Pozole Rojo Especial (Bone-In Broth and Chile de Árbol Salsa)

Method

1. Put the pork, ribs and cold water in a large 26 cm pot and bring to the boil over high heat for 15 min, carefully skimming the foam for 5 minutes. Add the onion, whole garlic, bay leaves and salt, turn down to low heat, half-cover and simmer for 1 h 40 min, until the rib meat slips off the bone on its own.

   Add in this stepPork shoulder (5 cm chunks) 400 gPork spare ribs (bone-in) 300 gWater 2 LOnion (for the broth) ½Garlic cloves (for the broth, whole) 5Bay leaves 2Salt 1⅛ tsp

   high heat→low heat

2. Remove the stems and seeds from the dried chilies. Heat a dry pan over medium heat and toast the chilies, pressing them with a spatula for about 10 seconds a side, 1 min in total. Take them out as soon as they smell fragrant and darken slightly. Turn the same pan up to medium-high heat and char the sauce onion and unpeeled garlic for 6 min, turning, until blackened in spots.

   Add in this stepGuajillo chilies (dried) 5Ancho chilies (dried) 1½Onion (for the sauce, thick slices) ½Garlic cloves (for the sauce, unpeeled) 2

   medium heat→medium-high heat

3. Soak the toasted chilies in 2 cups of hot broth for 20 minutes. Peel the garlic and blend everything very smoothly with the charred onion, oregano, cumin, cloves and the soaking liquid, then press it through a sieve with a spatula.

   Add in this stepDried oregano 0.6 tspGround cumin 1 pinchWhole cloves 1

4. Heat the lard in a deep pan over medium-high heat until it just starts to smoke, pour in the chili sauce all at once and let it sizzle for 30 sec (stand back, it spits). Turn down to medium-low heat and cook for 8 min, stirring, until it is as thick as ketchup and a deep brick red.

   Add in this stepLard 1½ tbsp

   medium-high heat→medium-low heat

5. Lift out the pork and ribs, discard the bones and pull the meat into chunky shreds. Skim a little fat off the broth, then add the fried sauce, rinsed hominy and meat and simmer over medium-low heat for 25 min. When the hominy kernels open slightly like flowers, season with salt.

   Add in this stepCanned hominy (drained and rinsed) 350 gSalt 0.4 tsp

   medium-low heat

6. Make the salsa. Stem the chiles de árbol and roll them in a dry pan over low heat for 1 min, just until they darken a shade. Blend smoothly with the garlic, vinegar, salt and 3 to 4 tbsp of water. It is very hot, so add only a few drops at a time.

   Add in this stepSmall dried red chilies (chile de árbol) 6Garlic clove (for the salsa) 1Apple cider vinegar 1½ tbspSalt (for the salsa) 1 pinch

   low heat

7. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with cabbage, radishes, chopped onion, avocado and oregano. Squeeze over lime and serve with tostadas and the árbol salsa.

   Add in this stepCabbage (finely shredded) 80 gRadishes (thinly sliced) 2Onion (for the topping, chopped) ¼Avocado (diced) ½Dried oregano ¼ tspLime 1Tostadas (crisp corn tortillas) 2