Slow Cooker Pozole Rojo Stew

Slow cooker pozole rojo (posole), a traditional Mexican stew, is a classic comfort food recipe made with dried chiles, pork, and hominy.

If you’re a fan of soups that pack a lot of flavor, then my Slow Cooker Pozole Rojo is sure to impress. Pozole is a thick stew that is commonly found in Mexico or the U.S. just north of the border. The soup is normally comprised of slow cooked pork, chiles, and a number of fresh garnishes and toppings including lime, cilantro, onion and dried oregano. You can easily control how spicy it is, so it’s a hit with my whole family! We love serving it with homemade corn tortillas, my easy guacamole and a cold cilantro margarita.

Ingredients

• Dried chiles: Use what you have or what you can find! I’ll usually use a mix of ancho chiles, guajillo chiles, or chile de arbol.
• Canola oil: Used to sear the pork and help the seasonings stick.
• Pork shoulder: Boneless pork shoulder is flavorful and so tender, it practically melts in your mouth.
• Oregano: Dried oregano seasons both the stew and the pork shoulder.
• Chicken broth: Flavorful and a great soup base, I use low sodium broth for my soups.
• Hominy: Made from dried corn that is treated in lime or another similar acid, I like to use canned white hominy. But you an use dried and cook it if that’s what you have!
• Onion: White onion adds mild flavor to the chile paste for the stew.
• Garlic: Pungent, somewhat nutty, and spicy, it also gets added to the chile paste.
• Limes: Bright, acidic, zesty flavor that is necessary to balance out the final dish.

How to Make Slow Cooker Pozole Rojo

The heat of your slow cooker pozole rojo comes from the chiles. If you want it milder, start by removing the stems and seeds from your dried chiles. If you like it spicy, leave them in!

Next I like to toast my chiles for an extra boost of flavor.

Then put your dried chiles in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Set aside and let soak.

While your chiles are soaking, take the pork shoulder and season with oregano, salt, and pepper.

Then add the canola oil to a pan over medium-high heat and sear the pork until all sides are brown and a slight crust has formed.

Then add the pork to your slow cooker, along with the chicken broth.

Add the remaining dried oregano.

And the canned white hominy.

Now that the chiles have softened, you’ll make the chile paste. Add the onion and garlic cloves to a food processor or blender.

Then add some of the liquid the chiles had been softening in.

Then finish with the rehydrated chiles. Season with some salt, then puree until smooth.

Once blended to as smooth as you can get it, use a mesh strainer and a spatula to strain the chile paste to remove any large chunks. Taste and add more salt and pepper as needed.

Add the chile paste to the slow cooker and stir to fully combine. Then cover with a lid and cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4.

Once pozole has finished stewing, add the lime juice before serving. Serve alongside your favorite garnishes like shredded cabbage, sliced radishes, or cilantro. And enjoy your Slow Cooker Pozole Rojo!

Frequently Asked Questions

More Stews

• Green Chile Stew
• Chicken and Chickpea Soup with Bulgur Wheat
• Slow Cooker Irish Beef Stew
• Lamb and Chickpea Stew with Spinach
• Stuffed Pepper Soup with Beef and Rice

Eat It, Like It, Share It!

Did you try this pozole recipe? The next time you make it, snap a picture and share it to your socials! Tag @thelemonbowl and #thelemonbowl so we can admire and share your dish.

Whether it’s a cold day and you’re looking for something to warm you up, or a summer day where you are looking for some flavor, my Slow Cooker Pozole Rojo hits the spot.

Your spoon is waiting.