Pork Stew in Practice
This is how I ended up making Pork Stew, with my methodology turned into a recipe. As with all stews, this is better the next day.
The big uncertainly was how long the pork would take to get tender. I added veggies based on my estimate of 90 min, cooking time ended up being 2 hrs so the potatoes are softer than I like. I adjusted my recipe to take this into account.
The size of everything else queues off the pork. Boston Butt has a lot of unpleasant intermuscular fat (as opposed to the nice intramuscular fat, aka marbling). You can have even 1" cubes with lumps of fat, or remove the fat and get irregular chunks. Everything else cubed should be about the same size as the pork.
Best way to use the spices (except for the bay leaves) is to crush them in a mortar before adding them. I find whole rosemary spikes unpleasant; at least crush them in your hand before adding. Don't skip the vinegar, it adds brightness to the stew.
The veggies on the list are the ones I happened to have. Use what you have, adding them so they're cooked but not mushy by the end of the 2 hrs. (30 min before finish for potato, 15 min for carrot or parsnip, etc.) I've included instructions for roasted garlic and onion so you can try them yourself. You can also use regular strength chicken stock and less red wine - the total should be enough to just cover the ingredients.
All simmers should be low to maximize meat tenderness.
This made about a gallon of stew but remember that all amounts - inputs and outputs - are approximate. I may, if I get ambitious, drain off the liquid, use it to make barley, and add all that back in. I may also thicken the stew, either with cornstarch or burre manie; as it stands the liquid is soup-thin.
Pork Stew
olive oil
4 large portobelloes, cubed
2 lbs. Boston Butt pork, cubed
1 c. celery, chopped
2 c. leek, minced (can use onion instead)
1/2 bottle hearty red wine
1 c. 3x concentrated chicken stock
2 bay leaves
1 head roasted garlic*
2 roasted onions*
1 c. semi-dehydrated zucchini
2-4 waxy potatoes, cubed
main spices: rosemary, pepper, spiced salt designed for red meat
1/4 c. cabernet vinegar (or other red wine vinegar)
In heavy 4 qt pot, saute mushrooms till dry. Remove.
Brown meat, remove. (This can take 30 min.)
Deglaze pot with a bit of red wine, add to meat.
Saute celery and leek till leek is soft.
Add meat, red wine, stock and bay leaf. Simmer 1 hr.
Add portobelloes, roast garlic and roast onion, simmer 30 min.
Add potatoes and main spices, simmer 20 min.
Add vinegar, simmer till pork is done and sauce flavors are nicely melded, about 10 min.
* To make roasted garlic and onion: Cut the top off a head of garlic, making sure each clove is exposed. Peel onion, halve along equator. Place onion (cut side down) and garlic (cut side up) on broiler pan, drizzle with oil making sure each clove gets some. Roast at 425F or so till onion is translucent brown, about 1 hr.
The big uncertainly was how long the pork would take to get tender. I added veggies based on my estimate of 90 min, cooking time ended up being 2 hrs so the potatoes are softer than I like. I adjusted my recipe to take this into account.
The size of everything else queues off the pork. Boston Butt has a lot of unpleasant intermuscular fat (as opposed to the nice intramuscular fat, aka marbling). You can have even 1" cubes with lumps of fat, or remove the fat and get irregular chunks. Everything else cubed should be about the same size as the pork.
Best way to use the spices (except for the bay leaves) is to crush them in a mortar before adding them. I find whole rosemary spikes unpleasant; at least crush them in your hand before adding. Don't skip the vinegar, it adds brightness to the stew.
The veggies on the list are the ones I happened to have. Use what you have, adding them so they're cooked but not mushy by the end of the 2 hrs. (30 min before finish for potato, 15 min for carrot or parsnip, etc.) I've included instructions for roasted garlic and onion so you can try them yourself. You can also use regular strength chicken stock and less red wine - the total should be enough to just cover the ingredients.
All simmers should be low to maximize meat tenderness.
This made about a gallon of stew but remember that all amounts - inputs and outputs - are approximate. I may, if I get ambitious, drain off the liquid, use it to make barley, and add all that back in. I may also thicken the stew, either with cornstarch or burre manie; as it stands the liquid is soup-thin.
Pork Stew
olive oil
4 large portobelloes, cubed
2 lbs. Boston Butt pork, cubed
1 c. celery, chopped
2 c. leek, minced (can use onion instead)
1/2 bottle hearty red wine
1 c. 3x concentrated chicken stock
2 bay leaves
1 head roasted garlic*
2 roasted onions*
1 c. semi-dehydrated zucchini
2-4 waxy potatoes, cubed
main spices: rosemary, pepper, spiced salt designed for red meat
1/4 c. cabernet vinegar (or other red wine vinegar)
In heavy 4 qt pot, saute mushrooms till dry. Remove.
Brown meat, remove. (This can take 30 min.)
Deglaze pot with a bit of red wine, add to meat.
Saute celery and leek till leek is soft.
Add meat, red wine, stock and bay leaf. Simmer 1 hr.
Add portobelloes, roast garlic and roast onion, simmer 30 min.
Add potatoes and main spices, simmer 20 min.
Add vinegar, simmer till pork is done and sauce flavors are nicely melded, about 10 min.
* To make roasted garlic and onion: Cut the top off a head of garlic, making sure each clove is exposed. Peel onion, halve along equator. Place onion (cut side down) and garlic (cut side up) on broiler pan, drizzle with oil making sure each clove gets some. Roast at 425F or so till onion is translucent brown, about 1 hr.