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Pork stew might not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of stew recipes. Classic beef stew usually steals the show, but this pork stew recipe — in the most delicious way possible — will make you rethink that assumption. If you love that rich, slow-simmered stew flavor, my classic beef stew is the perfect starting point.
Tons of fork-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.
💗 This stew reminds me of the kind of meal that fills the house with good smells on a Sunday afternoon — the kind that brings everyone to the table before you even call them.
What You’ll 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
✨ Before You Begin
✨ Choose the right pot: Use a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven to help prevent scorching and promote even cooking.
✨ Brown the pork in batches: Don’t crowd the pan. Browning creates caramelized bits (fond) that make your stew richer and more flavorful.
✨ Deglaze like a pro: When you add the wine, scrape up every brown bit from the bottom — those are pure flavor gold!
✨ Don’t rush the simmer: Low and slow cooking is the secret to tender pork and beautifully melded flavors.
✨ Thickening: Our recipe creates a rich and thick stew and gravy without a cornstarch slurry. If something goes wrong and you need a thickener, start by dissolving one tablespoon of cornstarch with three tablespoons of cold water. Whisk it until smooth, then add it to the stew. Again, I want to reiterate that you’ll only need the slurry if something is forgotten or a step is missed. It’s a rescue plan!
✨ Adjust to taste: Feel free to swap veggies or add extra broth if you prefer a looser, soupier texture.
Pork Stew Ingredients
- Pork: We like to cut our own pork stew meat because it’s hard to find already cut at the supermarket. We trim the pork shoulder of all visible fat and cut it into 1-inch cubes.
- Flour: We use all-purpose flour to coat the pork before browning.
- Salt and Black Pepper: These are our most important, foundational seasonings. Nothing tastes right when the s + p is off!
- 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. 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.
- 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. It’s also delicious with half beef broth and half chicken 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. I’ve gotten many emails regarding this ingredient! People say they were unsure whether they’d like the prunes in the pork stew. They ALL say how happy they were that they added them. If you’re unsure, give them a try. I honestly think you’re going to love the flavor they add!
- Check out what reader Karen says, “Wow, this was absolutely delicious. I was skeptical about the prunes but I did add them and it was yummy, gave the stew a nice depth of flavor. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐”
- Potatoes: I chose russet potatoes for this recipe because I love their creaminess. As they cook, their edges break down and thicken 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. As they get bigger, they start to get fibrous, which means they’re tougher. The flavor complements the pork deliciously.
Pro Tips for the Best Pork Stew
⭐ Use the right cut: Pork shoulder is ideal for stewing because its marbling breaks down beautifully during long, gentle cooking. Avoid lean cuts like tenderloin—they’ll dry out.
⭐ Deglaze thoroughly: When the wine hits the pan, scrape up every caramelized bit with a wooden spoon. This step builds the stew’s incredible flavor foundation. 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. 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!
⭐ Flavor layering: Cooking the vegetables in bacon drippings, then adding tomato paste and herbs, creates a deep, complex broth that tastes like it simmered all day.
⭐ Don’t skip the prunes: They may sound unexpected, but they melt into the stew and bring subtle sweetness that makes the savory flavors sing.
⭐ Different Spices To Try: Our recipe uses dried thyme, rosemary, and bay leaf. Occasionally, I’ll add smoked paprika or oregano to change the flavors.
How To Make Pork Stew
- Coat the pork with flour, salt, and pepper.
- Brown the pork in batches. Set aside.
- Cook the bacon in the same pot. Set aside.
- Add the onion, garlic, carrots, and celery.
- Saute the vegetables until soft.
- Add wine to the pot and scrape up the brown bits at the bottom of the pot.
- Add beef broth, tomato paste, browned pork, bacon, and herbs. Cover and simmer. Stir in prunes, potatoes, and parsnips, and continue to simmer. Adjust seasoning to taste.
- Serve.
***See the full instructions below.
Instant Pot Pork Stew
Want that rich, slow-simmered flavor in a fraction of the time? The Instant Pot makes it happen!
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Sauté and Brown: Set your Instant Pot to Sauté mode. Brown the pork in batches, then remove to a plate.
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Cook the Veggies: Add the bacon, onion, garlic, carrots, and celery, and sauté until softened.
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Deglaze: Pour in the white wine and scrape up all those flavorful browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
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Add Liquids and Seasonings: Stir in the beef broth, tomato paste, thyme, rosemary, bay leaves, salt, and pepper. Return the pork and bacon to the pot.
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Pressure Cook: Lock the lid, set the valve to Sealing, and cook on High Pressure for 35 minutes.
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Release Pressure: Allow a 10-minute natural release, then quick release any remaining pressure.
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Add the Veggies + Finish: Stir in the prunes, potatoes, and parsnips. Set back to Sauté and cook for 10–12 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender.
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Serve: Adjust seasonings, garnish with parsley, and serve piping hot!
Crockpot Pork Stew
Prefer a “set it and forget it” meal? The slow cooker version gives you all-day flavor with hardly any effort.
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Brown First: In a skillet, brown the pork in batches and cook the bacon until crisp. (Don’t skip this step — it adds incredible depth of flavor.)
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Layer in the Slow Cooker: Add the browned pork, bacon, onion, garlic, carrots, celery, beef broth, tomato paste, wine, thyme, rosemary, bay leaves, salt, and pepper.
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Cook Low and Slow: Cover and cook on LOW for 7–8 hours or HIGH for 4–5 hours, until the pork is fork-tender.
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Add Root Veggies: Stir in prunes, potatoes, and parsnips during the last hour of cooking so they stay perfectly tender.
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Finish + Serve: Remove bay leaves, adjust seasoning, and garnish with chopped parsley before serving.
Storing + Freezing + Make-Ahead
- How Long Does This Last In The Fridge? According to USDA guidelines, soup and stew leftovers should be kept in the fridge for 3-4 days. Be sure to keep leftovers in an airtight container.
- Can You Freeze This? You can freeze this pork stew recipe, but the veggies might lose some texture after a trip through the deep freeze. To freeze, allow the stew to cool completely before putting it in a freezer container. I like to freeze leftovers in 1-gallon freezer bags and flatten them when I place them in the freezer. It makes it easier to stack up leftovers in the freezer. 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 prep a lot of the veggies and meat beforehand and then assemble and cook them when you’re ready.
- Food Safety: If you’d like more info on food safety, check out this link.
What To Serve With Pork Stew
Pork stew recipe is as good as it gets on a cold winter day. It’s a great one-pot meal. That said, I like to serve it with a hunk of warm Southern cornbread or Bisquick cornbread (if you like your cornbread sweet and cake-like), homemade crescent rolls, cathead biscuits, Lion House rolls, butter swim biscuits, or Bisquick biscuits. We also love this with our easy-peasy beer bread served with Dijon mustard on the side. 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 or Southern-style green beans with this stew. You really can’t go wrong with any of these on the side.
More Favorite Pork Recipes
- Crockpot Pork Tenderloin
- Crockpot Pork Chops
- Crockpot Pulled Pork
- Instant Pot Pork Chops
- Crockpot Ranch Pork Chops
- Stuffed Pork Chops
- Grilled Pork Tenderloin
More Delicious Stew Recipes
Tried This Recipe?
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If you made this Pork Stew, I’d love to hear how it turned out! Please leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star rating and a review in the comments below — it helps our community of cooks, and it absolutely makes my day. 💕
Thanks for stopping by my kitchen today — happy cooking, friends! ❤️ Kathleen
Pork Stew
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
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.
Notes
- 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 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!
- 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.
Nutrition
Hi Again Kathleen,
Sorry for all my comments/questions! Though to any one reading the comments, I feel like this is proof this recipe is a winner. 🙂
If you read my last question, I was wondering if I could swap chicken broth for beef broth. I ended up doing so and it was good. Over a few days every drop was eaten. That being said, when I’ve made this is the past with beef broth, every drop was eaten by the end of the next day. So can you substitute? Absolutely! But you probably shouldn’t unless you have to.
My new question is about the wine. Can I substitute red wine for white? It’s raining cats and dogs here and I just couldn’t bring myself to leave the house so I ordered groceries. As part of these groceries I ordered a bottle of Chardonnay between $20 – $30 dollars. I include the price for anyone reading the comments. I used to cook with cheap ($5-$10) wine and it was quite yummy. When I started cooking with wine I’d also be okay drinking, recipes went from “quite yummy” to amazing. If you can afford to cook with decent to good wine, I’d recommend it. But this is not why I’m writing. I’m writing because instead of a bottle of Chardonnay, they delivered a bottle of Pinot Noir. Can I use it instead of white wine?
Hi, Amaya! Thank you so much for your updates! 🙂 I’m so happy it was a hit. I read some articles, and yes, go for the pinot noir with the same measurement as the white wine.
I’m excited for your next update 🙂 Enjoy!
This is one of my favorite recipes and I am craving it even though it’s the middle of August. I just realized that I have all the ingredients except for beef broth. Can I substitute chicken broth? Thanks!
Hi, Amaya! I haven’t tried that but I think chicken broth will perfectly go well. Enjoy! 🙂
Hi Kathleen, Fixxin to make your recipe, wanted to ‘crackpots it but no instructions 😢 But,the rave comments have swayed me to make the time and dutch oven it. Although it’s dog days of summer, I’m not going to deny my craving for a rich stew!
Thanks for the recipe
Hi, Lori! I hope it turned out perfect. Yes, it’s so hot! Next time I’ll make a crock pot version. Thank you for choosing this recipe. Enjoy!
Thank you for this recipe.
I added a can of black beans, couple handfuls of chopped kale and teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce. So filling and delicious!
Wow, that’s so healthy! Thank you so much for your feedback, Chris! 🙂
Delicious! I omitted the prunes and parsnips and added a bell pepper and extra carrots instead. My husband said he likes it better than beef stew! It was full of flavor 🤤
Wow, Hayley! That’s awesome. Glad y’all like this stew. Thank you for sharing your positive review 🙂
I never comment on recipes on any site. Until now…
I made this exactly as written (except I had about 4 lbs of pork butt, so I increased all of the ingredients proportionally.)
This recipe is fantastic. My family devoured the stew. The parsnips and prunes are important, even though it would be tempting to skip them or substitute. I have printed it off and will make it again!
Hi, Mike! Wow, that’s amazing. Thank you for your positive review! I agree with you on parsnips 🙂
I hope you’ll try our other soup and stews!
Excellent stew recipe, I thought it would do for two nights but it disappeared. Used apricots as I didn’t have prunes and swede as parsnips are hard to come by here in France. I have lots of dieced pork in the freezer so I’ll make it again before the end of winter. It’ll be good to leave on the wood burner cooking all day.
Hi, Debbie! Great substitutes! Glad you liked this stew. And I agree, it doesn’t last long 🙂
Thank you for sharing your positive feedback!
Delicious already and 30 mins left on cook time. I used a 4 oz jar of Beech-Nut puréed baby food prunes instead of diced prunes. Easy. Can’t wait for dinner.
Hi, Barbara! Your tweak sounds fantastic! So happy you liked it. Enjoy your dinner 🙂
Made this tonight to celebrate the first cold and rainy day of fall. I was a little skeptical about parsnip and prunes but I figured I’d give it a go. I couldn’t find prunes so ended up using raisins, and wow, so glad I didn’t skip those ingredients. This will definitely be a go to at my house!
That’s so amazing, Amaya! Perfect for the weather, right? Thank you for your positive review!
I think the recipe is great but I am a guy, and like many guys, I don’t pay close attention to directions.. I used about a cup of flower and a full little can of tomato paste.. As it started thickening way too soon I reread the directions.. Oh boy.. Salvage time! A beer or two later everything tasted great.. Kinda
LOL! It happens to the best of us! I’m glad you enjoyed it anyway <3
Pretty new to cooking and made this. one of the best meals I made so far! only think I did different, I added some chili peppers and toasted spices before adding them.
Yay! I’m happy you liked this stew, Karolis! I love your tweaks 🙂
Made this stew tonight…sooo good…perfect on a cold night. Gotta go…it’s done, time to eat.?
So pleased you enjoyed it, Ruthann <3
Very rainy in SC for the next few days and this looked too good to pass up and wait for Fall. Kinda sorry that now that I found it ???? It is sooooooo good I am going to be full from “tasting” it before we have dinner ?? I did not have prunes so I omitted them and will be serving it over rice even though it has potatoes in it. Also added some paprika and cayenne powder.
So glad you enjoyed, Glenda! <3
This looks so good! I have all the ingredients except for the prunes & parsnips. Could I substitute something else for these 2 things? Thank you!
Hi Janet! I haven’t tried substituting these ingredients yet but I think you can give raisins a try in place of prunes, then turnips, sweet potatoes, or parsley root for parsnips. Hope this helps!
Amazing stew. I love pork so much more than beef and this is a great idea. The bacon makes it!
Thank you, Cyndy! Enjoy! ?
Made this stew tonight exactly as the recipe is written. Absolutely delicious and now it’s my favorite stew recipe! I served it with homemade garlic bread! Everyone loved it as much as I did! Thank you Kathleen for the recipe!
I’m so happy to hear that this was a hit for you, Gina!
Made this for the family and it was a hit!
That’s awesome, Katie! So stoked you and your family loved it!
This stew is so mouthwatering and looks so flavorful. I love that it’s made in one pot too!
Thanks, Erika! Hope you enjoy it as much as I do! ?
This truly is the perfect winter meal! I love the balance of meat and veggies…so hearty and perfect. I wouldn’t mind getting cozy with a bowl of this a good movie 🙂
Thank you, Tammy! ❤️❤️
Such a great stew for this time of the year — love how easy it is to make!
Thank you so much, Sapana! ?
This recipe was time consuming, but very good. Next time I’d leave out the parsnips as they have a distinct flavor that I discovered I don’t like!
Thank you for sharing your experience, Liz!