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!

Course Main Course, Soup

Cuisine American

Keyword How Do I Make Pork Stew, How To Make Pork Stew, Pork Stew, Pork Stew Recipe

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 1 52

Total Time 2 7

Servings - 8 servings

Calories 480kcal

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.

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