What is the correct way to remove a subview from a view hierarchy and nuke it?

Try this:

UIView *v = [self.containerView viewWithTag:[n integerValue]];
v.hidden = YES;
[self.containerView bringSubviewToFront:v];
[v removeFromSuperview];

Another thing I just noticed from the UIView class document - see the last sentence:

removeFromSuperview Unlinks the receiver from its superview and its window, and removes it from the responder chain.

• (void)removeFromSuperview

Discussion If the receiver’s superview is not nil, this method releases the receiver. If you plan to reuse the view, be sure to retain it before calling this method and be sure to release it as appropriate when you are done with it or after adding it to another view hierarchy.

Never invoke this method while displaying.

UPDATE: It is now 2014 and removing a subview without hiding it works perfectly fine. The original poster's code should work as-is:

UIView *v = [self.containerView viewWithTag:[n integerValue]];
[v removeFromSuperview];

This will remove v and any views it has attached to it as subviews, leaving behind containerView and any siblings of v.

To remove all subviews from your view:

for(UIView *subview in [view subviews]) {
   [subview removeFromSuperview];
}

If you want to remove some specific view only then:

for(UIView *subview in [view subviews]) {
  if([subview isKindOfClass:[UIButton class]]) {
     [subview removeFromSuperview];
 } else {
     // Do nothing - not a UIButton or subclass instance
 }
}

You can also delete sub views by tag value:

for(UIView *subview in [view subviews]) {
    if(subview.tag==/*your subview tag value here*/) {
        [subview removeFromSuperview];

    } else {
        // Do nothing - not a UIButton or subclass instance
    }
}