I first made posole when my grandson, Calder, visited from Ireland. He had been reading a book, “Every Night is Pizza Night”. In this book, a picky eater named Pipo, who only eats pizza, explores what her neighbors eat for dinner and falls in love with green posole soup. Because there are no fresh tomatillos (the main ingredient in green posole) in Ireland, my son asked me to make it for Calder. Since Calder is vegetarian, I made his posole with jackfruit. I wanted to try it with chicken, so I remade posole with chicken. My husband loves pork, so I have been making posole with pork. This soup is absolutely to die for. I want to thank Calder for introducing us to posole. In our house, however, posole rojo with pork wins hands down.
So, what is posole rojo? It is a traditional Mexican soup that is often served for special occasions. Its spicy, red chili broth is chockful of tender pork and hominy. Traditional Mexican recipes for this delicious dish use dried red chiles like ancho, guajillo, or pasilla, but I much prefer using chipotle chiles in adobo sauce. Also, I like using Kroger® brand Fire-Roasted Diced Tomatoes Salsa Style, which give this soup a spicy, savory flavor. Although you can use any cut of pork, I prefer pork shoulder. When cooked slowly at a low temperature, pork shoulder’s high fat content yields tender, flavorful cubes.
Just like green posole, typical garnishes for posole rojo are thinly sliced radishes, lime wedges, thinly sliced cabbage, and cilantro leaves. You can garnish your posole with whatever you prefer, however, I love garnishing my pozole with sliced radishes and Crema. If you don’t have Crema on hand, sour cream also works nicely.
Posole Rojo
Serves 4
2 pounds boneless pork shoulder, cut into 1-inch cubes
Salt for seasoning pork cubes
Black pepper for seasoning pork cubes
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 yellow onion, chopped
4 teaspoons minced garlic
4 cups chicken broth
1 can (6-ounces) tomato paste
2 cans (14.5-ounces) Kroger® Fire-Roasted Tomatoes Salsa Style
(If you can’t find this in salsa style, use any fire-roasted diced tomato.)
2 chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, chopped
2 tablespoons adobo sauce
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons dried oregano leaves
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
2 cans (15.5-ounces) hominy
¼ cup fresh lime juice
Season pork cubes to taste with salt and pepper. In a large kettle, place olive oil over a medium-high heat. Add pork and sauté about 2 to 3 minutes. Add onion and garlic and continue sautéing until pork is browned and onions are tender, stirring occasionally, about 6 more minutes.
Add chicken broth, tomato paste, fire-roasted tomatoes, chipotle chiles, adobo sauce, cumin, oregano, bay leaf, and salt. Using a wooden spoon, scrape the browned bits from the bottom of the kettle.
Reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook until pork is tender, stirring occasionally, another 1 ½ to 2 hours.
Add hominy and lime juice to the mixture and simmer for an additional 10 to 15 minutes. Discard bay leaf and serve. Garnish as desired.
Suggested garnishes:
Thinly sliced radishes
Thinly shredded green or purple cabbage
Crema or sour cream
Sliced green onions or chopped white onions
Chopped avocado
Shredded Mexican cheeses
Lime wedges
Cilantro leaves
Tips on selecting pork: When buying pork, look for cuts with a small amount of fat on the outside and meat that is firm with a pinkish red color. Pork will have better flavor and tenderness if it has a small amount of marbling, small speckles of fat within the meat. Choose packages that are cold and tightly wrapped without tears or punctures. Pork should not be blotchy. Spots indicate that it has begun to spoil. Avoid packages if the meat is pale in color or it contains liquid. Also, avoid meat that has dark-colored bones. Make your pork selection, along with other perishables, last. Bone-in pork roasts and bone-in pork chops will have more flavor than boneless.
Tips on selecting radishes: Select fresh, bright radishes that are firm, well formed, tender, and crisp. Skin should be smooth and unblemished. If the tops are attached, the greens should be firm and perky. When gently squeezed, radishes should feel firm. Do not buy radishes with cracks, cuts, or yellowing. If you are buying prepackaged radishes, check the bag to be sure the radishes are free of mold and excessive cracking.
Tips on storing radishes: If you buy radishes with their leaves attached, remove the greens before storing. The tops deteriorate first and can hasten spoilage. If the radishes are not already packaged in plastic, place in a reusable, paper, or plastic bag before storing. They will keep up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator.
Carol Ann
Carol Ann Kates is the award-winning author of cookbook, Secret Recipes from the Corner Market, and international Amazon best-selling and award-winning author of Grocery Shopping Secrets. She’s an expert in how to shop, select, and store produce for maximizing home cooking outcomes and minimizing time and money spent. As a former supermarket and deli operator, Carol Ann shares grocery-insider wisdom—the same expertise you used to receive when patronizing a mom-and-pop establishment. Contact her at CarolAnn@CarolAnnKates.com and explore her website, www.CarolAnnKates.com.
Copyright 2025 All Rights Reserved Carol Ann Kates
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