Slow Cooker Posole Rojo Stew

Red posole (pozole) soup, a traditional Mexican stew, is a classic comfort food recipe made with dried chilis, pork, and hominy.

Posole Rojo - Pork and Hominy Stew in a bowl

What is Posole?

Posle is an thick soup that is commonly found in Mexico or the U.S. SouthWest that contains Hominy. The soup is normally comprised of slow cooked pork, chilis and a number of yummy toppings. Favorite garnishes include fresh lime juice, shredded cabbage, and thinly sliced radishes.

Slow Cooker Rojo Posole - Pork and Hominy Stew Recipe

What is Hominy?

Hominy is the main grain in Posole. Hominy is a product of maize corn kernals that have been soaked in a lime solution to soften the hulls which are then removed. Hominy can be found either in the canned vegtables section of a supermarket or your ethnic section if you have one. Canned Hominy is common but you can make your own by located dry hominy (I recomend Goya as a brand). Dried hominy cooks in a similar fashion to if you’re cooking dried beans.

Authentic Rojo Posole Soup Recipe with Pork and Hominy

What makes Posole red?

The chili paste you make. While it may sound intimidating at first, it is nothing more than red chilis (dried) that are reconstituted in boiling water then pureed with onions, garlic and salt. Easy peasy.

Slow Cooker Pork and Hominy Stew Recipe - Rojo Posole

Adjusting the spice level:

Adjusting the spice level is all in the chilis. Posole doesn’t have to be spicy. If you remove the seeds from the chilis it won’t be. The heat is all in the stems and pith so if you remove the seeds/pitch, it is totally mild!!

If you’re trying to figure out how many chilis to use go by weight of the total amount of chilis. Four onces is my magic number and usually use around 12 to accomplish that. From there you toast them in a dry pan for extra flavor then soak with hot water before pureeing in a blender then straining.

Slow Cooker Red Posole Soup Recipe - Authentic Mexican Pork and Hominy Stew

Your spoon is waiting.

Frequently asked questions:

Does this recipe freeze well?

Yes!

Can I prepare the day before and reheat?

Yes. This dish can be prepared in advance.

Can beef be used instead of pork?

Yes. Beef or chicken can be used instead of pork.

Can this be made on a stovetop?

If you want to cook on a stovetop not much will change. Just simmer the posole on the stovetop and heat on low! Should be ready in an hour or so.

Posole Rojo - Pork and Hominy Stew in a bowl

Slow Cooker Posole Rojo Stew

4.32 stars average
Red posole (pozole) soup, a traditional Mexican stew, is a classic comfort food recipe made with dried chilis, pork and hominy.
PREP: 30 minutes
COOK: 4 hours
TOTAL: 4 hours 30 minutes
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Servings: 8

Ingredients
 

  • 4 ounces dried chilis (combination of ancho,guajillo, chili de arbol or chilis of choice)
  • 2 tablespoons canola oil
  • 2 pounds boneless pork shoulder (cut in large chunks)
  • 1 tablespoon salt (divided)
  • 1 teaspoon pepper
  • 2 tablespoons dried oregano (divided)
  • 8 cups chicken broth (low sodium)
  • 2 15- ounce cans white hominy (drained and rinsed)
  • 1 medium onion (diced)
  • 6 cloves garlic (peeled and halved)
  • 2 limes (juiced)

Instructions
 

  • Remove the stems from each chili shaking out as many seeds as possible and place in a large bowl. Cover chilis with boiling water and top with an upside down plate to keep submerged. Let sit until softened, at least 30 minutes.
  • While chilis are softening, heat a deep pan over high heat and drizzle with canola oil. Sprinkle pork chunks with 2 teaspoons of the salt, pepper and 1 tablespoon of the oregano. Brown pork in a pan until pieces start to form a crust. This should take about 7-8 minutes.
  • Once the pork is seared, remove from pan and place in the slow cooker insert.
  • Add chicken broth, hominy and remaining 1 tablespoon oregano to the slow cooker.
  • To make the red chili paste, place softened chilis and 1 1/2 cups of the soaking liquid into a blender or food processor. Add onion, garlic and remaining 1 teaspoon salt then puree until smooth.
  • Place a fine mesh strainer over a large bowl and pour chili paste over the strainer. Use a spatula to push the chili paste through removing any large pieces. Taste paste for seasoning and add salt or pepper if needed.
  • Pour chili paste into the slow cooker and stir well. Heat on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours.
  • Add lime juice to the posole before serving, being sure to add salt or pepper if necessary. Serve stew in bowls with optional garnishes.

Nutrition

Calories: 275kcalCarbohydrates: 17.4gProtein: 25.9gFat: 11.3gSaturated Fat: 2.8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 8.5gCholesterol: 73mgSodium: 1210mgFiber: 2.8gSugar: 3.4g

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52 thoughts on “Slow Cooker Posole Rojo Stew”

  1. Is their a store bought paste, that would be a short cut? I have never heard of this dish, but looking for something new to make.

  2. This the best pozole I’ve ever had. And so easy to make. This is my husband’s favorite. Even better than the one his mom makes!

    1. This was AMAZING! I screwed up, not really, and added unsoaked hominy into the crock pot. On high for 4 1/2 hours, was super thick and flavorful. This receipt was a show stopper.

  3. How much chili paste would you expect to end up with? I think I ended up with more than 4oz of dried chilis and now I have about a quart of chili paste

  4. Going to make this tomorrow, based on the reviews I am so excited, I was 1st introduced to authentic Mexican food in mt.vernon, wa. Of all places, by a woman from Nuevo de Leon

  5. Can I make the day before and reheat? I somehow ended up with 17 people coming over for Christmas Eve tamales and only have 2 dozen tamales to serve! Thinking this might be a great addition. But my slow cooker will be making taco meat for the kids the night of. Thanks!

  6. I don’t usually comment on recipes, but this one was a must! This recipe is simply amazing!!! I have been searching high and low for an outstanding posole recipe. This one is it! I followed the recipe only altering the amount of pork and hominy. My family LOVES hominy. Oh and I added a couple cans of pinto beans. I know crazy, but it is delicious with them. I made the chili paste the day before for easy prep the next day. This recipe was such a huge hit, my family wants another batch pronto! Thank you for this recipe. I have a happy family with full bellies!

    1. Four ounces by weight so the total number of chilis varies based on how big they are. Usually I use around 12. Basically you toast them in a dry pan for extra flavor then soak with hot water before pureeing in a blender then straining :)

  7. My hubby said this is the best thing I have made all year. And my Guatemalan nanny is asking me for the recipe!!! YES!

  8. made this recipe TWICE this week as it’s now the family’s favorite! I used two kinds of child, guajillo and chile California. Instead of slow cooker because the family couldn’t wait, I did it in a deep pot, brought it to a boil, then covered and lowered it to low. I let it cook for 1 hour until the park was tender.

  9. I have made this in the past and plan to, again, after Thanksgiving! It is an amazing recipe, so full of flavor and texture, I can hardly wait till then. The only thing I altered was cooked it on the stovetop, fantabulous recipe!

  10. You have no idea how excited I am making this today. I am on chemo and pozole tastes amazing to me (most things don’t). I was in Sonora not too long ago and have been DYING for more ever since.

    Thanks!

    1. I tried this recipe tonight, including going the extra mile with the dried chilis, and it was totally worth it. The chili adds an authentic taste, which other crock pot posole recipes lack. I loved all the garnishments too. A keeper! Thanks for sharing.

      1. Thank you so much for your comment Sally – you totally made my day! This was my first time making it from scratch and I was definitely a little nervous. I agree that the small effort really pays off in flavor. Thank you so much!!!

        1. Karen Blasingame

          Are the dried ancho chilies, minus stems and seeds, spicy? My husband and I like a little heat but my kids do not. This looks amazing and I’d like to get the ingredients to make it this weekend. Also, how well does it freeze? Thank you for your input!

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