(New Mexico–Style Red Chile Beef Posole with Warm Flour Tortillas)

This Chimayó Beef Posole is a deep, warming New Mexico–inspired stew made with tender chunks of beef, hominy, garlic, Mexican oregano, and a rich red chile broth. The star is Chimayó-style New Mexico red chile powder, which gives the broth its earthy chile flavor and gorgeous brick-red color. 🌶️❤️

Serve a steaming bowl with fresh homemade flour tortillas for tearing, folding, and dipping into that red chile broth.

Note: Authentic Chimayó chile refers to chile associated with the Chimayó area of northern New Mexico. If genuine Chimayó chile isn’t available, use a good-quality New Mexico red chile powder rather than ordinary chili seasoning.

Full Recipe (Ingredients + Instructions)

Serves: 6–8
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 2–2½ hours

For the Beef Posole 🥩🌽

2½ lbs (1.1 kg) beef chuck, cut into 1½-inch chunks
2 tablespoons vegetable oil or lard
1 large white or yellow onion, diced
5 garlic cloves, minced
¼ cup Chimayó or New Mexico red chile powder
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, optional for a slightly thicker broth
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons Mexican oregano
½ teaspoon ground coriander
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 bay leaf
7 cups beef broth, plus more as needed
2 cans (25 oz / 708 g each) white hominy, drained and rinsed
1–2 teaspoons salt, or to taste
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar or fresh lime juice

Optional for More Heat 🔥

½–1 teaspoon hot New Mexico chile powder
1–2 dried chile de árbol
1 roasted jalapeño

For Serving 🌿

Finely shredded cabbage
Diced white onion
Fresh cilantro
Thinly sliced radishes
Lime wedges
Avocado
Crumbled queso fresco, optional
Extra New Mexico red chile
Homemade flour tortillas

Step 1: Season & Brown the Beef 🥩🔥

Pat the beef completely dry.

Season generously with salt and black pepper.

Heat the oil or lard in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat.

Brown the beef in batches, approximately 3–4 minutes per side.

Don’t crowd the pot.

You want those beautiful dark brown edges because they’re going to flavor the entire pot.

Transfer the browned beef to a plate.

Don’t Skip the Browning!

Those brown bits stuck to the bottom?

That’s flavor. ❤️

Step 2: Cook the Onion & Garlic 🧅🧄

Reduce the heat to medium.

Add the onion to the same pot.

Cook for approximately 5 minutes, scraping up the browned beef bits.

Add the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.

Step 3: Bloom the Chimayó Chile 🌶️

Reduce the heat to LOW.

Add:

Chimayó/New Mexico red chile powder
Optional flour
Cumin
Mexican oregano
Coriander

Stir constantly for about 30 seconds.

IMPORTANT 🌶️

Don’t burn the chile powder.

New Mexico red chile can become bitter if scorched.

You’re only warming it enough to release its aroma.

Step 4: Make That Beautiful Red Chile Broth ❤️🔥

Slowly pour in about 2 cups beef broth, stirring constantly.

Scrape every flavorful browned bit from the bottom.

Once smooth, add the remaining broth.

Return the browned beef and accumulated juices to the pot.

Add the bay leaf.

Bring to a gentle boil.

Reduce to LOW, partially cover, and simmer for approximately 1½ hours.

Step 5: Add the Hominy 🌽

Drain and rinse the hominy.

Add it to the tenderizing beef.

Stir gently.

Continue simmering uncovered or partially covered for another 30–45 minutes.

The beef should become fork-tender while the hominy absorbs that red chile broth.

If the posole becomes too thick, add another cup of broth.

Step 6: Finish the Posole 🌶️❤️

Remove the bay leaf.

Stir in the vinegar or fresh lime juice.

Taste.

Adjust:

Salt
Oregano
Red chile
Black pepper

Let the pot rest for about 10–15 minutes before serving.

Perfect Consistency

This shouldn’t be dry like chili.

You want plenty of gorgeous red chile broth around the beef and hominy so you have something for those homemade tortillas to soak up. 😍

Homemade Flour Tortillas 🫓❤️

Nothing beats pulling apart a warm homemade tortilla and dipping it straight into the posole.

Ingredients

3 cups (360 g) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1½ teaspoons salt
⅓ cup (65 g) lard or vegetable shortening
1–1¼ cups (240–300 ml) very warm water

Step 1: Make the Dough

Combine flour, baking powder, and salt.

Work the lard into the flour with your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

Gradually pour in the warm water.

Mix until a soft dough forms.

Step 2: Knead

Transfer to a lightly floured surface.

Knead for approximately 5–7 minutes until smooth and elastic.

The dough should feel soft and supple—not dry.

Step 3: Rest the Dough

Divide into 12 equal balls.

Cover with a clean kitchen towel.

Let them rest for at least 30 minutes.

Secret to Soft Tortillas ❤️

Don’t skip the rest.

Relaxed dough rolls much thinner and doesn’t keep shrinking back.

Step 4: Roll Them Out 🫓

Heat a cast-iron skillet or comal over medium-high heat.

Roll each dough ball into an approximately 7–8 inch tortilla.

Don’t worry about making every tortilla perfectly round.

Those slightly irregular edges make them look homemade—and that’s exactly what we want. ❤️

Step 5: Cook the Tortillas 🔥

Place one tortilla on the hot dry skillet.

Cook for approximately 30–45 seconds, until bubbles begin forming.

Flip.

Cook another 20–30 seconds.

Flip once more briefly if necessary.

You want beautiful little brown spots while the tortilla remains soft.

Immediately place cooked tortillas inside a clean kitchen towel.

Stack each new tortilla on top and keep covered.

The trapped steam keeps them wonderfully soft.

Build the Perfect Bowl 🍲🌶️

Fill a rustic bowl generously with:

Hominy + tender beef + LOTS of Chimayó red chile broth.

Then top with:

Cabbage
White onion
Radishes
Cilantro
Avocado
Fresh lime

Put 2–3 steaming homemade tortillas on the side.

Now tear off a piece of tortilla, fold it slightly, and drag it through that red chile broth.

THAT’S the bite. 😂🌶️🥩❤️

Extra Recipe Tips & Variations ✨

For the most tender beef, use chuck roast rather than a very lean cut.

If you have dried posole corn instead of canned hominy, absolutely use it. Soak it overnight and allow considerably more cooking time until the kernels are tender and beginning to bloom.

For an even beefier broth, add a meaty beef shank or marrow bone while the posole simmers, then remove the bone before serving.

Don’t overload the pot with cumin. The red chile should remain the dominant flavor.

And don’t make it excessively thick—the broth is one of the best parts.

Flavor Upgrades / Secret Tips 🔥

🌶️ Use real Chimayó chile when you can get it.

🥩 Brown the beef deeply before adding liquid.

🧄 Use fresh garlic.

🌿 Rub the Mexican oregano between your palms before adding it to release its aroma.

🌽 Let the hominy simmer long enough to absorb the broth.

🫓 Use lard in the tortillas for especially rich traditional-style flavor.

🍋 Finish the posole with acidity rather than cooking lime juice for a long time.

My Favorite Secret Upgrade ❤️

Take about ½ cup of the cooked hominy with ½ cup red chile broth, lightly mash it, and stir it back into the pot.

It gives the broth a little extra body while keeping it unmistakably posole.

Extra-Spicy Chimayó Posole 🌶️🔥🔥

Use a combination of:

Chimayó/New Mexico red chile
Hot New Mexico chile
1–2 chile de árbol

For even more heat, serve roasted jalapeños on the side.

That way everybody can control the fire in their own bowl. 😂

Serving Ideas 🍽️

Along with the homemade tortillas, you can serve:

Refried beans
Calabacitas
Roasted green chile
Guacamole
Avocado salad
Mexican rice
Quesadillas

But a BIG bowl of posole + hot tortillas + lime is honestly enough for me. ❤️

Storage & Meal Prep Tips 🥡

Posole is one of those dishes that can taste even better the next day.

Cool promptly and refrigerate in an airtight container for 3–4 days.

Reheat gently on the stovetop, adding a splash of beef broth if it has thickened.

It also freezes well for approximately 2–3 months.

Tortilla Storage

Cool the tortillas completely before storing.

Keep refrigerated in an airtight bag for several days.

To reheat, place them on a hot dry skillet for a few seconds per side, then wrap them in a clean towel.

Nutrition Facts 📊

Posole, approximately per serving:

Calories: 430–500 kcal
Protein: 32–38 g
Carbohydrates: 34–42 g
Fat: 18–23 g
Fiber: 5–7 g

One Homemade Flour Tortilla:

Calories: approximately 150–170 kcal
Protein: 3–4 g
Carbohydrates: 25–28 g
Fat: 4–6 g

Nutrition is approximate and varies with beef, hominy, broth, tortilla size, and toppings.

Frequently Asked Questions (Q&A)

Is posole the same as hominy?
In everyday recipe usage, posole/pozole can refer both to the prepared stew and to the specially processed corn used to make it; canned hominy is a convenient option for this recipe.

Can I make this with pork instead?
Absolutely. Pork shoulder is excellent with New Mexico red chile.

Can I use ground beef?
You can for a quicker version, although beef chuck gives you those tender chunks of meat that make this version special.

Can I make it in a slow cooker?
Yes. Brown the beef and prepare the chile base first, then cook on LOW for approximately 7–8 hours, adding canned hominy during the last 1–2 hours.

Can I make it the day before?
Yes—and I recommend it. The chile flavor becomes even richer overnight.

Why is my red chile bitter?
The chile powder may have been scorched. Keep the heat low when blooming it and add liquid quickly.

What makes this Chimayó-style?
The defining inspiration here is the use of Chimayó/New Mexico red chile and the northern New Mexico flavor profile; this is a home-style adaptation rather than a claim to one definitive traditional Chimayó recipe.

Social Media Captions ❤️

Facebook Style:
“Made a big pot of Chimayó Beef Posole today with homemade flour tortillas! 🌶️🥩🌽❤️ Tender beef and hominy simmered low and slow in that beautiful New Mexico red chile broth—and YES, I made the tortillas from scratch too! 🫓😂 This is the kind of dinner that makes the whole house smell amazing. Recipe below! 👇”

Short Caption:
“Chimayó Beef Posole + HOT homemade tortillas. 🌶️🥩🫓❤️ That’s all I need!”

Family-Style Caption:
“Made this big pot for the family today and had fresh tortillas coming straight off the skillet while the posole was still bubbling. ❤️🌶️ Nothing beats a warm homemade dinner like this.”

Cozy Caption:
“Cold evening, hot bowl of Chimayó Beef Posole, fresh lime and homemade tortillas for dipping. 🌶️🫓❤️ PERFECT.”

Engagement Caption:
“What goes with your posole—FLOUR TORTILLAS 🫓, CORN TORTILLAS 🌽, TOSTADAS 🔥…or ALL THREE? 😂👇”

Final Food Description 🌶️🥩🌽🫓❤️

Chimayó Beef Posole is a hearty New Mexico–inspired stew filled with fork-tender beef and plump hominy slowly simmered in a deep, earthy red chile broth seasoned with garlic and Mexican oregano. Finished with crisp cabbage, onion, radishes, cilantro, avocado, and fresh lime—and served with soft homemade flour tortillas straight from the skillet—it’s the kind of rich, warming meal where the broth is every bit as important as the beef. 🌶️🥩🌽🫓🔥