New Mexico Pozole-Style Pork Stew
Stew simmered with tomatoes, chipotle, hominy and shredded pork shoulder. It’s a play on the classic New Mexican soup pozole.
Servings: 4
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 pounds boneless pork shoulder or butt
- 28 ounce canned hominy drained
- 28 ounce canned diced tomatoes
- 14 ounce canned pinto beans drained
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 2-3 garlic clove minced
- 2 tablespoons chipotle paste or 2 canned or jarred chipotle peppers, chopped
- 4 cups beef broth
For serving:
- cotija cheese grated
- fresh cilantro chopped
- avocado sliced
- lime juice
Instructions
Prep Ahead:
- Prepare all ingredients as directed and transfer to a large resealable bag or container.
- Label the bag- including the amount of water you’ll need on cooking day if you used stock cubes or broth concentrate.
- If eating in the next day or so, you can chop cilantro, grate cotija, and squeeze lime as toppings to hold.
Prepare From Prepped:
Instant Pot Instructions:
- Add all ingredients to the Instant Pot and secure the lid, including water if you’ve used stock cubes or broth concentrate.
- If cooking from frozen: Cook on High for 60 minutes with a natural pressure release.
- If cooking from thawed: Cook on High for 40 minutes withy a natural pressure release.
- Serve hot with desired toppings.
Slow Cooker Instructions: Thaw in fridge overnight before cooking
- Add all ingredients to slow cooker and secure the lid, including water if you’ve used stock cubes or broth concentrate.
- Cook low for 6 hours, high for 4, until the pork is falling apart tender.
- Use two spoons to shred apart the pork shoulder inside the soup. If needed, use a wooden spoon to press and break apart the chipotle chilis.
- Serve hot with desired toppings.
Stovetop Instructions: Thaw in fridge overnight before cooking
- Add the ingredients to a large pot set over medium heat, including water if you’ve used stock cubes or broth concentrate.
- Bring to a boil and then lower to a simmer.
- Cook over low heat for 2-2.5 hours, uncovered.
- Once the pork has cooked enough that is fall apart tender, use two spoons to shred apart. Use a spoon to press and break apart chipotle peppers, if needed.
- Serve hot with desired toppings.
Make From Fresh:
Instant Pot Instructions:
- Add all ingredients to the Instant Pot and secure the lid.
- Cook on High Pressure for 40 minutes with a natural pressure release.
- Use two spoons to shred apart the pork shoulder inside the soup. If needed, use a wooden spoon to press and break apart the chipotle chilis.
- Serve hot with desired toppings.
Slow Cooker Instructions:
- Add all ingredients to the slow cooker and secure the lid.
- Cook low for 6 hours, high for 4, until the pork is falling apart tender.
- Use two spoons to shred apart the pork shoulder inside the soup. If needed, use a wooden spoon to press and break apart the chipotle chilis.
- Serve hot with desired toppings.
Stovetop Instructions
- Add the ingredients to a large pot set over medium heat.
- Bring to a boil and then lower to a simmer.
- Cook over low heat for 2-2.5 hours, uncovered.
- Once the pork has cooked enough that is fall apart tender, use two spoons to shred apart. Use a spoon to press and break apart chipotle peppers, if needed.
- Serve hot with desired toppings.
Notes
“Pozole-style”, because the recipe itself is inspired by the traditional Mexican soup of pozole, which can take a while to cook, after the chilis used in its base are steeped in hot water and then blended.
This recipe cheats a bit, using diced red tomatoes and chipotle paste to get the same color, smoky spice, and depth of flavor.
If you can only find pork butt, that’s fine too- and feel free to use the bone-in and remove the bone later, if you’d like.
If you can only find canned chipotle peppers and not the paste, add the chilis from the can and use your spoon to break up the chilis after the soup is cooked.
Top this warming soup with your favorite toppings like grated cotija cheese, chopped cilantro, avocados, and squeezed lime juice.