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Slow Cooker Pork Shoulder and Hominy Posole, high protein slow cooker meals
Brittany Stage

Slow Cooker Pork Shoulder and Hominy Posole

Pork shoulder slow cooks with hominy, green chiles, garlic, and a well-seasoned broth until the meat shreds easily into every bowl. Finish with shredded cabbage, fresh lime, and sliced radishes for a complete, high-protein meal with real depth of flavor.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 9 hours
Total Time 9 hours 20 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Mexican-American
Calories: 430
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 3 1/2 lbs bone-in pork shoulder also called pork butt; excess fat trimmed but not fully removed
  • 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt for seasoning the pork
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp dried oregano preferably Mexican oregano if you can find it
  • 1/2 tsp chili powder
  • 1 medium white onion diced
  • 6 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 cans (4 oz each) diced green chiles mild, undrained
  • 2 cans (15 oz each) white hominy drained and rinsed
  • 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes with their juices
  • 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 2 tbsp fresh lime juice about 1 lime, added at the end of cooking
  • 2 cups green cabbage finely shredded, for topping
  • 6 medium radishes thinly sliced, for topping
  • 1 whole lime cut into wedges, for serving
  • 1/2 cup fresh cilantro roughly chopped, for topping, optional
  • 1 medium white onion finely diced, for topping at the table, optional

Equipment

  • 6-quart or larger slow cooker
  • cutting board
  • chef's knife
  • large spoon or tongs
  • two forks for shredding

Method
 

  1. Mix together the salt, pepper, cumin, oregano, and chili powder in a small bowl. Pat the pork shoulder dry with paper towels, then rub the spice mixture all over every surface of the meat, pressing it in so it sticks.
  2. Place the seasoned pork shoulder into the slow cooker insert. Scatter the diced onion and minced garlic around and on top of the pork.
  3. Pour the diced green chiles with their liquid, the drained and rinsed hominy, the diced tomatoes with their juices, and the chicken broth over and around the pork. The liquid does not need to fully cover the pork; the slow cooker will create enough steam to cook it through.
  4. Cover and cook on LOW for 8 to 9 hours or on HIGH for 5 to 6 hours. The pork is done when it shreds apart easily when you press on it with a spoon and the broth smells deeply savory and full. If you used a bone-in shoulder, the bone will slide out cleanly when the meat is ready.
  5. Transfer the pork to a cutting board. If there is a bone, remove and discard it. Use two forks to shred the meat into large, rough pieces. Pull out and discard any large pieces of fat you come across, but do not worry about getting every bit; some fat staying in the broth adds flavor.
  6. Return the shredded pork to the slow cooker and stir it into the broth. Squeeze in the fresh lime juice and stir. Taste the broth and add more salt if needed. Let the pork sit in the broth on WARM for at least 10 minutes before serving so it soaks up the seasoning.
  7. Ladle the posole into wide bowls, making sure each serving gets plenty of hominy and shredded pork. Top each bowl with shredded cabbage, sliced radishes, a wedge of lime, and fresh cilantro if using. Serve with warm tortillas on the side if you like.

Notes

Mexican oregano has a slightly citrusy, floral flavor that is different from Mediterranean oregano and is worth finding at a Latin grocery store if you cook posole regularly. Regular dried oregano works perfectly fine, though. The longer this sits after cooking, the better it tastes; it is an excellent next-day meal.