Pozole is a soupy and aromatic one-bowl stew from Mexico, usually served to crowds on special occasions and celebrations such as Christmas, weddings, or birthdays. Its main ingredient is nixtamal or hominy - large, dried corn kernels that are pre-cooked in an alkaline solution in order to soften them.
The process, known as nixtamalization, makes the solution foamy or potzolli in Nahuatl, which is how pozole got its name. Other ingredients in the dish include a variety of herbs, spices, and meat such as pork, chicken, or seafood, depending on the region.
VARIATIONS OF Pozole
MOST ICONIC Pozole
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Birria is a traditional, slow-cooked goat (although it can also be made with beef, lamb, mutton, or chicken) stew originating from the Mexican state of Jalisco. Colloquially, birria means mess, used in context to refer to anything of inferior quality, indicating the working-class origins of this humble dish.
The slow-cooking method ensures that the meat is extremely tender. Other ingredients in the stew include roasted chili peppers, garlic, cumin, bay leaves, and thyme. On street stands, known as birrierias, birria is served only in the mornings, since it has a reputation of being a great hangover cure.
MOST ICONIC Birria
View moreFrijoles charros is a simple Mexican dish consisting of beans, onions, tomatoes, chile peppers, and coriander. Meat such as bacon, ham, or salt pork is also used in the dish, but mostly as a flavoring agent. The combination of those ingredients is cooked with liquid in a pot for a long time, until the beans are tender and some liquid still remains in the vessel.
The dish has origins with the Mexican cowboys who needed the nutritive value from inexpensive beans to sustain them for long days of cattle herding. Today, frijoles charros is usually served with rice and corn flour bread on the side.
MOST ICONIC Frijoles charros
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Pozole is a soupy and aromatic Mexican stew that comes in three versions – red, white, and green, symbolizing the colors of the Mexican flag. Although there are many variations, pozole rojo or red pozole is usually made with a combination of pork, hominy, onions, garlic, bay leaves, salt, and a thick and spicy red sauce consisting of onions, garlic, salt, pepper, olive oil, ancho chili peppers, and guajillo chili peppers.
The ingredients are covered with water, simmered until everything is fully cooked, and then mixed with the sauce and simmered for a few more minutes. The stew is served in individual bowls and it's usually garnished with lemon wedges, shredded lettuce, and sliced avocado.
MOST ICONIC Pozole rojo
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Pepita con tasajo is a traditional dish originating from Chiapas. It consists of strips of salt-cured beef which are served in a sauce made from onions, garlic, ground pumpkin seeds, and achiote. The dish is traditionally served to the public for the Great Meal (Comida Grande) on January 20th.
Pozole is a soupy and aromatic Mexican stew that comes in three versions – red, white, and green, symbolizing the colors of the Mexican flag. Although there are many variations, pozole verde or green pozole is usually made with a combination of hominy, chicken or pork (or both), onions, garlic, salt, and a green sauce consisting of poblano and jalapeño peppers, green tomatoes, lettuce, radish or spinach leaves, oregano, cumin, pumpkin seeds, salt, garlic, and onions.
The ingredients are covered with water, simmered until everything is fully cooked, and then mixed with the sauce and simmered for a few more minutes. The stew is served in individual bowls and it's usually garnished with shredded lettuce, diced onions, lemon wedges, and chicharrónes.
MOST ICONIC Pozole verde
View moreAsado de boda is a traditional stew originating from Mexico and it's especially popular in Zacatecas and San Luis Potosí. It consists of pork in red sauce and the list of ingredients usually includes pork loin, ancho chili peppers, garlic, oregano, cumin, cloves, cinnamon, marjoram, bay leaves, cider vinegar, sugar, salt, pepper, onions, chocolate, and grated orange peel.
The stew is simmered until the sauce thickens, and it's then mixed with the chocolate and orange peel. Once done, asado de boda is typically served with Mexican-style rice and warm tortillas. This pork stew is often served at weddings in Northern Mexico.
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Mole de olla is a traditional dish made from a base of dried chile sauce, beef, and vegetables such as corn and Mexican squash. As there are numerous versions of the dish in existence, sometimes potatoes, green beans, and xoconostle can also be added to mole de olla.
The origin of the dish is still unclear, although some historians claim that it was most likely consumed in prehispanic times and originated from central Mexico. Translated to mole in a pot, the dish has little in common with the popular thick mole sauces, since mole de olla is a soup-like stew that isn't as spicy as traditional moles.
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Carne guisada is a simple, traditional beef stew flavored with cumin, jalapeños, and chili powder. It is popular throughout Latin America, especially in Mexico, Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic. The dish is usually simmered over low heat for about two hours until the meat becomes tender.
It is recommended to serve it on flour tortillas, although it can also be paired with rice or potatoes.
Mancha manteles is a unique Mexican stew made with a variety of meat, vegetables, fruits, and chili peppers. The name of the dish means tablecloth stainer, possibly referring to the fact that it is so delicious, so people will consume it fast and stain the tablecloth in the process.
Most recipes for mancha manteles call for tomatoes, pineapple, apples, pears, almonds, onions, pork, turkey, and chorizo. Serve this unusual stew with white rice and warm tortillas for the best experience.
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