Slow Cooker Pork Posole

Lyndsay Hommé

• Prep: 20 minutes
• Cook: 20 minutes
• Inactive: 6-8 hours
• Yield: 8 Servings

When the weather turns warm, I find myself wanting to spend less time in the kitchen and more time outdoors. While most people more often use their slow cookers in the winter, I tend to rely on mine more in the summer, so that I can spend more time basking in the sunshine. This soup is a great recipe for summer slow cooking, because it brings out the flavors of Mexico and is topped with lots of fresh grown vegetables right from your garden. The toppings really are the stars of this recipe, so you won’t want to skip them. Serve this soup with a good squeeze of tart lime and a side of freshly warmed tortillas for a delightful taste of the tropics.

Ingredients

• 3 lb pork butt, trimmed of fat and patted dry (you can cut your pork into chunks if you’d prefer, but I like to leave mine whole and shred it towards the end)
• 1 onion, diced
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• oil for browning
• 3 bay leaves
• 8 cups chicken stock
• 2 teaspoons cumin
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon coriander
• 1 teaspoon thyme
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 2 cans hominy (rinsed and drained)
• salt and pepper to taste

Toppings (optional but highly recommended)

• shredded cabbage
• diced tomatoes
• chopped avocado
• radish slices
• sliced jalapeno
• hot sauce
• cilantro
• lime juice and slices

Directions

1. If your slow cooker does not have a stove safe dish, you’ll want to use a separate pot to heat your oil over medium heat. If your slow cooker dish is stove safe, go ahead and heat the oil in that. Once the oil is hot, add in your pork and onions. Brown pork on all sides, and cook until onions are soft. Add in the garlic, and cook for about a minute, Stir in your spices, a bit of salt and pepper, then pour in your chicken stock. Add in the bay leaves, cover, and let simmer for 6-7 hours on high in the crockpot.
2. If you cooked your pork butt whole, you can pull it out after the 6-7 hour cooking time and shred it with two forks. Add the pork back to the soup, add in your hominy, and heat until warmed through. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper as needed. Ladle out your soup, and add your fresh toppings to your liking.