This easy Pork Pozole Rojo is made entirely in the Ninja Possible Cooker Pro using the Braise function, no separate pots or stovetop steps needed. Tender chunks of bone-in pork shoulder simmer with onion, garlic, dried guajillo and ancho chiles, and white hominy in a rich red chile broth that tastes like it took all day. Served with shredded cabbage, radishes, lime, and crispy tostadas, this traditional Mexican stew comes together in just a few hours and feeds a crowd. It's the perfect dish for a cold day, a family gathering, or any time you want a big pot of something soul-warming and delicious.
Ninja Possible Cooker Pro (or any multi-cooker, slow cooker, large stockpot, or Dutch oven)
Blender or Food Processor
fine mesh strainer
Wooden Spoon or Silicone Spatula
Ingredients
Seasoning Blend
2teaspoonground cumin
2teaspoonfine grind sea saltor 1 teaspoon if using table salt
1teaspoonblack pepper
1TablespoonMexican Oreganooptional, don't use regular oregano
2bay leaves
Soup Base
3-4lbsbone-in pork shoulder, cut into 1½ to 2 inch cubes
1largeyellow onion peeled, stem cut off, root end intact cut in half
1large bulbgarlictop trimmed, loose paper removed, cloves left in skin
4dried guajillo chilesstems and seeds removed
2dried ancho chilesstems and seeds removed
6cupschicken broth, divided4 cups are used in the beginning and 2 cups are used when the peppers and veggies are blended.
2-3corn tortillasoptional but recommended; thickens the sauce slightly and adds a subtle corn flavor
3(15 oz) canswhite hominydrained and rinsed
Toppings
2cupsshredded green cabbage
½cupyellow or white onion, finely chopped
4-6radishes, thinly slicedadds a peppery note and crunch
¼cupfresh cilantro, choppedskip if you are not a cilantro person
1lime, cut into wedgesa squeeze of lime over each bowl adds brightness and is highly recommended
6-8tostadas or tortilla chips
¼cupcrumbled cotija cheeseoptional; adds a salty, briny finish
Instructions
Cut the stem end off one yellow onion and peel the paper away, but leave the root end intact so the onion stays in one piece. Place the onion straight into the inner pot of the Possible Cooker Pro. Trim the top off the garlic bulb, peel away any loose papery skin (don't separate the cloves), and add the whole bulb to the pot and add in 4 cups of chicken stock.
1 large yellow onion, 1 large bulb garlic, 6 cups chicken broth, divided
Snap the stems off the dried guajillo and ancho chiles. Open each chile and shake out as many seeds as possible, removing any tough stem still attached at the top of the anchos. Drop all the chiles into the pot with the onion and garlic. A few stray seeds in the pot are fine, just don't dump them all in.
2 dried ancho chiles, 4 dried guajillo chiles
Trim the bone-in pork shoulder. Locate where the bone ends and cut straight down to separate a 3 to 4 pound section for the soup, reserving the rest for another meal. Remove the bone, leaving as much meat on it as you'd like, and reserve the bone to add to the pot for a richer broth. Cut the pork into 1½ to 2 inch cubes, leaving the fat layer on for flavor. Place the cubed pork in a large bowl, sprinkle with the cumin, fine grind sea salt, and black pepper, and rub the seasoning gently into the meat. Add to the pot with the pork bone. Stir.
2 teaspoon ground cumin, 2 teaspoon fine grind sea salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper, 2 bay leaves, 3-4 lbs bone-in pork shoulder, cut into 1½ to 2 inch cubes, 1 Tablespoon Mexican Oregano
Place the lid on the Possible Cooker Pro, set the function to Braise, set the time to 3 hours, and press Start. After 1 hour, move on to the next step. .
Blend the sauce
After the first hour, fish out the cooked onion, the whole garlic bulb, and all of the chiles. Place the onion on a cutting board, cut off the now-soft root, and drop the onion into a blender cup. Squeeze the softened garlic cloves out of their skins directly into the blender (be careful, the bulb is hot). Add the cooked chiles. Pour in 1 cup of cold chicken broth and add 2 to 3 corn tortillas, torn into pieces.
2-3 corn tortillas
Blend on a smoothie or extract setting until the mixture is completely smooth. Pour the blended sauce through a fine mesh strainer set over a large bowl, working it through with a spatula to push the sauce through and leave the gritty pepper skins behind. Use the remaining 1 cup of cold chicken broth to rinse the blender and finish straining the sauce. Discard the solids left in the strainer.
Pour the strained red chile sauce back into the pot with the pork. Add the drained and rinsed white hominy. Stir gently to combine.
3 (15 oz) cans white hominy
Place the lid back on, set Braise to 2 more hours (the original 3-hour timer should still be running with about 2 hours left), and let it cook undisturbed. The Possible Cooker Pro will switch to Keep Warm at the end of the cycle and the soup can sit on Keep Warm for several hours if needed.
Once the braise is done and the pork is fork-tender, remove the bone with tongs. Pull off any meat still on the bone and return it to the pot. Fish out the bay leaves and discard. Taste the broth and add additional fine grind sea salt if needed.
Ladle the pozole into bowls. Top each bowl with shredded green cabbage, finely chopped onion, sliced radishes, fresh cilantro, and a generous squeeze of lime. Serve with crispy tostadas or tortilla chips on the side and crumbled cotija cheese if desired. Stir the cabbage in and let it soften slightly in the hot broth before digging in.
2 cups shredded green cabbage, ½ cup yellow or white onion, finely chopped, 4-6 radishes, thinly sliced, ¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped, 1 lime, cut into wedges, 6-8 tostadas or tortilla chips, ¼ cup crumbled cotija cheese
Notes
PREP TIPS • A standard bone-in pork shoulder weighs 7 to 8 pounds, which is more than you need for the soup. Cut it in half right at the end of the bone so you have a 3 to 4 pound piece for pozole and another piece you can use for a roast or for country style pork ribs. • Leave the fat layer on for the soup, it renders down and adds a lot of flavor to the broth. • You can prep and season the pork the day before, cover it, and refrigerate. Just bring it close to room temperature before adding to the pot. • Leave the root end on the onion and the cloves attached on the garlic bulb so they stay intact during the first hour of cooking and are easy to fish out.CHILE TIPS • Guajillo and ancho chiles are not spicy, they are mild and earthy. Don't be afraid of using both. • Don't worry about exact chile counts. Smaller chiles, use more. Larger chiles, use fewer. You really cannot go wrong here. • Lightly toast the chiles in a dry skillet for 30 seconds per side if you want a deeper, smokier flavor. This step is optional, the soup is wonderful without it. • If your dried chiles are dusty, give them a quick rinse before adding to the pot. • You can find dried guajillo and ancho chiles in the international aisles of most grocery stores or at any Mexican grocery.COOKING TIPS • Add the meat to the pot at the beginning along with the whole onion, garlic bulb, and chiles. Cooking everything together for the first hour gives the broth and the chile sauce a much deeper flavor than blending the sauce ahead of time. • The fine mesh strainer step is important for a smooth broth. Even a great blender will leave a little bit of pepper skin behind.VARIATIONS • Boneless pork shoulder option: Use 3 to 4 pounds of boneless pork shoulder plus about 1 pound of bone-in pork (spare ribs or neck bones) for that essential richness from the bone.• Add chile de árbol: Add 1 or 2 chile de árbol with the guajillo and ancho for a spicier red chile broth. • Add Mexican oregano: Stir in 1 teaspoon of dried Mexican oregano with the bay leaves for an extra herby note. I always add it and forgot in the video. Don't use regular oregano, if you don't have Mexican oregano skip it. SERVING SUGGESTIONS • Pozole is meant to be a build-your-own bowl. Set out the cabbage, onion, radishes, cilantro, lime wedges, tostadas, and cotija cheese in small bowls and let everyone top their own. • Stir the cabbage into the hot broth and give it a minute to soften slightly. The little bit of crunch alongside the tender pork is perfect. • A squeeze of lime right before eating brightens the entire bowl. NUTRITIONAL DISCLAIMER Nutritional information provided is an estimate based on typical ingredient values and standard portion sizes. Actual nutritional content may vary significantly depending on specific brands used, ingredient substitutions, preparation methods, portion sizes, and individual cooking techniques. For precise nutritional information tailored to your specific ingredients and preparation, please consult with a registered dietitian or use laboratory analysis. This information should not be used for medical nutrition therapy or to manage medical conditions without professional guidance.