Posole is a flavorful New Mexico stew. This posole recipe is spicy and rich; filled with tender pork, hominy and red chiles sauce - my favorite soup! Bonus? It's super easy to make!
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Authentic New Mexico Posole Recipe
This authentic New Mexico Posole recipe is deliciously savory and flavorful. You MUST try this stew! It is truly fabulous and easy enough for anyone to make. The heat isn't overpowering. It's a perfect balance of warmth and flavor!
Pozole is a dish traditionally served on special occasions - Christmas Eve, Saints Day Feasts, New Years's gatherings, weddings or weekends. It's a special comfort food dish that simmers slowly until the pork is tender and delicious!
Ingredients
- pork - you can use pork butt, shoulder or loin.
- red chili sauce - be sure to get red chili sauce, not enchilada sauce. Las Palmas is an excellent brand and readily available in most grocery stores - this is the key ingredient!
- hominy - most markets carry white hominy or yellow hominy, either will work for this recipe!
- cumin, salt, red chile powder, bay leaves and cloves of garlic
- optional garnishes - shredded cabbage, diced white or yellow onions and sliced radishes.
Instructions
- Cut the pork into chunks. Add meat to a large stock pot and add enough water to cover the pork.
- Add bay leaf and garlic.
- Next add the salt and bring to a boil. Cook for 3-4 hours lowering the heat to prevent the water from boiling over.
- Discard the bay leaf. Remove and shred the pork.
- Return the pork to the Dutch Oven.
- Add the red chile sauce.
- Next the chili powder.
- Now add the cumin.
- Finally add the hominy and cook for an additional ½ hour to 40 minutes.
Serve with lime wedges, thinly sliced cabbage, radishes and sour cream.
Authentic New Mexico Posole Recipe
Equipment
- 6 quart Stock Pot
Ingredients
- 5-6 pound pork shoulder cut in large chunks
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 Tablespoon salt
- 1 Tablespoon garlic chopped
- 28 oz. red chile sauce (Las Palmas) NOT Enchilada sauce
- 1 Tablespoon red chile powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 48 ounces canned hominy usually comes in 24 oz cans. Drain the hominy.
- optional garnishes, shredded green cabbage, sliced radishes and diced white or yellow onions
Instructions
- Add meat to a large six quart Dutch oven and fill with water leaving a couple of inches from the top. About 6 cups of water.
- Add bay leaf, salt, and garlic. Bring to a boil and continue to cook for 3-4 hours lowering the heat to prevent the water from boiling over. As the soup cooks add water as it evaporates so the meat continues to be covered.
- When meat is tender remove the bay leaf and discard. Do not discard the water the pork was boiled in.
- When the pork is tender, you can remove the meat and shred with two forks picking out the fat as you go, or just cut the meat into chunks. Place the shredded meat back into the Dutch Oven.
- Next add red chili sauce, chili powder and cumin into the stockpot with the pork and water.
- Add hominy and cook for an additional ½ hour to 40 minutes.
- Taste and add additional salt if needed. The garnishes are optional, but they definitely make the meal! Shredded cabbage, diced onions and radish slices.
Notes
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Nutrition
FAQ's
Actually either works! The word Posole means hominy - so basically this is an authentic Mexican hominy stew!
It is a traditional Mexican Stew. Posole rojo or red posole is made with pork, red chilies and hominy.
If you enjoy wine a Pino gris would be crisp and fresh, if you are a beer kinda person choose an IPA it would pair well with the richness of this stew.
Yes, actually you can! For the pork to get completely tender in this New Mexico Posole Recipe, it will take 12-14 hours.
The garnishes have more than one purpose. They are pretty, but they also cool the heat from the chili. Green cabbage, onions and a spoonful of sour cream will calm intensity of the spices.
Deb's tips
Too spicy for your taste? Dairy will save the day! A big dollop of sour cream will help calm the fire! No sour cream? How about a big glass of milk! Surprisingly, water will make the spice more intense!
- When the meat is tender, you can shred it with two forks or to cut it into small chunks. I prefer to shred the meat because then you can remove any fat in the pork.
- If this is the first time you've made the soup I always remind folks to cook it as directed. You want that pork super tender!
- This stew freezes great! Be sure to ladle out a quart and tuck it in the freezer so on those days you don't want to cook.... you'll have New Mexican Posole waiting for you!
Serving suggestions
- This hearty soup is so robust and rich, I usually keep it pretty simple. Tortilla chips and salsa are classic side. Cornbread would also be delicious!
- A simple green salad would be terrific as well - this Southwest Salad one is truly one of my favorites and I enjoy this salad and often make a meal of it!
- Are you still not sure? 50+ ideas of what to serve with posole here!
If you enjoy this recipe, please be sure to leave a five star rating below! This is one of my favorites stews and I hope you love it as much as we do!
Related recipes
- Instant Pot Chili Recipe
- Best Enchilada Sauce Recipe
- Chicken Enchilada Soup
- Pozole Verde
- Cinco de Mayo Party Food Recipes
Recipe Backstory
Recently I joined a group of bloggers who work hard to cross-promote each other. We get to pick out a recipe on a colleagues blog to share!
Our instructions are simple - The recipe is to be followed as closely as possible. We make and photograph it and share it with our readers and it's called the Freaky Friday Blog Hop!
My assignment was to pick a recipe from TheFoodieAffair.com. I've known Sandra for sometime now and the MINUTE I was assigned her blog, I KNEW what I wanted to make.... Nana's Posole Mexican Soup!
I had first tried New Mexico Posole when we visit friends in Santa Fe a couple of years ago and it is delicious!
Sandra's recipe is spot-on, it's excellent! It's rich and robust - spicy without being over-the-top and so satisfying and filling.
On her blog she explained that she followed her Grandma's notes to get the flavor just right! I am lucky and honored to share this cherished family recipe with you! This stew is slowly simmered all day long and though you'll be tempted to cut short the cook time....don't! The meat must be be super tender!
Pleas visit Sandra's blog. It's filled with so many amazing recipes! What are you hungry for? Authentic flavors like Mexican Meatball Soup, Crab Chowder or Beef Cabbage Soup? Her recipes are easy to follow and the photography is beautiful. Like me, Sandra is a home cook that loves delicious food. She has an emphasis on low carb recipes. Yummy and guilt-free? .... sigh... I'm drooling!
Be sure to visit her blog and check out her amazing recipes!
This post has been updated in September 2020 with new photos and better directions.
Boo says
red chili sauce, not enchilada sauce. Las Palmas is an excellent brand. first-what is red chili sauce, you do not provide a recipe for it and the recipes I see on pinterest are calling red chili sauce, enchilada sauce-very confusing. Second- Las Palmas brand is 40$ and over ! A lost of money for one item essential to recipe. Can you offer a recipe for the red chili sauce (not enchilada sauce) ? Thanks, recipe does look good and I want to make it.
Bowl Me Over says
Red Chili Sauce is a spicy sauce made from a variety of peppers, it a canned sauce and is readily available at our grocery store. If you CAN'T find red chili sauce, or your store doesn't stock it, red enchilada sauce would be the next best thing. And yes, I agree Las Palmas is an excellent brand. I do not offer a recipe for red chili sauce. Perhaps you should use one of the recipes you found on Pinterest. I'm not sure where you're shopping Boo, but Red Chili Sauce is $3.99 for a 28 ounce can here.
bzb says
Making this recipe, as written, right now — very fragrant, just hoping it’s not too hot for my wife! But I’m wondering — do you think this alchemy could be done in an 8-qt IP? Thanks for the recipe…
Bowl Me Over says
I have not used an instant pot for this recipe, so I can't advise you there. I have used a slow cooker and that works just fine - it will take 10 to 12 hours. If it's on the spicy side, you can cool the heat by adding sour cream to your bowl (not the whole pot) or enjoying it with a glass of milk.
Lisa O says
I made this last night! It was delish and so easy! I definitely would feel comfortable making this for company. Thanks for sharing!
Barbara says
Making this for Super Bowl Sunday!! My husband is Mexican and he is very anxious for me to make it. He has always asked me to make it but I thought it was going to be very complicated. This recipe looks so easy so I can’t wait to see how it turns out. I will let you know.
Bowl Me Over says
That's wonderful Barbara, I think you'll really enjoy it! Be sure to serve it with diced onions, cabbage, and radishes. It totally makes the stew!
Tanya says
I can not fine the red Chile sauce anywhere near me. Do you have a recipe for that?
Bowl Me Over says
I don't have a recipe for Red Chile Sauce, but the best substitute is Red Enchilada Sauce. You can use this recipe, or use storebought. If you can find Las Palmas, it's a great brand!
Fish says
Making this now and it smells so good! Currently boiling the pork. Question - it says boil for 3-4 hours however the pork looks cooked already (it's been an hour). Do you boil it longer to cook it some more? Or is it for tenderness? Or is it for the soup flavor itself? Thanks ad can't wait to have it for dinner tonight!
Bowl Me Over says
Yes, keep cooking the pork and it becomes absolutely spoon tender! And you're correct, you're also imparting flavor into the soup. Hang in there! YOu're going to love this meal!
Ron says
Pulled up this recipe for New Mexican style Posole:
I like the ingredients, but to be sure, if you want to recognize True New Mexican cuisine, do NOT use Red Chili (this is the Texas style chili. Use NM Red Chile (e, not an i, and yes there is a SIGNIFICANT difference), which is specifically grown in NM. Stick with Hatch, Lemitar, or Taos versions. Any self-respecting New Mexican would NEVER use Texas chili in place of NM Chile for this recipe. Thank you
TR says
In my area I can only find enchilada sauce. No one has Las Palmas chili sauce. What is the difference between the two?
Bowl Me Over says
There's a small different in flavor TR, less tomato and more chili, the chili is a little more spicy as well. If you can't find it at the grocery store or order it via Amazon, that's the next best thing. Enjoy the stew, this is SO good!
Carla says
I forgot to add that I used my slow cooker for this recipe. Cooked pork on low for 8 hrs, or you could do it on high for 4 hrs. Really good.
Carla says
My husband and I both love this recipe. Be sure to use the recommended red chili as it seems key to the authentic flavor. It really does taste like Mexico. I used all of the garnishes plus made Mexican rice as well. It’s very spicy so be careful if you have digestive issues like I do. Really good.
Leisa says
It appears that the Las Palmas red chile sauce and the Last Palmas enchilada sauce have the exact ingredients and nutritional value, but you say to not use the enchilada sauce for Posole. I have been to multiple Mexican grocery stores in my area and they only carry the Las Palmas enchilada sauce.
Bowl Me Over says
Leisa - I'm sorry, I haven't been able to get to the store to do a taste test, but I hope to this weekend. Thanks for asking. From the labels I see online, the ingredients are the same. I will report back soon. Great question, thank you.
Gaby De Lima says
Awesome recipe. The only thing I would recommend is using dried California chiles or guajillo chiles to make the salsa, which is the key ingredient to make it authentic.
Bowl Me Over says
Dried chiles are a great choice Gaby, I totally agree. What I love about this recipe is no matter where you live chili powder is readily available which makes this recipe easy to make and enjoy. I'm so glad this was a hit with you and yours!
Janette says
Amazing! Followed the recipe! Perfecto!
Bowl Me Over says
Awesome! This one is the BEST - thanks Janette, I appreciate you coming back to comment as well. Thanks for visiting the blog!!
Mary says
Hi, what brand of hominy do you use? I prefer the soft hominy. I was thinking of adding one yellow & one white can of hominy. Also what brand of chili powder do you use? I got El Guapo Chile California Molido. I’m so looking forward to making this. Thank you.
Bowl Me Over says
Hey Mary - I use Teasdale, it's a soft hominy and I usually add white because that's what our local store carries, but you can addd either. The red chili powder I use is from New Mexico. I don't know the actual brand as I pick it up at the farmers market in Santa Fe when we are visiting friends. I think your brand will be terrific! I think it's more about if you like a mild, medium or hot chili. I think you're really going to love this recipe, it's one off the best I've ever had - enjoy!
Carrie says
This recipe is amazing!! Only thing I did different was add diced onion and fresh jalapenos to the meat. I used Herdez red salsa casera as the chili sauce. I will be making this recipe often! Thank you so much! 🙂
Bowl Me Over says
Isn't this amazing? I totally agree Carrie! It is the BEST stew - glad you enjoyed it as well!
Linda says
I'll give this recipe a try. It looks delicious . Thanks for sharing!
Ron Keller says
I hate canned Hominy! Living here in San Antonio and before in Albuquerque I can now and did then go to Mexican Food Stores and get dried posole. Cook overnight and then add to the stew. Continuing with that process, would I add 48 oz of cooked posole?
Bowl Me Over says
Yes! Oh my gosh, that sounds so good right now Ron. Enjoy this yummy Posole!!
Bowl Me Over says
Save the liquid and add as well, you might want more liquid. Just add as needed for the right consistency!
Laura says
I was wanting to make this in a crock pot have you ever done that?
Bowl Me Over says
No, but there's no reason you couldn't. It will take all day, I would say 10-12 hours. I'd add the initial ingredients - water, pork etc. and when you have about three hours left then add the hominy, sauce etc.
Megan says
How big of a stock pot do you use? Is 5qt big enough or would 7.5qt be better? Or even bigger than that? Thanks!
I’ve made this a couple of times in the past and it was AMAZING! But it’s been a long time and I don’t have the stock pot I used to use, so I don’t remember how big it was
Bowl Me Over says
Megan I'd use the bigger one to be safe. It's always easier than starting small and having to transfer! Enjoy the Posole, it's one of my favorite meals!
Megan says
Thank you so much!
Debbie Garza says
I can’t wait to make mine for Christmas Eve!!!! What do I use for the red sauce I’m not sure what you mean I did buy Chile ancho, will that b ok? And will this pozole be real spicy Please and thank you!
Bowl Me Over says
Debbie, I think you're going to love this! I buy Las Palmas Red Chili sauce (click here for the link) you can get it just about everywhere, Walmart, Target, Safeway, Vons grocery stores. It has just the BEST flavor!
Shannon says
Do you drain the water after the meat is done? Or do you leave it in the Dutch oven?
Bowl Me Over says
No Shannon the water becomes part of the stew. No need to drain it!
Kelly says
Hello, I just came across this recipe and am excited to try it. One question, would I cover this while it us simmering or not? Thank you!
Bowl Me Over says
Hey Kelly - I do not cover the pot while it's cooking. Just keep an eye on it and add water as needed. You've inspired me, I think I'll make this for dinner tonight - It's just delicious!