Want a shortcut to make Pozole Rojo? Use your Instant Pot and a couple of other tips to make an authentic Mexican Pozole it in a flash!
What Is Posole?
First of all, it's delicious. So you could stop reading right there and know you should make this recipe. However, I know you probably actually want to know what is in it.
Posole is a pork-based soup that is loaded with meat, vegetables, spices, and lots of hominy to make it a hearty, comfort food.
What Makes This Instant Pot Recipe So Good?
The secret to this Pozole Rojo recipe is the shortcut. What's the short cut you ask me? Well, there's two of them.
One, I wanted to make something without dried guajillo and ancho chiles because they aren't sold in every part of the country.
Two, I wanted to see if I could approximate the taste of a Pork Pozole recipe without creating the sauce with the guajillo/ancho blended sauce, which is one additional step. You know how I love "pour it in a pot and go" type of cooking.
Pozole Ingredients
- Pork Shoulder meat- cut into bite-sized pieces
- Chopped Onion- enhances the flavor of the dish.
- Garlic- 3-4 cloves, but who is counting?
- Canned Hominy (White Pozole)- avoid using dried hominy.
- Red Chile Sauce- I used chipotle chile in adobo.
- Chicken Broth- I used water, but chicken broth is good too. Add more than directed for this to eat more like soup.
- Lime Wedges- add some extra flair for finishing.
- Radishes- add some freshness with a sliced radish topping.
- Shredded Cabbage- Another great topping.
How Does This Differ From A Traditional Red Pozole Recipe?
Traditionally, you'd use dried guajillo chiles, dried chiles de Arbol, and/or dried ancho chilis. You'd heat these in hot water, blend the chilis and the water once the chilis are softened, and that would be your sauce.
I used canned chipotle chilis in adobo sauce to approximate the taste of this in my Pozole recipe.
Be warned, I put in 3 chilis because I wanted it spicy. If you want to go easy on the spice, use only one and see how it tastes to you. You can always add more later.
I also used canned posole in this Instant Pot Pork Posole recipe because I didn't have dried ones. And I used pork shoulder (also called pork butt) because it is a cheap cut of meat that is fatty and can be tough, but very tender when pressure cooked.
In fairness, I do think those shortcuts impact the taste a bit, but not enough to prevent me from making this Pozole Rojo again. A Mexican friend, as well as my husband who ate a lot of Pork Posole in Mexico, felt it was authentic enough, and it is still very tasty!
How To Make Pozole Rojo
1. Place all ingredients except cilantro in your Instant Pot, stir well, and set for 30 minutes at High Pressure.
3. Allow to release pressure naturally, check pork for doneness, check stew for flavor, add chilis or salt as needed, garnish with cilantro and serve.
Is It Spelled Posole or Pozole?
Both. It seems that in Mexico, the preferred spelling is Pozole. However, in other countries, Posole tends to be commonly used as well. My recipe for Pozole Rojo will be so delicious you'll be too busy eating to worry about how it's spelled.
How To Make Pork Pozole In A Slow Cooker
With the help of your slow cooker, this is a totally easy posole recipe. Here's how you do it:
- Cut pork into bite-size pieces.
- Add all ingredients except for cilantro to your slow cooker.
- Cook on high for 4-5 hours or 8 hours on slow.
- Add cilantro to finish.
Tips And Tricks For Making Instant Pot Posole
- If you like your hominy stew to have a little bite, I suggest you put in half the can while cooking so it flavors and thickens a bit, and save the other half to add after cooking. I put all mine in.
- You can also use hominy grits (with liquid) if you'd prefer.
- If you'd prefer to make this pozole with chicken, I suggest you use boneless, skinless chicken thighs and cook for 10 minutes under pressure. At the end of the cooking time, allow the pot to rest undisturbed for 10 minutes, and then release all remaining pressure. Just like that, you will have a fabulous pozole de pollo, or a chicken pozole.
Looking For More Delicious Mexican Food Recipes?
- Low Carb Taco Chile Relleno Casserole- Takes the best of both tacos and Chile Rellenos and molds them into one.
- Mexican Pulled Pork. A traditional pulled pork recipe that adds a Mexican twist.
- Mexican Corn Eloté- Sweet, savory and you'll want to eat up every bit of it.
So if you're looking for an authentic Pozole Rojo taste without all of the effort, this Instant Pot recipe is the recipe for you! Make sure to share this recipe with your friends on Pinterest and Facebook so they can enjoy it as well!
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound (453.59 g) Boneless Pork Shoulder, cut into bite size cubes
- 1 (1) Onion, chopped
- 3-4 cloves (3 cloves) Garlic
- 25 ounces (708.74 g) posole, or hominy grits with liquid
- 1-3 (1) Chipotle Chile in Adobo Sauce, chopped, and with 1-3 teaspoons of the sauce (about half a small can)
- 1 teaspoon (1 teaspoon) Dried Oregano
- 2 teaspoons (2 teaspoons) Ground Cumin
- 2 teaspoons (2 teaspoons) Ancho Chile Powder
- 1 teaspoon (1 teaspoon) Kosher Salt
- 3/4 cup (187.5 g) Water
- 1/4 cup (4 g) Cilantro, chopped
Instructions
- Place all ingredients except cilantro in your Instant Pot, stir well, and set for 30 minutes at High Pressure.
- Allow to release pressure naturally, check pork for doneness, check stew for flavor, add chilis or salt as needed, garnish wth cilantro and serve.
- If you like your hominy to have a little bite, I suggest you put in half the can while cooking so it flavors and thickens a bit, and save the other half to add after cooking. I put all mine in.
- You can also use hominy grits (with liquid) if you'd prefer.
- If you'd prefer to make this with chicken, I suggest you use boneless, skinless chicken thighs and cook for 10 minutes under pressure. At the end of the cooking time, allow the pot to rest undisturbed for 10 minutes, and then release all remaining pressure. Just like that, you will have a fabulous pozole de pollo, or a chicken pozole.
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Nutrition
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First Published April 2017
Ben
I really loved this Pozole recipe! Super tasty, a little too salty so I'd halve the salt next time. I used the whole 7 ounce can of chipotle chiles, doubled the pork, and natural released for 15 minutes after the initial 30 minute pc. Great flavor, would definitely make again!
Gina M
My youngest needed sour cream to tame the heat a bit, but everyone else thought this was wonderful! I did use more pork/hominy because I had a 3 lb shoulder. Thought I might have to add more spices, but it came out beautifully. I’m one that can eat posole on the weekly, so this will definitely be added to the rotation. Thank you, Urvashi!
Shannon
This was delicious! Now, I did make 1 change, but I don't think it effects the flavours that this dish has, so I don't mind rating it despite my change. I used a ground beef and pork mix instead of the pork shoulder...but everything else stayed as written. The ground meat made it into more of a soupy chili. I added half a chopped avocado, some toasted corn tortilla chips, a scoop of salsa, and a sprinkle of cheese. Honestly though, it's pretty tasty without any of that stuff too.
Linda
This was pretty delicious! The pork came out sooooo yummy and tender. I used one chili and the van sauce and now it was a bit too much for the kiddos. I would try this recipe again,although it does have a Telmex taste to it. Nothing like the authentic flavor like my mom and gma, but definitely worth a try for anyone who looking to cut down the posible cooking time. Thanks for the recipe!
Joan Osborne
Made this for our supper tonight and it was delicious.
Ms. Kevin
Hi Urvashi! A cold winter's night was the perfect time to make this recipe. I was a bit skeptical because it seemed too easy and I also wondered if it would be flavorful enough. The first time I make a recipe I follow the instructions exactly and then make changes as needed. Turns out this recipe doesn't need any changes except that next time I will make it with two chilis in adobo instead of one. Thank you for all your work!
URVASHI PITRE
So happy that worked out
Angelica Campos
Delicious!
Olivia
I just made this yesterday, and it is sooo good. I bought the smallest pork shoulder/butt I could find, which was 3.4 poundss. It's a fatty cut, so it was more like 2.5 poundss after trimming. I think that's pretty typical, so I'd suggest doubling the recipe if you don't have plans for the other half of your meat. I added one large can of hominy with the ingredients to cook and then another large can once it was done to vary the texture (great suggestion! The cooked hominy is pretty mushy). I didn't adjust the cooking time, and it came out perfect. However, I was worried about the sodium content of the hominy water, so I rinsed my hominy and added low sodium broth (amount equal to one can of hominy) instead. That was enough liquid for a doubled recipe. I used 3 chipotles and a heaping tablespoon or so of pasilla chile powder (couldn't find our ancho), and mine has a good amount of heat to it.
Next time I make it, I may try skipping the meat prep. Cutting 3.4 poundss of pork shoulder into bite-sized pieces took a long time (40 minutes?). Next time maybe I'll cut it along the seems so I can trim most of the fat (don't want it to end up too greasy). Then I'll shred it once it's done cooking. Since I plan to either freeze the posole or take it to work for lunch, I can always skim the extra fat off the top once it's cooled (maybe not an option if you are preparing it to eat that night for dinner). That would make the recipe much more convenient.
URVASHI PITRE
That's feedback. We may have to increase cooking time if the pieces are bigger but it should still work. How do you like the taste?