Are you ready to create a true masterpiece of Mexican comfort food? A soulful, slow-simmered stew so rich, so deeply flavorful, and so satisfying, it will warm you from the inside out and become an instant family tradition? This incredible, from-scratch Posole Rojo is that perfect recipe. We’re talking impossibly tender, fall-apart pork shoulder, swimming with chewy hominy in a luscious, brick-red chile broth that is the very heart and soul of the dish.
This isn’t just a recipe; it’s a guide to a cherished culinary celebration. While making authentic posole from scratch may seem like a project, we’ll break down the entire process into simple, manageable steps. We’ll show you the crucial secrets to a flawless, from-scratch red chile sauce that is the key to its legendary flavor. This is a show-stopping, one-pot meal that is perfect for a cozy weekend, a holiday gathering, or any time you want to create a truly unforgettable feast.
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Recipe Overview: The Ultimate Festive & Traditional Feast
What makes this Posole Rojo so spectacularly delicious is its incredible depth of flavor, all achieved with classic, from-scratch techniques. This recipe is a masterpiece of traditional Mexican cooking. The heart of the dish is a rich and savory braised pork shoulder, which is cooked until fall-apart tender in a luscious, homemade red chile sauce. The sauce is the soul of the posole, made by rehydrating a classic duo of dried chiles—smoky, mild Ancho chiles and fiery Chiles de Arbol. The final, essential component is the hominy, tender corn kernels that have been specially treated, which gives the stew its signature chewy texture.1 The finished stew is then served with a vibrant and essential array of fresh, crunchy toppings.
| Metric | Time / Level |
| Total Time | 5 hours |
| Active Prep Time | 45 minutes |
| Difficulty Level | Easy |
| Servings | 8-10 |
The Mexican Pantry: The Essential Ingredients
This iconic dish uses a handful of high-quality, authentic ingredients to create its signature rich and savory flavor.
- The Red Chile Sauce (The Heart of the Flavor!):
- The Dried Chiles: The secret to a truly deep, complex, and authentic red chile sauce is using whole, dried chiles. This recipe uses a classic combination: Ancho chiles for their deep, smoky, raisin-like sweetness and mild heat, and Chiles de Arbol for their bright, clean, and potent fire. You can find these in the international aisle of most grocery stores or at a Latin market.
- The Pork: The perfect cut for a tender, juicy, and shreddable filling is a boneless pork shoulder (also known as a pork butt).2 Its generous fat and collagen content is the key that ensures the meat will become impossibly tender and will not dry out during the long braise.
- The Hominy: This is a non-negotiable, signature ingredient!3 Hominy is corn that has been treated in an alkaline solution in a process called nixtamalization.4 This process removes the hull and gives the kernels a wonderfully unique, puffy, and chewy texture. Canned hominy is a fantastic and convenient shortcut.
- The Toppings!: The toppings are not optional—they are an essential part of the Posole experience! The cool, crunchy, and fresh toppings provide the perfect, bright contrast to the rich, warm, and savory stew.
The Culinary Masterclass: The Secrets to Authentic Posole
- The From-Scratch Chile Sauce: The number one secret to a truly deep, complex, and restaurant-quality posole is to make your own chile sauce from whole, dried chiles. By rehydrating the chiles in hot water and then blending them into a smooth sauce, you are creating a much more vibrant and nuanced flavor than you could ever get from a simple chili powder.
- The “Low and Slow” Braise: The real magic of this dish is patience. The long, slow simmer (at least 3-4 hours) is the non-negotiable secret that breaks down all the tough connective tissues in the pork shoulder, transforming it into a luscious, fork-tender, and incredibly flavorful meat that melts in your mouth.
Step-by-Step to the Best Red Chile Pork Posole
This rewarding culinary project is a joy to prepare.
Phase 1: The Authentic Red Chile Sauce
Step 1: First, break the stems off your dried chiles de arbol and ancho chiles and shake out as many of the seeds as you can. Place the chiles in a bowl and cover them with boiling water. Use a plate to weigh them down and keep them submerged, and let them soak for about 30 minutes, until they are very soft.
Step 2: Transfer the softened chiles and 1 1/2 cups of their soaking liquid to a blender. Add your 2 smashed garlic cloves and 1/2 teaspoon of salt and blend until the mixture is completely smooth.
Step 3: Strain this sauce through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, using a rubber spatula to push all the liquid through. Discard any of the solids left in the sieve.
Phase 2: The Sear and the Slow Braise
Step 1: In a large Dutch oven or a heavy pot over a medium heat, heat your 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil. Add the 1 large chopped white onion and cook for about 5 minutes, until it has softened. Add your 4 cloves of finely chopped garlic and cook for 2 more minutes.
Step 2: Increase the heat to medium-high. Push your onion and garlic to one side of the pot. Rub your 2 pounds of pork shoulder all over with the 2 teaspoons of cumin and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Add the pork to the other side of the pot and sear it, turning, for about 5 minutes, until it is lightly browned on all sides.
Step 3: Stir in 2 cups of water, the 8 cups of chicken broth, the 1 tablespoon of dried oregano, the 1 bay leaf, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and about 1/2 to 3/4 cup of your prepared chile sauce (you can add more or less depending on your taste for heat).
Step 4: Bring this to a low boil, then reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Partially cover the pot and let the pork cook for about 3 hours, turning it a few times, until it is very tender.
Phase 3: The Final Simmer and Shred
Step 1: Stir in your 3 cans of drained and rinsed hominy and let the posole continue to simmer, uncovered, for about 1 more hour, until the pork is falling apart.
Step 2: Remove the bay leaf. Transfer the pork to a cutting board, roughly chop or shred it, and then return it to the pot.
Step 3: Give the posole a final taste and season with any more salt if needed. If the posole seems too thick, you can add a little more water or broth.
Serve the hot, hearty posole in large bowls with a generous array of your favorite toppings and the remaining chile sauce on the side for those who like it extra spicy.
Best Authentic Posole Rojo (A Hearty Mexican Stew!)
A classic, from-scratch recipe for a rich and flavorful Posole Rojo, a traditional Mexican stew. This comforting dish features tender, slow-braised pork shoulder and hearty white hominy in a deep red broth. The signature flavor comes from a homemade chile sauce, made by rehydrating dried chiles de arbol and ancho chiles, then blending them until smooth. The pork is slow-cooked in this fragrant sauce for hours until it is falling-apart tender. The stew is typically served with a variety of fresh toppings like shredded cabbage, radishes, and avocado.
Ingredients
- For the Chile Sauce:
- 3/4 cup dried chiles de arbol
- 4 or 5 dried ancho chiles
- 2 cloves garlic, smashed
- Kosher salt
- For the Stew:
- 2 pounds boneless pork shoulder, trimmed and cut in half
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 large white onion, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 8 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon dried Mexican oregano
- 1 bay leaf
- 3 (15-ounce) cans white hominy, drained and rinsed
- For Topping:
- Diced avocado
- Shredded cabbage
- Diced onion
- Sliced radishes
- Fresh cilantro
Instructions
- Make the Chile Sauce: Remove the stems and as many seeds as possible from the dried chiles. Place the chiles in a bowl, cover with boiling water, and let them soak for about 30 minutes until soft.
- Transfer the softened chiles and 1 1/2 cups of the soaking liquid to a blender. Add the 2 smashed garlic cloves and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Blend until smooth. Strain the sauce through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, discarding the solids.
- Prepare and Cook the Posole: Rub the pork shoulder all over with the cumin and 1/2 teaspoon of salt.
- Heat the vegetable oil in a Dutch oven or large pot over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook for about 5 minutes, until soft. Add the 4 cloves of chopped garlic and cook for 2 more minutes.
- Increase the heat to medium-high. Push the onion and garlic to one side and add the pork to the other side. Sear the pork on all sides until lightly browned, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in 2 cups of water, the chicken broth, oregano, bay leaf, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and 1/2 to 3/4 cup of the prepared chile sauce. Bring to a low boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer.
- Partially cover the pot and cook for about 3 hours, turning the pork occasionally, until it is tender.
- Stir in the hominy and continue to simmer, uncovered, for about 1 more hour until the pork is falling apart.
- Remove the bay leaf. Transfer the pork to a cutting board, roughly chop or shred it, and return it to the pot. Season with more salt to taste and serve with your favorite toppings and the remaining chile sauce.
Notes
- This is a traditional, slow-cooked stew that is a staple in Mexican cuisine, perfect for a weekend or holiday meal.
- Making the red chile sauce from scratch with dried chiles is the key to the authentic, deep flavor of the posole.
- The long, slow cooking time is crucial for making the tough cut of pork shoulder exceptionally tender and flavorful.
- The amount of chile sauce you add to the stew can be adjusted depending on your preference for heat.
Storage and Make-Ahead Tips
Posole is the ultimate make-ahead meal, as the flavors will actually deepen and be even more delicious on the second day!
- Make-Ahead: You can prepare the entire posole, from start to finish, up to 3 days in advance.
- Storage: Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
- Freezing: Posole freezes beautifully! Let it cool completely, then portion it into freezer-safe containers or bags. It will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1: What is the absolute, number one secret to tender, not tough, pork in my posole?
The secret is the long, slow braise. By simmering the tough pork shoulder for several hours, you are giving all the tough connective tissues and fat plenty of time to break down and render, which is the key that will result in a perfectly tender, melt-in-your-mouth texture.
Q2: Can I make posole ahead of time for a party?
Yes, this is a perfect make-ahead centerpiece! It is one of those magical dishes that actually tastes even better the next day. You can prepare the entire recipe a day or two in advance and simply reheat it gently on the stovetop before your guests arrive.
Q3: Can I make this in a slow cooker or an Instant Pot?
Yes! For a slow cooker, simply follow all the steps to make your sauce and to sear your pork on the stovetop. Then, you can transfer everything to your slow cooker and cook on Low for 8-10 hours. For the Instant Pot, use the “Sauté” function to sear your pork. Then, add all your other ingredients, secure the lid, and pressure cook on High for about 90 minutes.
Q4: Can I use a different kind of meat?
Yes! A classic posole is also fantastic made with chicken.5 You can use about 3-4 pounds of bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs. The cooking time will be significantly shorter, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours total.
Q5: Where can I find dried chiles?
You can find bags of whole, dried Mexican chiles in the international or Hispanic foods aisle of most major grocery stores. You can also find them at any Latin market or easily order them online.