This is a real-deal, authentic pozole rojo, with no shortcuts. That said, I will offer you substitutions and shortcuts if you want to take them. The singular ingredient you can't be without for pozole is corn, and it can't be sweet corn. No hominy or dried field corn? Don't make this recipe.
3 to 4cupsdried corn for pozole, or 2 30-ounce cans hominy
1tablespoonslaked lime if using dried corn
6 quartswater
1/2pig's head, or 3 pounds pork shoulder, cut into chunks
1 or 2pig's feet
4 to 6 dried guajillo chiles
4 to 6 dried ancho chiles
Salt
1tablespoondried oregano, Mexican if possible
TOPPINGS
3 to 6key limes, halved, or 3 regular limes, quartered
1/2cupchopped cilantro
6radishes, sliced thin
1/2headcabbage, sliced thin
1/2cupdiced hot fresh chiles, or have dried hot chiles at the table
1/2cupchopped white onion
2avocados, diced
Tortilla chips
More dried Mexican oregano, to taste
Instructions
PREP THE CORN
Cover the corn with 6 cups of water, add the slaked lime and bring to a boil. Simmer for 20 minutes, and see if you can bite a kernel in half. If not, keep simmering until you can. When the corn is ready, turn off the heat, stir the pot, cover it and leave it to rest overnight.
The next morning, drain and rinse the corn under cold water, rubbing the kernels with your hands to remove the slimy seed coat. This should take about 5 to 10 minutes.
Optional Step:Use a paring knife or your fingernails to nip off the dark bit of each kernel where it attached to the cob.
COOK THE SOUP
Cover the corn with the 6 quarts of water and bring to a simmer. Let this simmer for 1 hour. Add the pig's head or other pork bits and bring to a full boil. Skim any scum that collects on top of the soup. When you've skimmed it all off, drop the heat to a simmer.
Stem and seed the dried chiles and tear into large pieces. Put in a bowl and ladle some of the soup over the chiles. Cover the bowl and let sit for 30 minutes. Put everything into a blender and puree. Pour all this into the soup, and clean the blender bowl by ladling more broth into it, so you get every bit of chile goodness. Stir in the oregano.
Simmer everything until the pork is falling off the bones. Fish it all out and chop. Regular meat you can dice or chop coarsely, but skin, fat and random bits you'll want to mince. It's your call if you want to keep the eyes. I toss them.
Add salt to taste and simmer until the corn is ready. This process takes quite a while, typically 4 to 6 hours once the pozole hits a simmer.
To serve, ladle some soup into bowls and have everyone put whatever toppings they want on top.
Notes
NOTE:Prep time does not include the overnight rest for the corn.