Slow Cooker Posole is a hearty Mexican soup that is a meal in itself. Each bowl is brimming with tender shredded pork, hominy, and bold seasonings that will jump right off your spoon!
I wish I was as good at sleeping as I am at cooking. Unfortunately, that isn't the case. When I have a bad night of sleep I know I have a fleeting window of energy to use during the day so I frantically get my work done in the morning before the time-bomb goes off and I morph into a useless pile of poo for the rest of the day. Did I really just type poo?
That is why I love slow cooker meals like this Mexican soup. Posole is a hearty meal in itself and it can easily be thrown together in the crock pot in the morning and then cook all day while I attempt to nap.
Posole, or often written as "pozole", is a traditional Mexican soup meaning "hominy". Much like American chili, there are a wide variety of recipe variations and ingredients used. However, at a minimum, you can expect to find pork and hominy in most recipes.
The best pork to use in Posole is pork shoulder. The tough, fatty cut, is not only dirt cheap, it breaks down into exceptionally tender shreds after a long simmer in the slow cooker. The fat also renders out to create a luxurious broth. If you can't find pork shoulder, often called "Boston Butt", any pork roast will suffice as a substitution.
You can really cook posole in the slow cooker as long as you wish. The only key is making sure you cook it long enough to allow the meat to easily shred. I find 5-6 hours on high is sufficient time for the meat to transform. You can cook this on low as well, but expect to add a few more hours to the cook time.
The toppings for your posole are as important as the soup itself. Though cilantro is listed as a garnish, it's fresh flavor, combined with lime juice, really jumps out of the soup, while the creaminess of the cheddar cheese melds into the broth. Other topping options include chopped onion, avocado, or even shredded cabbage.
This recipe is best for a 6-quart slow cooker. I made it in my 5-quart slow cooker, but it really fills it up! If you don't own a proper slow cooker, I recommend getting a nice simple one. No need for fancy electronics or timers, simply a slow cooker with a high, low, and warm setting will suffice.
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Slow Cooker Posole - Mexican Soup
Ingredients
Posole
- 2 lb pork shoulder
- 5 cups chicken broth
- 28 oz can hominy (drained)
- 28 oz can diced tomatoes (pureed in blender)
- 1 red onion (chopped)
- 1 roma toma (chopped)
- 1 tablespoon oregano
- 1 ½ tablespoon cumin
- 1 tablespoon hot sauce
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- salt and pepper to taste
For serving
- cilantro for garnish
- 8 oz shredded cheddar cheese
- 3 limes (sliced into quarters)
- tortillas for serving
Instructions
- Add all posole ingredients into a 6-quart slow cooker. Heat on high for 6 hours, or until meat is easily shredded with a fork.
- Remove any large chunks of fat in the soup and shred pork (often best to remove the pork from the pot to shred, then add it back in)
- Ladle posole into bowl then top with desired amount of shredded cheese and cilantro. Squeeze juice from one lime wedge into bowl and serve with warm tortillas.
Notes
Nutrition
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Gordon
What type spices did you use
Redsky
My concern was that this would not taste like the pozoles I have tried traveling through Central America. My first batch was outstanding. The spice level is on point. The pork shoulder was excellent. This is true to the pozoles I consider totally authentic.
Misty
I didn't have a slow cooker large enough for this recipe so I used the pressure cooker instead. I put all ingredients except the hominy in and cooked it for an hour. Pulled the pork out to shred it and added in the hominy to the pot while doing so so that it could warm up. This was my second time making it this way and it came out perfectly. My mom says it tastes just how her mom made it so double win!
scott b
Question: cube the pork butt before adding? Or throw the whole hunk in and shred after cooked?
Fox Valley Foodie
I recommend shredding at the end.
Dawn @ Words Of Deliciousness
I love making soup and eating it. This Mexican soup sounds wonderful. I can just about smell it cooking in the slow cooker. Yum! Love your pictures!
Fox Valley Foodie
Thanks so much for your kind words! And yes, it smells amazing!
Raquel Silies
I like a little finely shredded cabbage and chopped onion, maybe some avocado on top. Thanks for a great recipe to add to my soup rotation!
Fox Valley Foodie
Those are great topping options. Avocado, in particular, would rock. I edited my post to include those as suggestions for other readers too!