This New Mexico Pork Posole Recipe (Pork Pozole Verde) is a must have for your Southwestern collection. Keeping this pork posole recipe simple with flavor, you can pass chopped tomato, onions, cilantro, jalapenos and lime wedges at the table to add an array of fresh flavors to finish.
And if you love the flavors of the Southwest as much as we do, take a look at this recipe for Green Chile Pork Stew. Heart and full of warming spices.
What is Posole ( Pozole )?
Pozole or Posole, which meals “hominy” is a traditional soup or stew from Mexican Cuisine. Hominy, is the backbone of this Mexican soup (pronounced puh-soh-lay). Posole, a savory, hearty, rather soupy stew that is traditionally made with pork and green chiles.
About This Recipe and Why It Works
My first bowl of New Mexico pork pozole dates back to the 1970’s, when upon a visit to Taos, New Mexico, a waiter urged me to try this hearty stew, clueing me in that it was their specialty. I’ve been hooked ever since.
Hearty with hominy and chunks of tender pork, this New Mexico Pozole Recipe, pork pozole verde (as it appeared on the menu) is earthy rich and satisfying comfort food with a flavor that’s pure Southwestern bliss.
The ingredients are kept simple with flavor, allowing the pork to soak up flavor from the green chile peppers and traditional Southwestern seasonings.
Personalize your posole by adding fresh garnishes at the table which adds lively flavors and color.
For all of my posoles, I use frozen or dry posole. But if you don’t have access to these, you can most certainly use canned hominy. The flavor is different, the cook time is shorter, but you’ll still end up with a bowl of New Mexico flavors.
And speaking of New Mexico flavors … what makes this a New Mexico Posole Recipe? We’re using roasted Hatch green chile peppers, and New Mexico Red Chile Powder.
Let’s take a look at this pork posole recipe.
What’s In Posole? About The Ingredients.
- Sweet Onion
- Posole: Use either dried posole (nixtamalimized corn) , or frozen posole.
- Spices: Bay leaves, Mexican oregano, New Mexico Red Chile Powder, cumin and ground cloves.
- Garlic: Roast a head of garlic ahead of time. The caramelized flavor adds a complex layer of flavor to the posole.
- Green Chile Peppers, roasted, tops and seed pods removed, and charred skin removed with your hands. (don’t rinse those roasted peppers, you’re washing some of that smoky flavor down the drain)
- Pork Roast, cut into cubes. Use a pork loin roast rather than a pork shoulder. It’s less fatty and easier to handle.
- Dried Chile Pods: Are readily available on the Mexican aisle of your local grocer. If you can find New Mexico chile pods, all the better.
- Chicken Broth
Ingredient Notes and Swaps
- Posole: Frozen posole is preferred because it doesn’t have to be soaked ahead of time. Simply thaw and add it to the posole. You can use dried posole, found on the Mexican food aisle at the grocery store, but plan ahead to soak the dried posole overnight.
- Hominy: Can I use canned hominy for posole? Yes, Purchase one 25 ounce can of hominy, drained, for this recipe. Do I drain hominy for pozole? Yes. Drain and rinse please.
- Chile Peppers: If you don’t have fresh chile peppers, use 2 4-ounce cans of roasted chopped Hatch Chile peppers found on the Mexican food aisle of your local market. Or roast 3 – 4 large poblano peppers, remove skins and seed pods and chop.
- Roasted Garlic: If you don’t want to take time to roast a head of garlic, simply dice fresh garlic.
- New Mexico Chile Powder: Chimayo chile powder is my preference, or any kind of New Mexico red chile powder. Ancho chile powder is a good choice here. You can also use Red Chile Sauce.
- Pork Roast: If you use a bone in or boneless pork shoulder roast, you’ll need to trim as much excess fat as possible when cutting the roast into chunks. To make things easier, you can purchase a pork loin roast, which has less fat.
- Dried Chile Pods: Dried Guajillo, a dried mirasol pepper, is readily found and very commonly used in Mexican recipes. Dried ancho chile peppers are a good substitute here. Have fun and experiment with dried pasilla, cascabel, or New Mexico dried chile peppers.
- Broth: If you don’t have broth on hand, use water. The seasonings and the pork will add beautiful flavor to the water.
- Ham Hock: When I have one, I have also added a ham hock to the recipe. It adds a bit of smoky flavor. Once the posole is done, remove, shred the meat from the bone and add back into the posole.
How To Make New Mexico Pork Posole, It’s Easy
- Step 1, Brown The Pork: Use a 7 quart Dutch oven to make this a one pot pork posole verde. Heat the pan stovetop over medium high heat. Once the pan is hot, add oil. When the oil is shimmering, add pork pieces. Brown on one side, turn and brown the other side. You’ll need to do this is steps so you don’t over-crowd the pork pieces. Over-crowding the pork will result in the pieces not searing and browning properly. Remove the pieces to a plate and then add the next few batches of cubed pork.
- Step 2: You’re ready to add the ingredients to the Dutch oven. Place all of the browned pork, the hominy, chopped onion, spices and bay leaf.
Pro Tip: Don’t skip searing the meat. This is a crucial step in getting the most flavor out of this meal. Searing creates what is technically called Maillard reaction. Maillard reaction is the process where a crust is created. Simply stated, it’s responsible for the complex flavors and aroma that makes bread taste toasty, and a grilled or seared burger taste charred. It’s a technique that brings science to your cooking skills.
- Step 3: Add the broth and dried chile peppers. Break the tops of the chile peppers off and shake out the seeds. Simply float them on top of the ingredients.
- Step 4: Simmer on stove-top for 2 – 3 hours, or until pork and hominy are tender.
How To Eat and Serve New Mexico Posole
Just grab your favorite soup bowls and add a big scoop of posole. Offer a variety of toppings to pass at the table. You can also include warmed flour or corn tortillas.
Pork Posole Toppings
- Shredded, thin sliced cabbage
- Raw chopped sweet onion
- Sliced radishes
- Chopped avocado
- Salsa
- Fresh chopped tomatoes
- Chopped cilantro
- Lime wedges for squeezing
Common Questions
Pozole with a “z” is the proper spelling in Mexico. While posole with an “s” is a more common spelling north of the border.
Yes. Pork pozole verde can easily be made in a crock-pot. You’ll find the instructions in the recipe card.
Once cooked, store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator. It makes great leftovers and will keep for 3 – 4 days. Reheat in a pan stove-top or in the microwave.
Absolutely yes! It freezes very well. Just store in an air tight container. It will keep in freezer for 2 – 3 months.
Hominy which is canned, is soaked in an alkaline bath and is soft and ready to cook. Dried posole must be soaked overnight and cooked much longer. The texture is chewy and the flavor sweeter.
Tips for Success
- Season the pork well, and on all sides, with salt and freshly ground pepper before searing. Salt draws out moisture and will aid in the browning process, as well as seasoning.
- Don’t crowd the pork when searing. If the piece of meat are too close together, they’ll create moisture which will result in a steaming effect rather than browning.
- Don’t skimp on toppings. The crunch of fresh vegetables is what makes this pork posole a special treat.
Make Ahead and Freezing Instructions
- Make Ahead: You can make this posole recipe up to five days in advance. Keep it in the refrigerator and then reheat stovetop. Its best to wait until the day of serving to prepare the fresh toppings.
- Freezing: Once posole has cooled, place in air-tight freezer friendly containers. I like to use freezer zip-lock style bags. While they’re standing up, you can squeeze the air of them and lay them flat in the freezer to optimize freezer space. Thaw in refrigerator overnight and reheat stove-top.
New Mexico Pork Posole Recipe
I wouldn’t think of celebrating the Fall season without a steamy bowl of this New Mexico posole recipe. And did you know posole is often served Christmas Eve in Mexico? Served with tamales and a Southwestern Salad, it’s a festive meal.
No matter how you serve this posole recipe, naked or with toppings, you’re going to love every bite.
More Mexican Soup Recipes
And if you’re soup lovers like us, don’t miss my Soup Category. You’ll find lots of great recipes, including the most popular on my site for New Mexico Hatch Green Chili.
And if you’re looking to learn more about Colorado and New Mexico Chile Peppers and how to use them, don’t miss my article on Chile vs Chili … Know The Difference.
If you liked this recipe, please leave a star ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the recipe card below and leave a comment. I always appreciate your feedback and hearing how everything went.
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New Mexico Pork Posole Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 pounds pork shoulder Butt roast visible chunks of fat removed, and cut into bite sized pieces. You will end up with about 1 ½ – 2 pounds of pork.
- 6 cloves garlic roasted and chopped, or raw chopped
- Salt and pepper
- 1 onion diced
- 6 cups chicken stock or water
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 ½ Tablespoons Mexican oregano dried
- 1 teaspoon New Mexico Red Chile Powder or Ancho
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 pinch ground cloves
- 2 dried red chile pods Guajillo are easily found
- ½ pound frozen posole Or 30 ounces canned hominy, or two cups dried hominy soaked over night with enough water to cover by 2 inches.
- 2 cups Hatch Green Chile roasted, peeled, coarse chopped. About 8 – 10 peppers.
Instructions
- If using dried posole, soak overnight in enough water to cover by two inches. If using frozen hominy you don't need to soak overnight.
- Cut pork roast into large bite sized chunks. Remove excess fat as you cut.
- Heat a 6 – 7 quart soup pot, or Dutch oven over medium high heat. Once the pot is hot, add the oil. Once the oil is shimmering, add pieces of pork. Don't over-crowd and sear in batches. Searing both sides. As you sear, remove the pork to a plate and continue with remaining pieces of pork.
- Add all of the browned pork back into the soup pot. Add remaining ingredients. Add more water or broth if needed to cover all the ingredients.
- Bring to a boil, turn down heat to a simmer and cover with a lid, leaving lid ajar.
- Cook on low for 2 – 3 hours or until pork and posole are tender. If using canned Hominy, add the drained hominy once the pork is tender. Simmer for another 15 minutes.
- Remove chile pods and bay leaf. If you want to take the time. Place cooked chile pods into a grinder, along with ¼ cup of the broth. Grind to a smooth consistency and return to the soup.
- Ladle the posole into bowls. Pass with the cilantro, onion, jalapeño, chopped tomatoes or even some thin sliced cabbage, and lime wedges at the table. Serve with warm flour tortillas.Ladle the posole into bowls. Pass with the cilantro, onion, jalapeño, chopped tomatoes or even some thin sliced cabbage, and lime wedges at the table. Serve with warm flour tortillas.
Notes
- For this easy pork posole recipe, I’ve used dried hominy. You can use canned drained hominy. Just add the pork mixture and the hominy to the crockpot and let it simmer on low or until flavors are married.
- I’ve used a pork shoulder BUTT for this recipe. A fattier pork roast, which means more flavor.
- You can use a pork loin roast, a less fattier roast to avoid this step. Don’t worry, you’ll still have plenty of delicious pork flavor.
- Season the pork well, and on all sides, with salt and freshly ground pepper before searing. Salt draws out moisture and will aid in the browning process, as well as seasoning.
- Don’t crowd the pork when searing. If the piece of meat are too close together, they’ll create moisture which will result in a steaming effect rather than browning.
- Don’t skimp on toppings. The crunch of fresh vegetables is what makes this pork posole a special treat.
Nutrition
New Mexico Pork Posole (Pork Pozole Verde) … It’s whats for dinner
Why Trust These Recipes? Lea Ann Brown has lived, worked and played in Colorado for 45 years. She has immersed herself in the Colorado Culinary space, is a Culinary School Graduate and publishes her Colorado food Blog, Cooking On The Ranch.
Stefan Devine says
The combination of flavors in this dish is pure perfection. Each bite is a delightful burst of deliciousness!.
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MARY says
FROZEN PASOLE??
Brandon says
I followed the recipe as closely as I could and it was easily the best posole I’ve ever had! This recipe is going in the binder for sure. I used fresh New Mexico medium chili (not Hatch), and a tablespoon of extra hot red. It was fantastic.
Mary Slanker says
It was one of the best meals I’ve ever made. Will definitely be on my monthly meal rotation 🙂 can’t wait to try your other recipes. Please visit us: https://www.texasgrassfedbeef.com/
Greg says
Pure AMBROSIA when made with Hatch, NM green chiles, which I found in a local grocery store here in Palm Springs, CA! I bought two big bags, then grilled, peeled, and froze them. Nice and spicy warm/hot in this recipe.
Chris David says
Classic! Sometimes a like to put some tangy coleslaw on top! mmm… Thanks for posting!!
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John / Kitchen Riffs says
Love this dish — so flavorful. I like making it with Hatch chile peppers that I’ve roasted and frozen. Your version looks terrific — thanks.
Lea Ann Brown says
Hi John! Love that you have a stash of Hatch. 🙂
Kris says
How would you make this with dried hominy?
Kalyan says
Simply beautifully captured shots…lovely!
Lea Ann says
Thanks so much Kalyan.