The Absolute Best Cuts Of Pork For Making Pozole Rojo

Lots of cultures and cuisines have their version of a comfort food soup or stew, and pozole rojo with pork — one of the three types of pozole — is an all-time classic. At its base, pozole rojo is very simple, being made from a chile broth with chunks of tender pork and filling hominy. Yet, when a recipe relies on just a few ingredients, picking the right ones will make all the difference, and that includes securing the right pork for the job. So, to find out what pork cut is best for pozole rojo, Tasting Table consulted Jorge Guzmán, a James Beard Award finalist and chef and partner at Chilango MN and Sueno in Dayton.

"In my opinion, the best cuts are pork butt, feet, shanks, [and] neck," Guzmán advises. Though the chef uses a combination of cuts, he still has his preferences. "I tend to use fattier cuts of pork, usually pork butt or shoulder," Guzmán reveals. "The reason being is that when that fat emulsifies into the broth, it gives it a much richer and flavorful broth." Pork shoulder, which is also called pork butt, is the standard option for pozole rojo because it's affordable and contains a lot of the fat that Guzmán is looking for. Additionally, the long simmering time of cooking in the broth helps make it extra tender.

While pork butt is easy to find, if you have access to a wider variety of pork cuts, Guzmán encourages experimentation. "I tend to also use pig's feet and hocks because of the collagen in those specific parts," the chef notes, "which also lends to an incredibly rich and flavorful broth with incredible mouthfeel." The pork shanks that Guzmán mentioned also contain bones that can accomplish the same thing. With all that flavor and richness coming from the pork, you don't need to add much else. "The only thing I season my pork with is kosher salt," Guzmán says. "I don't use any other seasoning on the pork itself."

However, there are other ways to squeeze more flavor out of those pork cuts and into your pozole recipe. Guzmán notes that the pozole broth gets its flavor from simmering the pork with aromatics, but he takes an extra step first. "I like searing all my pork pieces before adding [them] to the start of my broth process," the chef reveals. "I also like to char my onions and garlic as well, and instead of using a bay leaf, I like to add avocado leaf." You don't want to get too fancy adding all kinds of extra ingredients to make the best pozole rojo, but a little browning goes a long way in adding complexity to ingredients you're already using. With the perfect piece of pork, what else do you need for the best pozole rojo?