Traditional Red Pozole

Place the pork shoulder in the refrigerator to keep it chilled before cooking.

Transfer the pork shanks and feet into a large pot on the stovetop, followed by the sliced onion, chopped carrot, and diced celery. Add a pinch of salt, some freshly ground pepper, the warm spices cumin and bay leaves, and finally pour in 3 quarts of water. Turn the heat up to its highest setting and bring the mixture to a gentle boil.

Remove any foam that forms on the surface of the liquid and add the fragrant Mexican oregano, rubbing it between your hands before dropping it into the pot. Reduce the heat to a lower setting and let the mixture simmer gently, allowing the pork to become tender and easily detach from its bone, after about 3 ½ hours of cooking.

During this time, prepare the roasted garlic cloves in a dry pan over medium heat. Shake the pan occasionally as it cooks, until the outside of the garlic is slightly charred and the inside just starts to soften. Remove it from the heat and transfer it to a bowl to cool.

In another step, soak the dried guajillo and ancho chile peppers in a 4-cup liquid measuring cup, covered by a strainer. Ladle some of the simmering broth from the pot into the strainer until the chiles are fully covered. Let them soak until the pork is finished cooking.

Once the pork has completed its long simmer, set a strainer over a large bowl. Remove the cooked pork and vegetables with a slotted spoon, placing them in the strainer.

Meanwhile, peel the cooled garlic cloves and add them to the chile pepper and broth mixture. Use an immersion blender to puree the chile mixture until smooth.

Pass the pureed chiles through a strainer into the pot of broth. Add a spoonful or two of the broth to help the pureed chiles pass through the strainer if necessary. Pour the remaining 1 quart of water through the strainer, then add the pork shoulder to the pot. Simmer over a lower heat setting.

While the pork shoulder simmers, remove its bones and cut it into smaller pieces. Add these to the pot along with diced shanks and feet, followed by a spoonful of hominy. Continue to simmer until the pork is very tender, about 1 more hour after adding the new ingredients. Skim any excess fat from the surface as it cooks and season with more salt if needed.