A celebratory Mexican soup traditionally served at special occasions and holidays. Tender pork shoulder simmers with dried chiles to create a rich, earthy red broth, studded with plump hominy corn. Served with an array of fresh garnishes - shredded cabbage, radishes, oregano, lime - that each diner adds to their liking.
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in a dry skillet over medium heat, pressing them flat with a spatula, until fragrant and pliable, about 1-2 minutes per side. Transfer to a bowl and cover with boiling water. Let soak for 20-30 minutes until very soft.
While chiles soak, place the pork shoulder in a large pot or Dutch oven. Add the quartered onion, bay leaves, 1 teaspoon oregano, salt, pepper, and enough water to cover by 2 inches (about 10-12 cups). Bring to a boil over high heat.
heat to maintain a gentle . Skim any foam that rises to the surface. Cook, partially covered, until the pork is very tender and easily shreds with a fork, about 2 to 2.5 hours.
While the pork , make the chile paste. Drain the soaked chiles, reserving 1 cup of the soaking liquid. Add the chiles to a blender with the garlic, cumin, remaining oregano, and reserved soaking liquid. Blend until very smooth, about 2 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve, pressing to extract all the liquid. Discard solids.
Remove the tender pork from the broth and shred into bite-sized pieces, discarding any bones and excess fat. Strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve and return to the pot. Discard the onion and bay leaves.
Add the chile paste to the broth and stir well. Add the drained hominy and return the shredded pork to the pot. Bring to a and cook for 20 minutes to allow flavors to meld.
Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt if needed. The broth should be rich, earthy, and slightly spicy with a deep red color.
Ladle the pozole into large bowls. Arrange the garnishes on a platter or in small bowls - shredded cabbage, sliced radishes, onion, lime wedges, dried oregano, tostadas, crema, and avocado. Let each person customize their bowl to taste.
