Quick Pork Posole Recipe: Authentic Mexican Hominy Stew

This quick posole is an easy one-pot meal made with pork shoulder, hominy, onion, stock, spices, and all your favorite toppings. It can be prepared in a pressure cooker or slow cooker.

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• 1 1/4 pounds boneless pork shoulder, excess fat trimmed and meat cut into 4-inch (10-cm) chunks
• Coarse sea salt
• 2 tablespoons mild olive oil or vegetable oil
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 medium white onion, chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons chili powder* (see notes)
• 4 cups homemade pork stock, homemade chicken stock, or canned chicken broth
• 2 cups cold water or homemade chicken stock
• One (29-ounce) can hominy, drained and rinsed
• Chopped avocado, for serving
• Cilantro leaves, for serving
• Lime wedges, for serving
• Sliced radishes, for serving (optional)
• Crumbled tortilla chips, for serving (optional)

• Pat the pork dry and season it on all sides with coarse sea salt.
• Pressure cooker method: Heat the oil in a 6‑quart pressure cooker over medium‑high heat. Brown the pork on all sides, about 8 minutes, then transfer to a plate. Sauté the onion, garlic, and chili powder in the cooker until softened, about 4 minutes. Add the stock and the water, stir and scrape up any browned bits, and bring to a simmer. Return the pork to the cooker, secure the lid, bring to high pressure, reduce heat to maintain pressure, and cook until the meat is tender, about 45 minutes. Remove from heat, vent the pressure, and remove the lid.
• Slow cooker method: Season the pork with salt. In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium‑high and brown the pork on all sides, about 8 minutes. Transfer the pork to the slow cooker. In the skillet, sauté the onion, garlic, and chili powder until softened, about 4 minutes. Add the stock and water, bring to a simmer while scraping up browned bits, then pour the mixture over the pork in the slow cooker. Cook on low until the meat is tender, about 8 hours.
• Skim any fat from the surface of the cooking liquid. Remove the pork and chop into bite-size pieces or shred with two forks.
• Return the pork to the cooker with the hominy and heat just until the hominy is warmed through. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Serve the posole garnished with avocado, cilantro, and lime wedges. Add radishes and crumbled tortilla chips if desired.

*About Chili Powder

The label “chili powder” can mean different things to different cooks. Use a standard jarred chili powder, or substitute a ground single chile such as ancho or chipotle to adjust the flavor and heat to your preference. Choose whichever chili powder makes you happiest and best fits your desired spice level for this posole.

Adapted From

One Pot

Nutrition

Kim Graham

After trying many posole recipes, this quick version is now my favorite. The broth was fragrant and the pork was meltingly tender. I served it with avocado, Mexican crema (or sour cream), and crumbled cotija.

Irene Seales

I love many forms of posole, and this quick method satisfies that craving on a weeknight. Using good stock improves the final flavor—if you have pork stock, use it. For a milder bowl, choose ancho and mild chili powder; for more heat, add chipotle. Leftovers improve over the next days.

Joel Jenkins

I adapted the recipe for my slow cooker. It takes a bit of prep to brown and assemble, then the slow cooker does the rest. I prefer small pork chunks rather than shredded meat, and I like to add tomatoes as a garnish or during the final cooking stage. Don’t skip the cilantro and lime—avocado adds a nice creaminess.