Pork Pozole Verde is a rich and flavorful Mexican stew loaded with tender braised pork shoulder and hominy in a green chile broth. Pozole has always been one of my favorite comfort foods and this version is so, so good! It’s a hearty and warming Mexican stew, perfect for any time of year.
What is Pozole?
Pozole is a meat and hominy stew, traditional to Mexican cooking. It’s traditionally made with pork and served with shredded cabbage or lettuce, onions, chile peppers, cilantro, radishes, avocado, and/or lime.
Pozole is a typical dish in various states such as Nayarit, Sinaloa, Michoacan, Guerrero, Zacatecas, Jalisco, and Morelos. It’s been around since the 16th century or so, and originated in Aztec culture as maize (corn) was a sacred plant and they created this dish to observe special occasions.
Green Pozole vs Red Pozole
Pozole Verde, ‘green’ in Spanish, is made with a green chile and cilantro broth. There is also a red pozole where the broth is red due to the use of dried red chilies. I have a killer Red Pozole with Chicken (Pozole Rojo) recipe if you’d like to try both.
How to Make Pork Pozole Verde
I love making pork pozole Verde on Sundays because I have time to really let the pozole simmer. This isn’t a difficult recipe to make, but it does take some time. It’s a mostly hands-off recipe making it easy to get on the table. It also freezes beautifully!
Tools Needed
- Sharp Knife
- Cutting Board
- Dutch Oven
- High-Powered Blender
Ingredients in Pork Pozole Verde
- Pork shoulder. I love using bone-in pork shoulder because the bone adds tons of flavor to the broth.
- Onion. White onion is traditional both in the stew and for topping.
- Garlic. The more, the better!
- Poblano peppers. Poblano peppers add green color and flavor to the broth.
- Tomatillos. Tomatillos are traditional in many Mexican recipes and can be found in the produce section of most grocery stores.
- Jalapeño. Roasting the jalapeños with the tomatillos and poblanos adds a bit of heat that the soup needs.
- Cilantro. Blending Cilantro into the broth helps give it its signature green color and flavor.
- Chicken stock. Opt for homemade chicken stock or broth here, it makes all the difference.
- Toppings. Pork pozole verde is all about the toppings! The traditional toppings include white onion, cilantro, finely shredded cabbage, sliced radishes, and lime wedges. I also add a bit of cotija cheese!
- Tortillas. It’s traditional to serve pozole with tortillas on the side for dipping. I’m partial to corn, but flour is great too.
Making Pork Pozole Verde in a Slow Cooker
While I love making this recipe in my Dutch oven, you can make it with a slow cooker.
- Sear the pork. This is an optional step, but I don’t recommend skipping it. Heat a couple of tablespoons of oil in a large skillet. Season the pork liberally with salt and pepper and sear the pork on all sides, until deeply brown.
- Add everything to the slow cooker. Add the pork, onion, garlic, chicken broth, and bay leaves to the slow cooker and cover. Set the slow cooker to high for 4 hours, or low for 8.
- Shred the pork. Once the pork is tender, remove the pork from the broth and shred with forks.
- Make the green sauce. Roast the veggies and puree them with some of the broth from the pork (make sure to grab all the onion and garlic from the broth) and cilantro and blend until smooth.
- Simmer. Return the pork to the broth and add the green sauce and hominy. Season with salt and pepper and turn the slow cooker to high. Cook for another 45 minutes and serve.
Freezing Pork Pozole Verde
I love this recipe because it makes a pretty large batch! It freezes beautifully and I love storing a stash in the freezer for a quick dinner option.
Once the pork pozole Verde has cooled to room temperature, transfer it to a freezer-safe Ziplock bag or an airtight container. You can store it in the freezer for up to 1 year. Defrost the pork pozole Verde in the fridge overnight.
More Recipe Suggestions:
Pork Chops with Mushroom Cream Sauce
Apple Cider Braised Pork Shoulder
Garlic Pork Chops in Creamy Mushroom Sauce
Lastly, if you make this Pork Pozole Verde, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram @northeast.nosh! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Pork Pozole Verde
Equipment
Ingredients
Pozole:
- 4 lbs. bone-in pork shoulder
- 4 tablespoons neutral oil divided
- 1 white onion chopped
- 6 garlic cloves
- 2 bay leaves
- 8 cups homemade chicken stock
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 32 oz. can white hominy drained
- 3 poblano peppers stem and seeds removed and cut in half
- 6 large tomatillos husks removed rinsed, and cut in half
- 1 jalapeño stem removed and cut in half
- 1 cup chopped cilantro leaves and stems packed
- Kosher salt
- Freshly cracked black pepper
Toppings:
- 4 radishes thinly sliced
- 1 1/2 cups thinly shredded green cabbage
- 1/2 cup diced white onion
- 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
- Lime wedges
- Cotija cheese crumbled
- Corn or flour tortillas warmed
Instructions
- Preheat an oven to 350 F. Liberally season the pork shoulder all over with kosher salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large (5 qt) Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Once the oil is very hot, sear the pork all over so that it’s deeply golden brown. Turn off the heat and add the onion, garlic, bay leaves, cumin, and chicken stock.
- Cover the Dutch oven with a lid and transfer to the oven for 3 hours, turning the pork 1-2 times. Once the pork is tender, remove the Dutch oven from the oven and let the pork rest in the juices for 30 minutes.
- While the pork rests, crank the oven temperature up to 425 F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and toss the poblanos, jalapeño, and tomatillos with the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil. Season with salt and pepper. Roast for 20 minutes, until the veggies are soft.
- Remove the pork from the broth and shred with forks. Set aside and keep the bone.
- Discard the bay leaves from the broth. Using a slotted spoon, scoop the onions and garlic from the broth into the carafe of a high-powered blender. Add 1 cup of the broth and all the roasted veggies from the tray, including their juices. Add the chopped cilantro and blend until smooth.
- Pour the green sauce in the Dutch oven with the rest of the broth and add the shredded pork, pork bone, and hominy. Simmer for 45 minutes on medium-low heat and season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Serve topped with shredded cabbage, diced onion, cilantro, sliced radishes, cotija, and lime wedges. Enjoy with warmed tortillas on the side for dipping.
