Place meat into a large stockpot or Dutch oven, pour in 4 ¼ quarts of water, bay leaves, 6 garlic cloves, and half an onion. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Then, lower the temperature to medium-low heat and let it simmer for 1 – to 1 ½ hours or until the meat is cooked and tender.

While the meat is cooking, prepare the sauce, clean the hominy, and prep the garnishes.

Pour 3 cups water into a separate pot to boil.Remove stems and seeds from guajillo peppers and chiles de árbol (if using them). Don’t be afraid to cut them in half or in pieces if it is easier. Put them in a deep bowl and add the rest of the garlic cloves and onion.

Pour the 3 cups of boiling water over them, cover and let them rest for at least 30 minutes or until the chiles are soft and completely rehydrated. You can leave them in the water until you are ready to make the salsa.

Transfer the hydrated chiles, garlic, and onion with the water they soaked into a blender or food processor. Add oregano and salt and mix until smooth. Strain and set it aside.

Wash the hominy kernels well and drain them in a colander.

Wash and slice the lettuce and radishes. Chop onions. Cover them and leave them aside.Crush the oregano in a bowl, and prepare a spicy salsa, if you prefer.Wash the limes but don’t slice them until you serve the pozole.

When meat is cooked, remove it from the broth with a slotted spoon, but leave the bones in the pot. Remove the bay leaves and any pieces of onion and garlic you find, but don’t stress too much if you cannot get them all out. Shred the pork.

Add hominy, sauce, shredded pork and the other 2 quarts of water, and stir with a large spoon. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Then, uncover it, lower the temperature to medium-high and simmer for another 20 minutes. Let it rest for 15 minutes before serving.

Top each bowl of pozole with mounds of lettuce, chopped onion, sliced radishes, crushed oregano, and serve with lime wedges and tostadas on the side.