Pozole

 Ingredients

For the Soup:

- 2 pounds pork shoulder, cut into large chunks

- 1 pound pork ribs (optional)

- 1 large white onion, quartered

- 6 garlic cloves, peeled

- 2 bay leaves

- 1 teaspoon dried oregano

- 1 teaspoon ground cumin

- Salt and pepper to taste

- 8 cups water or chicken broth

- 2 cans (15 ounces each) hominy, drained and rinsed

 For the Red Sauce:

- 4 dried guajillo chiles, stemmed and seeded

- 4 dried ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded

- 2 garlic cloves, peeled

- 1/2 white onion, roughly chopped

- 1 teaspoon dried oregano

- Salt to taste

- 2 cups water

Garnishes:

- Shredded cabbage or lettuce

- Sliced radishes

- Chopped white onion

- Chopped fresh cilantro

- Lime wedges

- Avocado slices

- Tortilla chips or tostadas

Instructions

1. **Prepare the Soup Base:**

   - In a large pot, add the pork shoulder, pork ribs (if using), quartered onion, garlic cloves, bay leaves, oregano, cumin, salt, and pepper.

   - Add 8 cups of water or chicken broth to the pot.

   - Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 2 hours, or until the meat is tender and easily shreds.

2. **Make the Red Sauce:**

   - While the soup is simmering, prepare the red sauce. In a medium saucepan, add the dried guajillo and ancho chiles. Cover them with water and bring to a boil.

   - Reduce the heat and simmer for about 15 minutes, or until the chiles are soft.

   - Drain the chiles and transfer them to a blender. Add the garlic, chopped onion, oregano, and salt. Pour in 2 cups of fresh water and blend until smooth.

3. **Combine the Red Sauce and Soup Base:**

   - Once the meat is tender, remove it from the pot and let it cool slightly. Shred the meat, discarding any bones or excess fat, and return the shredded meat to the pot.

   - Strain the red sauce through a fine-mesh sieve into the soup to remove any solid pieces. Stir well to combine.

   - Add the drained hominy to the pot and simmer for another 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld together.

4. **Serve:**

   - Ladle the pozole into bowls and serve with a variety of garnishes, such as shredded cabbage or lettuce, sliced radishes, chopped onion, cilantro, lime wedges, avocado slices, and tortilla chips or tostadas.

Tips:

- Pozole can be made a day ahead and reheated. It often tastes even better the next day as the flavors have more time to develop.

- For a richer flavor, use homemade chicken broth instead of water.

- Adjust the spice level by adding more or fewer chiles to the red sauce.

Enjoy your homemade Pozole, a comforting and flavorful traditional Mexican dish!