green chiles build the green-tinged backbone Jalisco cooks are known for, while a sprig or two of epazote keeps things rooted in tradition.

Chef Tips

• Skim the pork foam aggressively in the first thirty minutes. Cleaner broth means a clearer, prettier finished bowl.
• The hominy is ready when the kernels open like little flowers. If they’re still tight after an hour, give them more time, never more heat.
• Toast pepitas in a dry skillet until they pop and turn one shade darker, then blitz with the tomatillos and chiles for a thicker, nuttier broth.
• Set the table with every garnish in its own bowl: shredded lettuce, sliced radish, minced onion, lime wedges, dried oregano, and toasted tortillas. Half the joy is building your own bowl.

Variations

• Swap the dried red chiles for guajillos and anchos for a deeper, fruitier red pozole.
• Use only pork and skip the chicken for a richer, meatier broth.
• Finish with a drizzle of salsa verde instead of stirring in tomatillos for a brighter, fresher hit.