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Crockpot Mexican Pozole Rojo served on a plate

Crockpot Mexican Pozole Rojo

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Crockpot Mexican Pozole Rojo is a flavorful slow-cooked stew combining tender pork shoulder, chewy hominy, and a rich red chile sauce made by toasting guajillo chiles. The crockpot creates fall-apart meat with deep, layered flavors while you handle other tasks.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 8 hours
Total Time 8 hours 20 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2 to 3 lbs pork shoulder cut into 2-inch chunks, look for visible white fat marbling
  • 2 cans hominy 15 oz each, drained, pre-cooked or canned
  • 6 cups chicken or pork broth low-sodium for salt control
  • 6-8 dried guajillo chiles stems and seeds removed, toasted before soaking
  • 4 cloves garlic fresh cloves for smooth blending
  • 1 teaspoon oregano
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1 medium onion chopped, yellow or white onion
  • 1 lime for serving, squeeze fresh juice before serving

Equipment

  • Cast iron pan To toast dried guajillo chiles
  • Crockpot Slow cooking the stew
  • Heavy pan Searing pork shoulder chunks
  • Blender Blending soaked chiles and spices into sauce

Method
 

  1. Toast dried guajillo chiles in a dry cast iron pan over medium heat for 2-3 minutes per side until fragrant but not blackened. Remove stems and seeds, then soak chiles in hot water for 20 minutes until softened.
    6-8 dried guajillo chiles
  2. Blend the soaked chiles with garlic, oregano, cumin, and 1 cup of the soaking liquid until smooth. Simmer the blended sauce in a pan for 10 minutes to marry the flavors.
    6-8 dried guajillo chiles, 4 cloves garlic, 1 tsp oregano, 1 tsp cumin
  3. Heat a heavy pan over medium-high heat and sear pork shoulder chunks for 3-4 minutes per side until golden brown. Work in batches if needed. Transfer seared pork to the crockpot.
    2 to 3 lbs pork shoulder
  4. Add chopped onion, blended chile sauce, and chicken or pork broth to the crockpot with the pork. Stir to combine, then cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours, until pork pulls apart easily.
    6 cups chicken or pork broth, 1 medium onion
  5. Add drained canned hominy to the crockpot during the last 2 hours of cooking. Stir gently to distribute the hominy throughout the broth.
    2 cans hominy
  6. Remove the lid for the last 30 minutes of cooking to let the broth reduce slightly and thicken. Shred the pork directly in the crockpot with two forks and mix back into the broth. Taste and adjust salt if needed.
    2 to 3 lbs pork shoulder
  7. Serve pozole rojo with fresh lime wedges and optional garnishes like chopped onion, cilantro, sliced radishes, or avocado slices.
    1 lime, 1 medium onion

Notes

  • Toast dried chiles to deepen flavor before blending for best taste.
  • Add hominy in the last 2 hours to keep kernels from becoming mushy.
  • Skim fat during cooking or chill and remove fat layer before reheating to avoid oily broth.

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