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Slow Cooker Mexican Pozole Rojo Recipe

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★★★★★

4.7 from 98 reviews

This Slow Cooker Mexican Pozole Rojo is a rich and comforting traditional soup made with tender pork butt, hominy, and a flavorful guajillo chile paste. Perfect for a cozy meal, it simmers slowly to develop deep, vibrant flavors that are complemented by fresh garnishes like radishes, avocado, and cilantro.

Ingredients

Scale

Main Ingredients

  • 4 pounds pork butt
  • 1/2 whole onion
  • 5 whole garlic cloves
  • 4 bay leaves
  • 1 halved tomato
  • 3–4 cups water

Chili Paste

  • 6–8 dried guajillo chilies (stemmed and seeded)
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 tablespoon Mexican oregano
  • 4 cloves garlic, crushed and chopped
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/2–1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
  • Zest and juice of 1 lime
  • Approximately 1/2 cup hominy (from the cooked hominy)
  • 2 cups water (for boiling chilies)

Hominy

  • 2 cans hominy (25 ounces each), rinsed and drained

Garnish

  • Diced radishes
  • Sliced avocado
  • Chopped cilantro
  • Shredded cabbage
  • Queso fresco
  • Lime wedges
  • Sliced jalapenos

Instructions

  1. Slow Cook the Pork Butt: Place the pork butt, halved tomato, 1/2 onion, 5 whole garlic cloves, and 4 bay leaves into the slow cooker. Add 3 to 4 cups of water. Cook on high for 5-6 hours or on medium for 7-8 hours, or alternatively pressure cook on high in an Instant Pot for 1 hour. The pork is done when the bone easily pulls away from the meat.
  2. Prepare and Strain Broth: Remove the cooked pork from the slow cooker and strain the broth, discarding the bay leaves, onion, tomato, and garlic solids. Return the broth to the slow cooker set on high. Skim off any excess fat from the surface.
  3. Add Hominy: Rinse and drain the canned hominy thoroughly. Add the hominy to the hot broth in the slow cooker.
  4. Shred Pork: Shred the cooked pork into bite-sized pieces and return it to the broth.
  5. Make the Chile Paste: Remove stems and seeds from dried guajillo chilies. In a small saucepan, combine chilies, ground cumin, Mexican oregano, crushed garlic, salt, black pepper, optional red pepper flakes, and 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes until chilies are soft.
  6. Blend Chile Mixture: Transfer the chili mixture along with approximately 1/2 cup of cooked hominy into a blender or food processor. Blend until completely smooth.
  7. Strain and Add Paste: Strain the blended chili paste through a fine sieve into the slow cooker with the pork and hominy broth. Stir well to combine. Add additional hot water if the stew is too thick.
  8. Adjust Seasoning and Heat: Taste the pozole and adjust salt and black pepper as needed. Bring the mixture back up to serving temperature on high heat.
  9. Serve with Garnishes: Ladle the pozole into bowls and garnish with diced radishes, sliced avocado, chopped cilantro, shredded cabbage, queso fresco, lime wedges, and sliced jalapenos as desired.

Notes

  • Using a slow cooker maximizes flavor and tenderness, but the recipe can also be done in an Instant Pot for faster preparation.
  • Guajillo chilies give the broth a moderately spicy and smoky flavor; adjust the number of chilies or red pepper flakes to taste for desired heat level.
  • Make sure to rinse canned hominy thoroughly to remove excess salt and canning liquids.
  • If you prefer a thicker soup, reduce the amount of broth or simmer uncovered to concentrate flavors.
  • Garnishes are a traditional and essential part of pozole, adding texture and freshness.

Keywords: Slow Cooker Pozole, Mexican Soup, Pork Pozole, Guajillo Chile Soup, Hominy Soup, Traditional Mexican Stew

Find it online: https://tastybella.com/slow-cooker-mexican-pozole-rojo-recipe/