Pork Stew

Pork stew might not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of stew recipes. Traditional beef stew usually steals the show, but this pork stew recipe, in the most delicious way possible,  will make you rethink that assumption.

Tons of tender, juicy pork chunks, and bacon ensure meat in every bite, and all of your favorite veggies are here in abundance. This thick, hearty pork stew recipe, together with my classic beef stew, slow cooker beef stew, Brunswick stew, and cowboy stew will fill you up on the coldest of winter days.

Let’s make this stew!

What I Love About This Recipe

This pork stew recipe has so much going for it. Here are the best parts!

• Thick and hearty
• Lots of veggies and meat
• Lovely depth of flavor
• Makes enough for a crowd

Pork Stew Ingredients

• Pork: Pork shoulder trimmed of all visible fat, then cut into 1-inch cubes.
• Flour: We use all-purpose flour to coat the pork before browning.
• Salt + Pepper
• Oil: I use a neutral vegetable oil with a high smoking point.
• Bacon: I prefer to use uncured bacon.
• Onion: Use a yellow onion.
• Garlic: Please use fresh garlic, not the stuff that comes pre-minced in a jar.
• Vegetables: We use a combo of carrots and celery to flavor the broth.
• Wine: If you don’t cook with wine, you can use an extra cup of beef broth.
• Broth: I use a low-sodium beef broth.
• Tomato Paste: This adds a nice depth of flavor and a bit of acidity to the stew.
• Dried Herbs: We use a combo of dried thyme, rosemary, and bay leaf
• Prunes: The prunes add a mild sweetness that complements the pork beautifully.
• Potatoes: Russet potatoes are my choice in this recipe. I love their creaminess and as they cook, their edges break down and thickens the stew beautifully.
• Parsnips: This is such an unsung veggie. It’s sweet and earthy tasting. Try to look for parsnips that are less than 2 inches at their largest point. They start to get fibrous which means they’re tougher, as they get bigger. The flavor compliments the pork deliciously.

Pork Stew Recipe Notes

There are a lot of versions of pork stew meat with gravy around the world. Both the pork stew recipe Filipino style and pork stew Spanish version use potatoes and bell peppers. The pork stew Jamie Oliver makes uses fatty pork, sage, and cider.

Whatever version it is, they are all certified comfort food!

• The pot- you’ll want a large pot with a heavy bottom to prevent burning. Thin-bottomed pans are notorious for hot spots that can burn your stew.
• Deglazing the pan- deglazing pulls off all the little bits of meat and veggies (called the fond) that stucks to the bottom of the pan. The key to it is to use a rigid spatula or wooden spoon to scrape the bottom of the pan when you add the wine. As soon as the liquid hits the pan, start scraping and stirring until the bottom is free of any stuck bits.
  • Why is this important? Because those little brown bits are flavor gold! They add tremendous flavor to your dish, so don’t skip this step!
• Bacon drippings- Sautéing the veggies in bacon drippings adds lots of flavors. There should be a tablespoon of drippings from the bacon. If you find you have excess bacon grease, drain some before adding the veggies. If you don’t want to use it at all, I suggest olive or vegetable oil instead.
• The Veggies – You can adjust vegetable amounts and types to suit what you like or what you have in the fridge! Turnips, butternut squash, or chunks of tomato are all good ideas.

How To Make Pork Stew

1. Coat the pork with flour, salt, and pepper.
2. Brown the pork in batches. Set aside.
3. Cook the bacon in the same pot. Set aside.
4. Add the onion, garlic, carrots, and celery.
5. Saute the vegetables until soft.
6. Add wine to the pot and scrape up the brown bits at the bottom of the pot.
7. Add beef broth, tomato paste, browned pork, bacon, and herbs. Cover and simmer. Stir in prunes, potatoes, and parsnips, and continue to simmer. Adjust season to taste.
8. Serve.

***See the full instructions below.

Storing + Freezing + Make-Ahead

• How Long Does This Last In The Fridge? Soups and stew hold well in the fridge for 3-4 days, according to the USDA guidelines.
• Can You Freeze This? You can freeze this pork stew recipe, but the veggies might lose a bit of texture after a trip through the deep freeze. To freeze, allow the stew to cool completely before putting it in a freezer container. It should keep for 2-3 months.
• Make Ahead Tips: This stew reheats beautifully and, like most soups and stews, tastes better the next day. You can also do a lot of the veggie and meat prep beforehand and then assemble and cook when you’re ready for it.
• Food Safety: If you’d like more info on food safety check out this link.

Serving Recommendations

Pork stew recipe is as good as it gets on a cold winter day. Serve it with a hunk of warm Southern cornbread or Bisquick cornbread if you like it sweet, homemade crescent rolls, cat head biscuits, Lion House rolls, butter swim biscuits, or Bisquick biscuits. It’s sure to be a family favorite!

We like this with a nice crisp salad like our KFC coleslaw, strawberry salad (with blue cheese and a lovely sherry vinaigrette), strawberry spinach salad, or 1905 salad, My husband, however, asks for his favorite Southern collard greens with this stew. You really can’t go wrong with any of these on the side.

Recipe Variations

• Cook this in an Instant Pot. For super busy days, you can always rely on the instant pot. Just brown the pork in batches and sauté the aromatics, which is similar to how instant pot beef stew and instant pot chicken noodle soup are cooked.

More Delicious Stews To Try:

• Hamburger Stew
• Meatball Stew
• Shipwreck Stew
• Instant Pot Beef Stew
• Green Chile Stew

Tried This Recipe?

Please leave a review, I love hearing your feedback! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

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Pork Stew

Full of meat, veggies, and flavor, Pork Stew is a hearty, delicious meal that is sure to chase away the winter chill. It's simple to make and feeds a crowd!

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Cook Time1 hour hr 52 minutes mins

Total Time2 hours hrs 7 minutes mins

Servings: 6 - 8 servings

Author: Kathleen

Ingredients

• ▢ 2 1/2 pounds pork shoulder, trimmed of visible fat, cut into 1 inch cubes
• ▢ 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• ▢ salt
• ▢ black pepper
• ▢ 2-4 tablespoons vegetable oil 
• ▢ 4 slices bacon, chopped
• ▢ 1 large onion, diced
• ▢ 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
• ▢ 2 cups carrots, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
• ▢ 1 cup celery, chopped
• ▢ 1/2 cup white wine
• ▢ 4 cups beef broth
• ▢ 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• ▢ 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary leaves
• ▢ 2 bay leaves
• ▢ 1/2 cup pitted prunes, chopped
• ▢ 2 russet potatoes, peeled and cubed
• ▢ 1 cup parsnips, peeled and diced

Garnish (optional)

• ▢ 2-3 tablespoons parsley, chopped

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

• In a mixing bowl, toss the pork (2 1/2 pounds) with the flour (1/2 cup), 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon black pepper to coat evenly, shaking off excess.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of oil, over medium-high heat, in a large pot and brown pork in batches without crowding it, about 7-9 minutes. Add more oil as needed. Transfer browned meat to a bowl with a slotted spoon and set aside. Remove and discard pan drippings.
  
• Cook the bacon (4 slices) in the same pot, stirring frequently until crispy. Transfer to bowl with pork.
  
• Reduce heat to medium and saute onion (1), garlic (1 tablespoon), carrots (2 cups), and celery (1 cup), in bacon drippings, stirring occasionally, until soft.
  
• Add wine (1/2 cup) to the pot, and continue to simmer, scraping up brown bits on the bottom of the pot until the liquid is almost evaporated.
  
• Add beef broth (4 cups), tomato paste (2 tablespoons), browned pork, bacon, thyme (1 teaspoon), rosemary (1/2 teaspoon), bay leaves (2), 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer, covered for 45 minutes.
  
• Stir in prunes (1/2 cup), potatoes (2), and parsnips (1 cup) then cover and cook for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. If you'd like the stew thinner, add more beef broth or water to achieve desired consistency. Adjust salt and pepper as needed. Ladle into individual bowls, garnish with parsley (2-3 tablespoons) and serve.

Fans Also Made:

• 
  Bigos (Polish Hunter's Stew + One Pot Meal!)
• 
  Chicken Stew
• 
  Guinness Beef Stew
• 
  Taco Soup

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Notes

1. The pot- you’ll want a large pot with a heavy bottom to prevent burning. Thin-bottomed pans are notorious for hot spots that can burn your stew.
2. Deglazing the pan- deglazing pulls off all the little bits of meat and veggies (called the fond) that stuck to the bottom of the pan. The key to it is to use a rigid spatula or wooden spoon to scrape the bottom of the pan when you add the wine. As soon as the liquid hits the pan, start scraping and stirring until the bottom is free of any stuck bits.
   • Why is this important? Because those little brown bits are flavor gold! They add tremendous flavor to your dish, so don’t skip this step!
3. Bacon drippings- Sautéing the veggies in bacon drippings adds lots of flavors. There should be a tablespoon of drippings from the bacon. If you find you have excess bacon grease, drain some before adding the veggies. If you don’t want to use it at all, I suggest olive or vegetable oil instead.
4. The Veggies – You can adjust vegetable amounts and types to suit what you like or what you have in the fridge! Turnips, butternut squash, or chunks of tomato are all good ideas.

Nutrition

Serving: 1/6 of the recipe | Calories: 480kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 87mg | Sodium: 874mg | Potassium: 1288mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 7526IU | Vitamin C: 17mg | Calcium: 82mg | Iron: 4mg

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