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Why You’ll Love My Recipe
This Classic Homestyle Pork Stew is comfort food at its best. Warm, filling, and packed with tender pork shoulder and hearty root vegetables, it’s the kind of meal that feels like a hug in a bowl. With just a bit of prep and a manageable cook time, it’s perfect for a cozy weekend dinner the whole family will love!
Looking for more delicious ways to use your pork shoulder? My Instant Pot Pulled Pork and hearty Pulled Pork Sandwiches are both must-tries!
Reader Review
I never even thought of making stew with pork until I saw this recipe. It was absolutely delicious, and I will make this again in the fall!!
Karlynn’s Recipe Notes
- Skill Level: This Classic Homestyle Pork Stew is easy to make and beginner-friendly – no fuss, just simple comfort food!
- Total Time: Dinner is ready in about 1 hour from start to finish, with most of that time spent simmering on the stove.
- Variations: Feel free to swap the beef stock for chicken or pork stock. Chicken stock gives the stew a lighter, more rounded flavor, while pork stock adds a rich, pork-forward taste. Serve your stew with The BEST Buttery Garlic Mashed Potatoes, toasty White Bread, or my Simple Crostini Recipe to soak up every drop!
- Tools For This Recipe: You will need a large mixing bowl, a whisk, a knife for chopping, a large Dutch oven, and a spatula or spoon for cooking and stirring.
What You’ll Need for Ingredients
Pork Shoulder: Use about 2½ pounds of pork shoulder, cut into ½-inch pieces. This cut becomes incredibly tender as it simmers and pairs perfectly with the Worcestershire sauce and tomato paste in the stew.
Bacon: Diced, thick-cut bacon adds a smoky richness and builds the flavor base of the stew right from the start. Karlynn’s Tip: Let the bacon render slowly so you get plenty of flavorful fat for sautéing the vegetables!
Root Vegetables: Classic stew vegetables like onion, garlic, carrots, and russet potatoes bring sweetness, heartiness, and structure to your meal. Combined with the celery and mushrooms, you’ll end up with a nutritious, well-rounded stew.
Beef Stock: Beef stock pairs surprisingly well with pork, adding savory depth without overpowering your meal. Karlynn’s Tip: You can swap in chicken stock for a lighter, less umami flavor, or use pork stock if you want the stew to taste extra “porky.”
Dried Herbs: A blend of dried rosemary, thyme, and bay leaves gives your stew the classic, comforting aroma and herby taste that’s loved in a slow-simmered dish!
How To Make Classic Homestyle Pork Stew
This is a quick overview of the recipe. The full list of ingredients & complete step-by-step instructions are in the recipe card below.
- Whisk together the flour, salt, and pepper.
- Place the pork in the flour mixture and toss until it’s fully coated, shaking off any excess.
- In a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat, cook the bacon until it is tender but crisp. You’ll know it’s done when it reaches a safe internal temperature of 145°F!
- Remove the bacon and place it on a paper towel-lined plate.
- Add in the pork and cook in batches until all sides are browned. Again, ensure your meat reaches a safe internal temperature of 145°F.
- Remove the pork and place it on a plate.
- Add the onions to the Dutch oven and sauté for 6 minutes, or until soft.
- Add the garlic and sauté for 2 minutes until it’s slightly browned and fragrant.
- Whisk together the beef stock, Worcestershire sauce, tomato paste, rosemary, thyme, and red wine.
- Pour a small amount of the stock mixture into the bottom of the Dutch oven and deglaze by scraping the browned bits off the bottom of the pot.
- Pour in more stock and scrape the bottom again, followed by the remaining broth.
- Add the pork and bacon back into the pot.
- Add in the vegetables and bay leaves, then stir until combined.
- Bring the mixture to a low boil, cover, and reduce the heat.
- Cook for 40-50 minutes, until the pork is fork-tender.
Karlynn’s Tips and Tricks for the Perfect Classic Homestyle Pork Stew
- Stick to the Classics: This is a straightforward, classic pork stew, full of the cozy, homey flavors we all love. Many of the ingredients are essential to that traditional taste, so instead of swapping major components, the easiest way to change things up is by adjusting the stock or the wine.
- Play with the Wine: Feel free to swap the red wine for white wine if that’s what you have on hand! Wine mainly adds acidity and brightness, so the stew will still taste balanced. Keep in mind that aromatic white wines with citrus or fruit notes may subtly influence the final stew profile.
- Low and Slow Is Key: Pork shoulder is a tough cut that needs time to become tender. Cooking it low and slow allows the connective tissue to melt into gelatin, making the meat tender and succulent. To test for doneness, slide a fork into the pork – it should slide in easily and pull back out with almost no resistance!
Storage Instructions
This Classic Homestyle Pork Stew holds up beautifully after cooking and makes the best cozy leftovers! Here’s how to keep your stew at its best.
Refrigerator: Cool the stew completely and place it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. As it rests, the flavors deepen, and it’s even better the next day!
Freezer: Place your cooled stew in freezer-safe containers and freeze for up to 3 months, following USDA food safety guidelines. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and reheat slowly on the stovetop until steaming hot.
More Delicious Pork Recipes
If you loved this pork stew, you’ll want to try more of my favorite Pork Recipes recipes next:
- My Instant Pot Pork Roast is quick, juicy, and packed with flavor – an easy pressure-cooker dinner the whole family will love!
- Learn How to Cook a Boneless Pork Loin Roast for a simple, beginner-friendly guide to perfectly cooked pork every time.
- Saucy Brown Sugar Baked Pork Chops bring the perfect balance of sweet and savory in every tender bite!
And just like that, dinner is done! This Classic Homestyle Pork Stew is pure comfort in a bowl – warm, filling, and perfect for chilly winter nights. I hope this recipe inspires you to try something a little different the next time you’re craving a hearty stew, because pork shoulder absolutely shines here!
Grab a bowl, get cozy, and share in the comments how this stew turned out for you! You know that I always love to hear how you make these recipes your own.
Happy Cooking!
Karlynn
Classic Homestyle Pork Stew
Ingredients
- 2 ½ pounds pork shoulder, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
- ½ cup flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 6 slices thick cut bacon, diced
- 1 medium white onion, diced
- 2 tablespoons minced garlic
- 4 cups beef stock
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- ⅓ cup red wine, optional
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 3-4 medium carrots , washed and cut into 1-inch chunks
- 3 large russet potatoes , washed and cut into 1-inch chunks
- 2 stalks celery, sliced
- 1 cup white mushrooms, sliced
- 2 bay leaves
- fresh parsley, to garnish
Instructions
- Whisk together the flour, salt and pepper. Place the pork in the flour mixture and toss until the pork is coated. Shake off the excess.
- In a large Dutch oven over medium high heat, cook the bacon until it’s tender crisp. Remove the bacon and drain on a paper towel lined plate, leaving the drippings.
- Add in the pork and cook in batches until all sides of the cubes are browned. Remove and place on a plate. Add in the onions and saute for 6-7 minutes, or until soft. Add in the garlic and saute another 2 minutes until browned and fragrant.
- Whisk together the broth, Worcestershire, tomato paste, rosemary and thyme. (add red wine now as well if desired).
- Pour a small amount of the stock mixture into the bottom of the Dutch oven and deglaze by scraping the browned bits off of the bottom of the pot. Pour more stock mixture in as needed until the bottom is cleaned and the browned bits have dissolved into the liquid, then add the rest of the broth.
- Add the pork and the bacon back into the pot.
- Add in the vegetables and bay leaves and then stir until combined.
- Bring the mixture to a low boil, cover and reduce the heat.
- Cook for 40-50 minutes, until the pork is fork tender.
- Remove and serve.
Notes
- You can change the flavor profile of this dish by using chicken stock and white wine. The choice is up to you! Pork is extremely versatile and works well with both beef and chicken stocks.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Sam says
Excellent! The flavor was very good. I made it as directed. I will make this again.
I did add one thing—I added a roux at the end. I simmered it for a little longer until the liquid thickened. We like our stews on the thicker side like gravy.
Jim Baxted says
Can this recipe be done in the crock pot as well?
Kyle Paris says
I never even thought of making stew with pork until I saw this recipe, it was absolutely delicious and I will make this again in the fall!!
Clancy says
I have not made this yet and I’m rating it 5 stars as I’ve never cooked a bad recipe from The Kitchen Magpie. I have 3 pounds of pork stew meat (never knew there was such a thing.) Karlynn, I’m asking if you think I could possibly cook it in an electric pressure cooker? Do you have any suggestions on the timing for a PC cook, or, how about a cook time on the slow cook function? Could I use your IP beef stew recipe but timing could be off? Thank you, as always.
Emilia Rak says
I also add red wine and substitute sweet potatoes for the regular potatoes. This dish is my family’s ABSOLUTE FAVORITE! It’s absolutely idiot proof and uh-MAY-singly delicious! Seriously, my family insists that I make this stew at least twice per month regardless of the time of year. We live in the south so it gets hot fast. But they still insist I make this stew.
Jim S. says
Winner winner pork stew dinner! No wine in the house so I used Jim Beam! Also substituted coriander for rosemary. Used boneless chops. Turned out great! To quote Donnie Brasco “fugettaboutit “
Theresa says
I hate pork chops. but have many in the freezer. can I chop them up and use them in stead in this recipe?
My husband is a plain kind of guy. salt and pepper only. doesn’t like if I marinade the porkchops to make then tender. That is why porkchops do not turn out great in my house.
Jodi Stallings says
Delicious, a lot of steps,but well worth it!
kay says
Can I use country pork ribs
Bonnie says
Can I use boneless pork chops? That’s what I have
Karlynn Johnston says
Pork loin won’t cook and fall apart nicely, it would be rather tough and chewy in this recipe. I have some great pork loin recipes for roasting it!
Darin E. says
If you slow cook the loin for a longer time it will become tender. You just can’t cook the vegetables that long, as they will become mushy. A low simmer for 90 minutes should make the meat tender, then add the veggies for the last 30 minutes. Should be great. I am trying this recipe tonight, cannot wait!
Robert P Long says
Can you use pork loin? The recipe sounds so delicious but I have a pork loin.