Authentic Mexican Pozole Rojo

Toast the dried guajillo and ancho chiles in a dry skillet over medium-high heat for about 1-2 minutes per side, until fragrant and slightly puffed. Be careful not to burn them. Remove from skillet and set aside.

Place the toasted chiles in a bowl and cover with hot water. Let them soak for about 15-20 minutes, or until softened. Drain and discard the soaking water.

While the chiles are soaking, roast the halved onion and whole garlic cloves on a baking sheet in a 400°F (200°C) oven until softened and slightly charred, about 20 minutes. Alternatively, you can char them directly over a gas flame on the stovetop.

In a blender, combine the softened chiles, roasted onion, roasted garlic, oregano, cumin seeds, pork bone, and chicken broth. Blend until smooth. If needed, add a little more water to achieve a smooth consistency.

Pour the blended chili mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl or pot, pressing with a spatula to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard the solids left in the sieve.

Trim excess fat from the pork shoulder, then cut it into 1-inch cubes. You can also ask your butcher to do this for you.

Add the cubed pork, drained hominy, bay leaves, and the strained chili base to a large pot or Dutch oven. Add enough water to cover everything by about 2 inches.

Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for at least 3 hours, or until the pork is very tender and easily shreds with a fork. Skim off any foam that rises to the surface during cooking.

Remove the bay leaves and pork bone. Season generously with salt and pepper to taste. If you prefer a thicker broth, you can thicken it with a cornstarch slurry or masa slurry.

Ladle the pozole into bowls. Serve hot with shredded cabbage, diced onion, radishes, lime wedges, and warm tortillas on the side.