State by Plate: Guerrero and the art of pozole

No authorities successful Mexico has raised pozole to the level of culinary creation rather similar Guerrero. Of course, that’s lone appropriate. Pozole is simply a stew — excluding pozole seco — whose main constituent is maize — nixtamalized maize, to beryllium exact, oregon hominy successful English — and Guerrero is wherever maize was archetypal created, 9,000 years ago. 

Originally domesticated successful the Balsas River Basin successful Guerrero from a taxon of teosinte called parviglumis, maize was a wonderment of the past world. It took implicit 1200 years to dispersed arsenic acold arsenic Panama and 2300 to scope Peru, but maize yet became 1 of the astir consumed foods connected the planet. In its birthplace of Mexico, wherever determination are present astatine slightest 59 varieties, it has ever been assumed that pozole was a earthy improvement from this invention. 

The mountainous, coastal authorities of Guererro has elevated a accepted crockery to caller heights. (Raúl Varela/Unsplash)

The origins of pozole 

However, the origins of pozole are shrouded successful contention and contention. For instance, 1 of the astir commonly shared stories astir pozole is that the Mexica (Aztec) elites ate pozole with quality flesh; essentially, committing cannibalism. This whitethorn oregon whitethorn not beryllium true, but it indispensable beryllium noted that the oft-cited source, Fray Bernardino de Sahagún, ne'er mentions pozole by name. 

In fact, Alberto Peralta de Legarreta, who wrote the publication connected pre-Columbia nutrient successful Mexico (literally: Cultura gastronómica en la Mesoamérica prehispánica), insists that the connection pozole was never utilized once successful immoderate pre-Hispanic text. He besides explains that the Spanish authors who shaped our cognition of this era, similar Sahagún and Fray Diego Durán, didn’t usage it either. They notation dishes of cooked corn, which whitethorn oregon whitethorn not person been pozole. After all, determination are tons of maize dishes successful Mexico.

The commencement of pozole blanco, rojo and verde variations

Pozole blanco, the archetypal pozole, made Guerrero style. (Ix kimiaranda/Wikimedia)

That doesn’t mean pozole didn’t beryllium successful pre-Columbian Mexico. It’s astir surely a staple from large antiquity. But we don’t cognize overmuch astir its origins, lone however it’s made—and adjacent that is controversial. The archetypal cookbook look Peralta could find for pozole is from 1937, a twelvemonth earlier the Mexican president of the time, Lázaro Cárdenas, took power of the lipid manufacture by expropriating wells from overseas owners. 

This period of patriotic fervor was profound for Mexican cuisine, peculiarly with dishes that mimic the colors of the Mexican flag, similar the rojo, blanco and verde variations of pozole. One of them, pozole verde, my favorite, surely originated successful Guerrero, and pozole blanco, the archetypal signifier of the dish, is sometimes credited to the state, too. 

However, the second statement, similar each those dealing with the aboriginal past of pozole, is unprovable. Nevertheless, Guerrero is celebrated for pozole verde and pozole blanco, conscionable arsenic Jalisco and Michoacán are hailed for their pozole rojo, and Colima for pozole seco.

How pozole is made successful Guerrero

Nixtamalization, a Mesoamerican method inactive utilized to this day, involves soaking dried maize successful an alkaline solution, typically made from slaked lime. (Unsplash)

Corn is nixtamalized for pozole via respective methods — typically by boiling it successful an alkaline solution. Afterward, the kernels are near to steep overnight earlier being washed to region the outer shell. Notably, this is the prelude earlier grinding to marque nixtamalized tortillas. However, for those who don’t privation to spell to the accepted effort of making pozole from scratch, nixtamalized maize successful a tin whitethorn beryllium recovered astatine astir immoderate grocery.

The maize utilized arsenic the basal for pozole varies from authorities to state. In Guerrero, they usage the ancho variety; not cacahuazintle, a much generically acceptable type. This is the archetypal of galore ways the authorities distinguishes its pozoles. Pork is the macromolecule of prime successful Guerrero and for pozole verde, for instance, tomatillo is utilized to colour and spirit the sauce, arsenic are herbs similar hoja santa and epazote.

To marque pozole blanco, the pork-and-corn-simmering-broth acquires seasoning via ingredients similar onion, garlic, bay leaf, salt, capsicum and oregano. It’s elemental and delicious, with chilies added arsenic preferred. Of course, depending upon what portion of the authorities of Guerrero 1 resides successful — coast, mountains oregon plateau — immoderate regionally circumstantial ingredients similar eggs, chicharrón and sardines whitethorn beryllium added to some pozole blanco and pozole verde.

In uncommon pozole verde recipes, chickenhearted whitethorn beryllium substituted for pork. This objection is observable nationwide, though pork is easy the astir communal nutrient successful Guerrero and elsewhere. Then determination are the fixings, added afterward— but much connected that taxable later.

Always connected Thursday — the instauration of jueves pozolero 

Pozole connected a Thursday is simply a Guerrero staple. (Freepik)

The signifier of serving pozole each Thursday, which originated successful Guerrero and has present been picked up by restaurants successful galore states successful Mexico, tin beryllium traced backmost to the 19th period in Iguala, wherever section families made it a custom. That’s 1 theory, anyway. Of course, galore theories for however “jueves pozolero” began person been posited. 

An earlier communicative links the commencement of jueves pozolero to a important lawsuit successful Mexican history: namely, the Embrace of Acatempan, an 1821 statement betwixt subject leaders Agustín de Iturbide and Vicente Guerrero successful the municipality of that name, Teloloapan municipality, successful Guerrero — yes, it was named for him — that paved the mode for Mexico’s independency from Spain. After the Thursday rapprochement, the 2 generals declared a feast, with a pig roasted for pozole served successful clay pots. 

Another mentation claims the signifier arose adjacent a famous nightclub Acapulco successful the 1980s — News Disco & Concert Hall oregon Baby’O, possibly — wherever the euphony country was particularly fashionable connected Wednesday nights. Thus, hungover patrons needed their pozole verde oregon blanco to cure the information connected Thursdays and determination was ever a vendor adjacent to assist. 

But who knows? Almost thing astir pozole is known with certainty. There are lone legends and lore, truthful wherefore not clasp them similar Iturbide embraced Guerrero? 

Building the cleanable pozole

Guerrero-style pozole verde acceptable for fixings. (Pabliotecario/Wikimedia)

When I spell to my section favourite for Thursday Guerrero-style pozole verde, which I bash religiously, there’s a process to taking each the fixings location and arranging them successful the bowl. That’s portion of the pleasure. The stew with pork and hominy is packaged successful a ample styrofoam cupful and poured consecutive into the bowl. Then travel the fixings. 

Oregano, bulb and dried chili pulverization are rolled up successful tiny foil balls and added arsenic desired … arsenic are the chicharrón — which I crumble — radish, avocado and lime; squeezed successful the crockery only. 

Lettuce oregon the alternate cabbage is optional, astatine slightest successful my opinion. And, similar each lovers of Guerrero-style pozole, I person developed beardown opinions.

Chris Sands is the Cabo San Lucas section adept for the USA Today question website 10 Best, writer of Fodor’s Los Cabos question guidebook and a contributor to galore websites and publications, including Tasting Table, Marriott Bonvoy Traveler, Forbes Travel Guide, Porthole Cruise, Cabo Living and Mexico News Daily. His specialty is travel-related contented and manner features focused connected food, vino and golf.