New Mexican Posolé made with pork roast, hominy, chile sauce, and a rich chicken broth is a comforting Instant Pot or slow cooker stew.
This spicy, hearty stew is packed with fiber and protein and warms you from the inside out. If you enjoy red chile flavors, try making your own chile sauce for the best results.
Authentic New Mexican cuisine
New Mexican posole, made with dried red chiles, tender pork, and hominy, is a spicy, traditional stew I often crave.
I lived in New Mexico for several years in my late teens and early twenties. Back then I appreciated the landscape and events like the hot air balloons, but it wasn’t until I moved away that my passion for chile and New Mexican food deepened. Over time I began developing recipes inspired by that cuisine and its bold flavors.
New Mexican dried chiles are the key ingredient
Authentic red chile pods are the backbone of this posole. You can often find dried New Mexican chiles at supermarkets in the Hispanic foods section, or buy them from specialty vendors. I make a chile sauce from the rehydrated pods and add just enough to keep the stew mild for kids, with extra sauce available for adults who want more heat.
What is Posolé?
Posole (or pozole) is a traditional Mexican stew made with pork and hominy, flavored with a chile sauce. In New Mexico, posole rojo—red posole—is common and typically uses pork shoulder, red chiles, and plenty of hominy.
This dish is deeply rooted in regional traditions and is commonly served at celebrations, holidays, and community gatherings. Many families enjoy posole on New Year’s Day as a comforting, luck-bringing meal. I like to top mine with avocado, crunchy radishes, and a generous amount of shredded cheese when I want a richer finish.
What is hominy?
Hominy is corn that has been nixtamalized—treated with an alkaline solution—giving it a distinct flavor and texture that stands up well in stews. It’s nutritious and filling, and typically available in 15-ounce cans at most grocery stores. If you find only large cans, those will work too. Hominy adds body and a pleasant chew to posole.
How do you cook Posolé?
You can prepare this posole on the stove, in a slow cooker (crockpot), or in an electric pressure cooker (Instant Pot). Each method yields a slightly different texture and requires different hands-on time.
- Stovetop: Follow the slow cooker instructions but simmer on the stove. This method fills your kitchen with aroma but requires more attention while cooking.
- Slow cooker: Brown bite-sized pieces of pork and the onion, then transfer to a crockpot with broth, hominy, salt, and chile sauce. Cook on low for 6–8 hours for tender, shreddable pork—an ideal set-it-and-forget-it option.
- Instant Pot: Sear the whole roast or browned pieces, add the broth, chile sauce, and salt, then pressure cook. Cooking a whole roast requires a longer pressure time, but results in very tender meat. Cutting the roast into pieces and browning them first shortens the pressure-cook time.
New Mexican Posolé
Ingredients
- 6 dried New Mexican red chile pods stemmed and seeded
- 6 cloves garlic chopped
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 2 pound pork roast shoulder, butt, or loin, trimmed of excess fat
- 30 ounces hominy (2 15-oz cans), drained and rinsed
- 8 cups chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon salt or more to taste
Instructions
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Boil about 2 cups of water. Place 6 stemmed and seeded dried New Mexican red chile pods in a large bowl, cover with boiling water, weigh them down with a plate so they remain submerged, and soak for at least 30 minutes. (Wear gloves when handling chiles.)
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Transfer the softened chiles with 1 1/2 cups of the soaking water and 6 cloves of chopped garlic to a blender. Blend until smooth and set the chile sauce aside.
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For the slow cooker: Cut the 2-pound pork roast into bite-sized pieces. In a large sauté pan, brown the pork and the chopped onion on high heat, turning only once, for about 8 minutes total. Transfer the pork and onion to a slow cooker. Add 8 cups chicken broth, 30 ounces hominy, 1 tablespoon salt, and 1/4–3/4 cup of the chile sauce (start with less if you’re unsure of the heat). Cook on low for 6–8 hours. Shred the pork before serving, if desired.
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For the Instant Pot: Sear the whole roast and the onion for 3–4 minutes per side to develop a crust. Add 8 cups chicken broth, 1/4–3/4 cup chile sauce, and salt. Pressure cook on high for 90 minutes for a whole roast. Quick or natural release both work; remove the meat, shred it, discard excess fat, and return the shredded pork to the pot. Stir in the hominy and heat through. Adjust chile sauce and salt to taste.
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To serve, garnish with chopped cilantro, sliced avocado, diced radishes, shredded cheese, and additional chile sauce for more spice.
Notes
If using the Instant Pot: You can brown the whole roast or cut it into pieces first. If you brown bite-sized pieces, brown them in small batches on one side only to develop a good sear without overcooking. Browning pieces first reduces pressure-cook time (about 20 minutes) compared with cooking a whole roast.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation.