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Pork Posole Rojo

Name: Pork Posole Rojo
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 3 h
Total time: 3 h 30 min
Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients: 4 lbs Picnic shoulder, bone-in, cut into large chunks; 6 Dried guajillo chiles, stemmed and seeded; 3 Dried ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded; 1 large White onion, halved; 8 Garlic cloves; 1 tsp Cumin seeds; 1 tbsp Dried oregano; 2 (29 oz) cans Hominy, drained; 2 Bay leaves; 12 cups Water; 2 tbsp Kosher salt; as needed Shredded cabbage, radishes, lime wedges, and oregano, for serving

3 hrs 30 min 8 servings Medium

Cut used: Picnic Shoulder pork →

Prep

30 min

Cook

3 hrs

Total

3 hrs 30 min

Posole rojo relies on picnic shoulder's rich collagen to build a broth with real body, simmered for hours with dried guajillo and ancho chiles until deeply red and complex. Hominy adds a chewy, corn-forward contrast to the tender shredded pork. This is a build-your-own-bowl dish, finished tableside with crunchy garnishes that each diner adds to taste.

What Ingredients Do You Need?

4 lbs Picnic shoulder, bone-in, cut into large chunks
6 Dried guajillo chiles, stemmed and seeded
3 Dried ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded
1 large White onion, halved
8 Garlic cloves
1 tsp Cumin seeds
1 tbsp Dried oregano
2 (29 oz) cans Hominy, drained
2 Bay leaves
12 cups Water
2 tbsp Kosher salt
as needed Shredded cabbage, radishes, lime wedges, and oregano, for serving

How Do You Make Pork Posole Rojo?

1
Simmer the pork
Place pork, half the onion, 4 garlic cloves, bay leaves, and water in a large pot. Bring to a boil, skim foam, then reduce to a simmer and cook covered for 1.5 hours.
2
Toast and rehydrate chiles
Toast guajillo and ancho chiles in a dry skillet for 30 seconds per side until fragrant, then soak in hot water for 15 minutes until softened.
3
Blend the chile sauce
Blend the softened chiles with remaining onion, remaining garlic, cumin seeds, oregano, and a cup of the pork broth until smooth. Strain through a sieve to remove skins.
4
Combine
Stir the strained chile sauce into the pot with the pork and broth. Simmer uncovered for another 45 minutes to concentrate the flavor.
5
Add hominy
Remove the pork, shred or chunk the meat, discarding bone and excess fat, then return it to the pot along with the hominy. Simmer 20 more minutes.
6
Season
Season with salt to taste and remove bay leaves before serving.
7
Garnish and serve
Ladle into bowls and let diners top with shredded cabbage, sliced radish, fresh oregano, and a squeeze of lime.

What Are the Pro Tips for This Recipe?

💡 Straining the chile sauce removes tough skins for a silkier broth.
💡 Posole freezes well without the fresh garnishes — add those only when reheating to serve.
💡 Bone-in picnic shoulder adds extra body to the broth; don't skip the bone if you can help it.
💡 Toasting the dried chiles briefly deepens their flavor but watch closely so they don't scorch.