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Party Posole Rojo

This authentic Posole Rojo is a vibrant, deeply flavoured Mexican-style stew that makes a spectacular centrepiece for any gathering. Built on a base of tender hominy and succulent pork ribs, the dish gets its signature rich red colour and complex smoky heat from a homemade purée of ancho and New Mexico dried chillies. It is a wonderfully comforting, high-protein meal that rewards slow cooking with layers of savoury depth and a melt-in-the-mouth texture.

Traditionally served as a celebratory dish, this hearty stew is best enjoyed with a spread of fresh toppings. Provide plenty of sliced radishes, crunchy cabbage, and zesty lime wedges to cut through the richness of the pork. It is a fantastic option for batch cooking, as the flavours continue to develop and improve if made a few days in advance and kept in the fridge.

Continue reading below

Ingredients for Party Posole Rojo

  • 675g dried large white hominy, soaked overnight

  • 2 large onions, peeled

  • 2 bay leaves

  • 6 black peppercorns

  • 3 tablespoons kosher salt, divided

  • 1.8kg bone-in country-style pork ribs

  • 1 tablespoon ground cumin

  • 6 garlic cloves, finely chopped

  • 70g dried New Mexico chillies

  • 70g ancho chillies

  • 1 large onion, coarsely chopped

  • 6 garlic cloves, crushed

  • 60ml apple cider vinegar

  • 2 teaspoons light brown sugar

  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more

  • Avocado wedges, coriander sprigs, thinly sliced cabbage, sliced jalapeños, sliced radishes, lime wedges, soured cream, tortilla crisps, and hot sauce (for serving)

How to make Party Posole Rojo

Drain hominy and place in a large heavy pot; add onions, bay leaves, peppercorns, 2 tablespoons salt, and 2875ml water. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer, still covered, stirring occasionally, until hominy starts to soften (some skins will split), about 1 hour.

Sprinkle pork all over with cumin and remaining 1 tablespoon salt. Add to pot along with garlic; pour in water to cover by 1". Partially cover pot and cook, stirring occasionally and adding more water as needed to keep ingredients covered, until hominy is tender (some may unfurl like popped popcorn, and that’s okay) and pork is fall-apart tender, about 2 1/2 hours.

While the posole is cooking, make the chilli purée. Wearing gloves if you have them, remove stems from chillies and shake out and discard most of the seeds (for more heat, keep more seeds). Transfer to a large bowl and add onion and garlic; pour in boiling water to cover. Let sit until chillies are softened, about 30 minutes.

Drain chilli mixture, reserving soaking liquid, and transfer chillies, onion, and garlic to a blender. Add vinegar, brown sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, and 240ml soaking liquid and blend until smooth.

When posole is done, remove pork, onions, and bay leaves from pot (keep posole simmering). Transfer pork to a plate; discard onions and bay leaves. Let pork cool slightly, then pick meat from bones, discarding any cartilage and larger pieces of fat. Shred meat into bite-size pieces and return to pot; discard bones.

Stir chilli purée into posole and let simmer 30 minutes to allow flavours to meld. Taste and season with more salt.

Divide posole among bowls. Serve with avocado, coriander, cabbage, jalapeños, radishes, lime wedges, soured cream, tortilla crisps, and hot sauce alongside for topping.

Posole can be made 4 days ahead. Let cool, then cover and chill.

Disclaimer

While every effort has been made to ensure the information is accurate and up to date, individual needs may vary and dietary requirements can differ based on personal health conditions. Always check food labels and allergen information before preparing or consuming any recipe. If you have specific health concerns, allergies, intolerances, or are following a medically prescribed diet, seek advice from your GP, pharmacist, or a registered dietitian before making significant changes to your diet or lifestyle.

Article history

The information on this page is peer reviewed by qualified clinicians.

  • 16 Jan 2026 | Originally published

    Authored by:

    UK recipe editors

    Peer reviewed by

    UK recipe editors
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