Traditional Mexican Pozole Rojo

Trim any excessively thick fat cap from the pork shoulder and cut the meat into large 5cm pieces, keeping the bone to enrich the broth. Wash your hands, knife, and cutting board thoroughly with hot soapy water after handling the raw pork to prevent cross-contamination.

Place the pork, bone, halved onion, halved garlic head, bay leaves, salt, and water in a large heavy-bottomed pot. Bring to a rapid boil at 100°C/212°F, skimming off any grey foam that rises to the surface.

Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot partially, and simmer gently at 90°C/195°F for 2 hours. The meat is ready when it reaches an internal temperature of at least 93°C/200°F and falls apart effortlessly with a fork.

While the pork simmers, prepare the chiles. Heat a dry skillet over medium heat and toast the stemmed and seeded guajillo and ancho chiles for 1 to 2 minutes, turning frequently until they are fragrant and slightly puffed. Be careful not to burn them, as scorched chiles will turn bitter.

Transfer the toasted chiles to a bowl, cover entirely with boiling water, and let them soak for 20 minutes until fully softened.

Drain the softened chiles and transfer them to a blender. Add the 4 peeled garlic cloves, Mexican oregano, cumin, and 250ml of the warm pork cooking broth from the simmering pot. Blend on high until completely smooth.

Pour the blended chile mixture through a fine mesh strainer into a clean bowl, pressing firmly with a spatula or wooden spoon to extract all the liquid. Discard the tough skins and seeds left behind.

Once the pork is perfectly tender, carefully remove the meat and bone from the broth. Use a slotted spoon to fish out and discard the onion, garlic head, and bay leaves. Using two forks, shred the pork into bite-sized pieces and discard any remaining bones and large pieces of fat.

Return the shredded pork to the pot of clear broth. Stir in the strained red chile puree and the thoroughly rinsed and drained hominy.

Bring the stew back to a gentle simmer at 90°C/195°F and cook for an additional 30 to 45 minutes to allow the flavors to marry and the hominy to absorb the rich, spiced broth. Taste and adjust the salt if necessary.

Ladle the hot pozole into deep bowls. Serve immediately, presenting the sliced radishes, shredded cabbage, diced onion, lime wedges, dried oregano, and crisp corn tostadas on the side so guests can customize their own bowls.