Nana's Mexican Pozole Rojo (Red) Recipe - The Foodie Affair (2024)

FAQs

What's the difference between pozole and posole? ›

There's really no big difference between pozole and posole, except a letter. In Mexico, where the brothy, chile-spiked soup originated, it's often spelled with a "z"; near the border and beyond, it's often spelled with an "s." It just depends where you are, and who taught you to cook it.

The three main types of pozole are blanco (white), verde (green) and rojo (red). Pozole blanco—"white pozole"—is the preparation without any additional green or red sauce.

The big difference between these two soups is the meat that they use. While pork and chicken are commonly used to make pozole, menudo uses tripe, which is the stomach lining of the cow with a chewy texture very similar to that of sautéed calamari.

The indigenous ancestors used human flesh in the stew. Aztec priests would make human sacrifices to their gods, offering up the heart and using the rest of the flesh for a ceremonial pozole. After the Spanish conquest, Spanish rulers outlawed cannibalism, and so pork was used in replacement of human flesh in pozole.

Conclusion. As we've seen in this post, pozole can be a healthy and nutritious addition to your diet. It is a good source of protein, fiber, and essential vitamins and minerals.

Posole is hominy, pure and simple. The corn has been treated by soaking it in cal and then rinsed. In the southwest, there is a dried flint corn that has been treated like this and in English, we call it Prepared Hominy and in Mexico it's known as nixtamal. We sell Prepared Hominy. My recipe for Posole Verde is here.

Both soups are also deeply emblematic of their cultures. The roots of pozole pre-date Spanish colonization, and the dish is said to have had ritual significance for the indigenous people of Mexico. Its principal ingredient, corn, was a sacred crop to the Aztecs and Mayans.

Originally, Pozole was made from the human meat of prisoners whose hearts had been ripped out in ritual sacrifice. Thankfully, after the Spanish conquest in the 1500's, cannibalism was banned and the meat in this dish was replaced with pork.

Q1: Is posole or menudo healthier? Posole can be made a bit leaner than menudo thanks to the option of making it with chicken, but both dishes are full of vegetables and different groups of nutrients, so honestly, both soups are pretty healthy overall.

Pozole is a hearty, thick soup made with pork, hominy, garlic and chiles.

Why do Mexicans eat menudo? ›

Menudo is traditionally prepared by the entire family, and often serves as an occasion for social interactions such as after wedding receptions where the families of the newlyweds go to one of their family's houses to enjoy a bowl of menudo before and after the ceremony. It is also believed to be a hangover cure.

Interestingly, historical records suggest that during special ceremonies, the meat used in pozole was not pork or chicken as we know it today, but rather human flesh. After the arrival of the Spanish, who banned cannibalistic practices, pork was substituted, as its taste was said to be similar.

Pozole was mentioned in the 16th century Florentine Codex by Bernardino de Sahagún. Since maize was a sacred plant for the Aztecs and other inhabitants of Mesoamerica, pozole was made to be consumed on special occasions.

The dark history of a delicious dish

The real history of pozole, which originated with the Aztecs and other indigenous tribes in Mesoamerica, is one of sacrifice and celebration. The word comes from the Nahuatl pozolli or posolli; in English, it means a stew of maíz kernels, according to the Nahuatl Dictionary.

In recent years, pozole has become a staple dish in Mexican gastronomy and is often cooked on special occasions such as parties, birthdays, Christmas, and during Independence Day . Nowadays, there are different variations such as red, green, white, and black pozole.

There are three main types of pozole, each named for the color of the soup: verde, rojo and blanco.

Its name derives from the Náhuatl word “ pozolli ,” which means foam and refers to the foam produced when the corn is boiled. Pozole dates back to pre-colonial times. It was served during a celebration for the god Xipe Tótec , a god who was flayed and protected agriculture, fertility, and love.

Pozole is a super easy and amazingly tasty stew made with pork, dried chiles, and hominy. This recipe for the traditional Mexican stew is a pozole rojo and features red chile peppers. To some, this soup is at its best thanks to the garnishes, which provide balance and flavor in addition to decoration.

First off, is it “pozole” or “posole”? Both are pronounced the same and both spellings are acceptable, the “z” being the preferred spelling in Mexico while the “s” is used more commonly in border towns and in some areas here in the States.