Crockpot Pork Pozole
Tender pork shoulder and hominy simmer all day in a rich, homemade red chile broth in your slow cooker.
Ingredients
- 3 lbs boneless pork shoulder cut into 3-inch chunks, 1.4 kg
- 1 large yellow onion quartered
- 8 cloves garlic smashed
- 8 cups water 1.9 L
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 2 tsp chicken bouillon powder
- 3 dried New Mexico chiles
- 3 dried ancho chiles
- 2 dried California chiles
- 50 oz canned hominy drained and rinsed, 1.4 kg
- For serving: shredded cabbage sliced radishes, chopped cilantro, lime wedges
Instructions
- Place the pork chunks, quartered onion, smashed garlic, cumin, oregano, bay leaves, salt, pepper, and chicken bouillon in a 6-quart or larger slow cooker. Pour in 8 cups of water.
- Cover and cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 4-5 hours, until the pork is very tender.
- About 1 hour before the pork is done, prepare the chile sauce. Remove the stems and seeds from all the dried chiles. Place them in a medium saucepan with 4 cups of water.
- Bring the water to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 20-30 minutes, until the chiles are very soft.
- Carefully transfer the softened chiles and 1.5 cups (355 ml) of their cooking water to a blender. Blend until completely smooth. Strain the sauce through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, pressing on the solids to extract all the liquid. Discard the solids.
- Remove the pork from the slow cooker and place it on a cutting board. Shred the meat using two forks. The pork must reach an internal temperature of 145°F (63°C). Discard the onion quarters and bay leaves from the slow cooker.
- Return the shredded pork to the slow cooker. Stir in the strained chile sauce and the drained, rinsed hominy.
- Cover and cook on low for the final 60 minutes to allow the flavors to combine.
- Ladle the pozole into bowls. Serve hot with shredded cabbage, sliced radishes, cilantro, and lime wedges on the side for topping.
Notes
Pork Safety: Ensure the pork is cooked to a safe internal temperature of 145°F (63°C), followed by a three-minute rest period. The long, slow cooking time will ensure this is easily achieved.
Chile Heat: This combination of chiles provides a deep, rich flavor with mild heat. For more spice, you can add a couple of dried chiles de árbol to the saucepan.
Straining the Sauce: Don't skip straining the chile sauce. It removes any tough bits of skin and seeds, resulting in a smoother broth.
Make Ahead: The flavor of pozole deepens overnight. It's a great dish to make a day in advance and reheat.