Description
This comforting Crock-Pot Posole recipe features tender pork butt slow-cooked with aromatic onions, garlic, and dried chiles to create a richly flavored, hearty Mexican stew. Enhanced with hominy and a vibrant chile puree, this dish is perfect for cozy gatherings, served with fresh garnishes like shredded cabbage, radishes, and lime wedges.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat and Base
- 3–4 lb pork butt, trimmed and cut into chunks
- 1 large onion, diced
- 4–6 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- Water, enough to cover in the slow cooker
Posole Ingredients
- 2 15 oz cans hominy, drained and rinsed
- 12 dried red chile pods (guajillo or New Mexico), stemmed, seeded, and rinsed
- 2 cups water or broth (for blending chiles)
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- Salt, to taste
Optional Garnishes
- Shredded cabbage
- Chopped onions
- Radishes, sliced
- Cilantro
- Lime wedges
- Dried oregano
- Tortilla chips or tostadas
Instructions
- Load Your Base: Place the pork chunks at the bottom of the slow cooker. Warm a splash of oil in a skillet over medium heat and sauté the diced onion, minced garlic, and dried oregano until fragrant, about 5 minutes. Transfer the sautéed mixture over the pork in the slow cooker. Add enough water to fully submerge the ingredients. Set the cooker to Low and cook for 8 to 10 hours to develop deep flavors and tenderize the pork.
- Prepare the Chile Puree: Place the rinsed dried chile pods in a pot, cover with water, and simmer until softened, approximately 10 minutes. Transfer the softened chiles along with about 2 cups of their cooking liquid to a blender and puree until completely smooth. There is no need to strain the puree; this mixture will provide rich flavor and a vibrant red color for the posole.
- Combine Midway: About 5 to 6 hours into the slow cooking process, stir the drained hominy and chile puree into the crock pot. Add garlic powder, onion powder, and salt to taste. Continue cooking on Low until the pork is extremely tender and the broth has developed a rich, stew-like consistency.
- Serve and Garnish: Ladle the hot posole into bowls. Offer a variety of garnishes such as shredded cabbage, chopped onions, sliced radishes, fresh cilantro, lime wedges, dried oregano, and tortilla chips or tostadas. Allow each diner to add their preferred toppings for added freshness and crunch.
Notes
- For extra depth of flavor, use chicken or vegetable broth instead of water when cooking the pork and preparing the chile puree.
- Adjust the number of dried chile pods to control the heat level to your preference.
- Posole can be made a day ahead; flavors deepen when refrigerated overnight.
- Leftover posole freezes well for up to 3 months.
- Use gloves when handling dried chiles to avoid skin irritation.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 to 10 hours
- Category: Soup/Stew
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: Mexican
Keywords: Crock-Pot Posole, Slow Cooker Posole, Pork Posole, Mexican Soup, Hominy Stew, Guajillo Chile Posole
