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Classic Homestyle Pork Stew

5 from 20 votes
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This easy and delicious home-style pork stew is the perfect hot, filling meal that is absolutely loaded with root vegetables and tender, falling-apart pork shoulder. It only requires a bit of prep and not too long a cooking time, making it a perfect weekend dinner for the whole family.

For more delicious pork shoulder recipes, why not try making Instant Pot Pulled Pork or some Pulled Pork Sandwiches!

Table of Contents
  1. Classic Homestyle Pork Stew
  2. Classic Homestyle Pork Stew Ingredients
  3. How To Make Classic Homestyle Pork Stew
  4. How To Play Around With The Flavor Profile Of This Stew
  5. How To Know When Your Pork Is Done Cooking
  6. Pin this recipe to your SOUPS & STEW RECIPES Board and Remember to FOLLOW ME ON PINTEREST!
  7. Classic Homestyle Pork Stew Recipe
pork stew in a white bowl

Classic Homestyle Pork Stew

Pork is such a tasty meat, and there is so much variety in the different cuts. Each different piece can be used in a thousand different ways in a thousand different recipes.

Certain cuts, like the humble pork shoulder, are a bit more limited in what they can do. This is because of the sheer quantity of connective tissue within the meat, necessitating long, slow cooking times.

This makes it amazingly perfect for use in stews. This recipe for a classic pork stew uses all of the comforting ingredients and flavors you would expect to create a tender, succulent, and warming stew.               

pork stew ingredients

Classic Homestyle Pork Stew Ingredients

Make sure you look at the recipe card at the very bottom for the exact amounts so that you know exactly what to buy for this recipe.

• Pork shoulder, cut into ½ inch pieces

• Flour

• Salt & pepper

• Thick cut bacon

• White onion

• Minced garlic

• Beef stock

• Worcestershire sauce

• Tomato paste

• Red wine

• Dried rosemary

• Dried thyme

• Medium carrots cut into 1-inch chunks

• Russet potatoes cut into 1-inch chunks

• Celery

• Sliced white mushrooms

• Bay leaves

• Fresh parsley   

pork stew ingredients in a white Dutch oven

How To Make Classic Homestyle Pork Stew

• Whisk together the flour, salt & pepper

• Place the pork in the flour mixture and toss until the pork is coated, shaking off the excess

• In a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat

• Cook the bacon until it is tender-crisp

• Remove the bacon and drain on a paper towel-lined plate

• 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 sauté for 6 minutes, or until soft

• Add in the garlic and sauté another 2 minutes until browned slightly and fragrant

• Whisk together the broth, Worcestershire, tomato paste, rosemary, and thyme, as well as the 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 of the bottom of the pot

• Pour more stock to clean the bottom by scraping it up, followed by the rest of the broth

• Add the pork and 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 minutes, until the pork is fork-tender, remove and serve  

pork stew in a white bowl

How To Play Around With The Flavor Profile Of This Stew

This recipe is a pretty cut and dry pork style, giving you all of the warming, homey flavors and feelings you would expect from a pork stew.

This makes it pretty tricky to play around with many of the ingredients because so many of them are integral to that flavor profile that works so well as a stew.

The best way to change some of the flavors, however, would be to play around with the stock and wine.

Instead of beef stock, you could use chicken or pork. Chicken stock will make it taste a bit more well-rounded, with a bit less of an intense, umami flavor profile, whereas pork will make the whole dish taste a lot “porkier.”

The red wine could easily be swapped for white wine in place of whatever red wine you might have chosen. This won’t impact the flavor too much, as most of what the wine contributes is acidity and a bright, intense flavor profile, but if you choose a white wine you like filled with lots of specific flavors, like berries or citrus, you will definitely get some of those flavor notes in the stew.

pork stew in a white Dutch oven

How To Know When Your Pork Is Done Cooking

The problem with cooking such tough cuts as pork shoulder knows exactly when they are done.

Unlike the more tender cuts, pork shoulder can take a really long time; if you eat it too soon, it will be almost unbearably tough.

This is because of the connective tissue within the meat. It needs a long time cooking to allow it to melt into gelatin, which helps it fall apart and feel succulent to our tastes.

The easiest way to figure out if your pork is done or not is to stick a fork into it. If the pork is done, the fork should pierce the pork with almost no resistance and come right out again.

Looking for more delicious Pork recipes? Try these out:

Instant Pot Pork Roast

How to Cook a Boneless Pork Loin Roast

Saucy Brown Sugar Baked Pork Chops

Enjoy!! I hope that I have given you a new stew idea for the winter! Pork isn’t really the first thing we think of when it comes to stews but it should be!

Love,

Karlynn

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This easy and delicious homestyle pork stew is the perfect hot, filling meal that's loaded with root vegetables and tender, falling-apart pork shoulder.
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Classic Homestyle Pork Stew

This easy and delicious homestyle pork stew is the perfect hot, filling meal that's loaded with root vegetables and tender, falling-apart pork shoulder.
5 from 20 votes
Prep Time
20 minutes
Cook Time
40 minutes
Courses
Main Course, Soup
Cuisine
American
Servings
8
Calories
432
Author
Karlynn Johnston

Ingredients
 

  • 2 1/2 pounds pork shoulder cut into 1/2 inch pieces
  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 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
  • 1/3 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 sliced white mushrooms
  • 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.

Recipe 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 Information

Calories: 432kcal, Carbohydrates: 40g, Protein: 28g, Fat: 17g, Saturated Fat: 6g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 8g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 76mg, Sodium: 734mg, Potassium: 1411mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 5g, Vitamin A: 3955IU, Vitamin C: 14mg, Calcium: 71mg, Iron: 4mg

All calories and info are based on a third party calculator and are only an estimate. Actual nutritional info will vary with brands used, your measuring methods, portion sizes and more.

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Karlynn Johnston

I’m a busy mom of two, wife & cookbook author who loves creating fast, fresh meals for my little family on the Canadian prairies. Karlynn Facts: I'm allergic to broccoli. I've never met a cocktail that I didn't like. I would rather burn down my house than clean it. Most of all, I love helping YOU get dinner ready because there's nothing more important than connecting with our loved ones around the dinner table!

Learn more about me

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Reader Interactions

Comments & Recipe Tips Share a tip or comment!

  1. Jim Baxted says

    Can this recipe be done in the crock pot as well?

  2. 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!!5 stars

  3. 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.5 stars

  4. 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.5 stars

  5. 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 “

  6. 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.

  7. Jodi Stallings says

    Delicious, a lot of steps,but well worth it!5 stars

  8. Bonnie says

    Can I use boneless pork chops? That’s what I have

  9. 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!5 stars

  10. Robert P Long says

    Can you use pork loin? The recipe sounds so delicious but I have a pork loin.5 stars

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