The rich flavors of this classic pork stew recipe with tender root vegetables is going to become a new family favorite. I have had many bowls of stew in my life, but had never thought to make with pork. Inspired by other popular recipes, I set out to make my own and found that this is by far one of my favorite ways to add pork to our menu.
Pork Stew Recipe
Sometimes you just need a nice thick comforting stew for dinner. To me, it brings back comforting memories of my childhood. For you, it may be just another dish that makes you feel warm and full after a long day. While stew is usually a fall and winter food, in our house it is soup and stew season all year long.
If you aren't a big fan of pork, don't worry, this recipe adds tons of flavor, but in the words of my son, doesn't taste "too porklike". The rich sauce, spices, and of course, the vegetables, all add a delicious richness that is satisfying for everyone.
What is Pork Stew Meat Cut From?
I use a boneless pork roast and cut it into chunks for this recipe. In my opinion, this slightly more marbled option gives a much better flavor but also makes a more tender end result.
While you may be tempted to use a pork loin or chop since it tends to be more tender than other recipes, I avoid it for this recipe. Pork loins and chops dry out very easily as they have less fat. For a slower cooked recipe such as this, I prefer reaching for that roast that has more marbling.
How do I Make Sure the Pork is Tender?
As mentioned above, tender pork comes from either a nice marbling of fat or the right cook time. A marbled cut of pork like a roast or shoulder will need to cook longer to tenderize. If using a loin or chop, shorter cooking time is preferred to keep the tenderness.
Pork gets more tender the longer it is cooked when it is a tougher cut of meat like a pork shoulder or pork roast. A tenderloin or chop will need to be cooked for shorter periods of time until just to a safe temperature to stay tender and moist.
What Vegetables Go In Pork Stew?
You can add any vegetable to a pork stew that you prefer. I grew up with a simple combination of carrots, onions, and potatoes more often than others as they were always in our pantry or refrigerator. If you prefer other vegetables, feel free to throw them into the mix. Traditionally, stews are served with more root vegetables than greens or cruciferous vegetables. Below are some ideas that may be appealing to your family.
- Potatoes
- Carrots
- Leaks
- Celery
- Onions
- Mushrooms
- Turnips
- Parsnips
- Cabbage
- Tomatoes
- Zucchini
- Squash
- Corn
- Water chestnuts
- Yams
- Rutabaga
What Should I Serve with this Stew?
If you want a more traditional side to stew, you will reach for bread. In our house, that typically means a nice cornbread. You might prefer biscuits or a nice slice of this homemade French bread recipe. There are also a lot of great options on this list of yeast free bread recipes.
If you adapt this for a more keto-friendly version, then this keto bread recipe would be a great choice. It's easy to make and perfect toasted alongside any stoup or stew.
Do I Have to use Wine in This Recipe?
No! While wine is commonly used in stews and soups to add more flavor and richness, it isn't necessary. If you don't drink or cook with alcohol, simply substitute this amount with vegetable or chicken broth.
Ingredients
- Boneless pork roast
- All-purpose flour
- Salt
- Black pepper
- Smoked paprika
- Olive oil
- Onion
- Garlic
- White wine (optional)
- Celery
- Carrots
- Potatoes
- Chicken stock
- Tomatoes
- Worcestershire sauce
- Bay leaves
- Dried basil
- Dried oregano
- Baby bella mushrooms
- Frozen peas
- Parsley
How to make Pork Stew with Root Vegetables
Cut your pork roast into 1" cubes.
In a medium bowl, combine flour, salt, pepper, and paprika.
Dredge the pork in the flour mixture.
In a large dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium-high heat.
Once the oil is hot, place the pork in an even layer on the bottom of the pan. You may need to do this process in 2-3 batches depending upon the size of your dutch oven and the amount of pork used.
Brown for 2-3 minutes on each side until the pieces are browned and then transfer to a plate.
Add the onion to the dutch oven and saute for 1 minute then add the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.
Pour the wine (or broth) into the pot and stir to deglaze the pan scraping the bottom of the pot to remove the browned bits from cooking the pork.
To the dutch oven, add the celery, carrots, and potatoes to the pot with chicken broth, tomatoes, and Worcestershire sauce and stir.
Add in the bay leaves, dried basil, dried oregano, remaining salt and black pepper to the mixture and stir.
Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
Add the pork pieces back into the dutch oven and stir then cover.
Simmer for 30-40 minutes.
Add the mushrooms and frozen peas to the stew and simmer uncovered for an additional 10-15 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.
Season with additional salt and pepper to taste, and remove the bay leaves before serving.
Serve with chopped parsley and your favorite side of bread.
More Delicious Comfort Food
You may also like this savory Spanish garlic bread soup recipe. It's a unique comforting soup with rich garlic flavor. Of course, one of the best comfort foods ever is a big bowl of Southern-style baked macaroni and cheese alongside skillet pork chops or herbed chicken thighs and mushrooms.
Chef's Tip
Adding a dutch oven to your kitchen tools is a must for every chef. This versatile kitchen tool is great for stove top and oven cooking. Whether making a stew like this or baking up a cobbler, it's a perfect addition to your kitchenware.
📖 Recipe
Rich Pork Stew Recipe with Root Vegetables
Follow this easy recipe video for a delicious richly flavored pork stew filled with your favorite root vegetables and tender bits of boneless pork.
Ingredients
- 2 ½ lbs boneless pork roast, cut into 1" cubes
- ¼ cup all purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoon salt, divided
- 1 ½ teaspoon black pepper, divided
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 3 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion, chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 cup white wine (or chicken broth)
- 2 celery stalks, cut into ½" chunks
- 5 carrots, peeled and cut into ½" chunks
- 4 medium Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1" chunks
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
- 2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 8 oz Baby Bella mushrooms, chopped
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 1 bunch parsley, chopped for garnish
Instructions
- Whisk together flour, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, and paprika in a medium bowl then toss the pork cubes in it until coated;
- Heat olive oil over medium heat in a large dutch oven;
- Once oil is hot, place the pork in an even layer on the bottom of the pan. You may need to do this process in 2-3 batches depending upon the size of your dutch oven and amount of pork used;
- Brown the pork for 2-3 minutes on each side until all pieces are browned and then transfer to a plate;
- Add the onion to the pan and saute for 1 minute then add the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds stirring as it cooks;
- Add the wine or equal amounts of broth to the dutch oven and stir while scraping the bottom of the pan to deglaze any cooked bits from the pot;
- Add the celery, carrots, potatoes, chicken broth, tomatoes, and Worcestershire sauce and stir to combine;
- Add the bay leaves, dried basil, dried oregano, remaining salt and black pepper, then stir;
- Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 4 to 5 minutes;
- Add the pork back to the dutch oven, stir and cover simmering for 30-40 minutes stirring occasionally;
- Add the mushrooms and frozen peas to the stew and simmer uncovered for an additional 10-15 minutes or until the mushrooms are tender;
- Season with additional salt and pepper if needed, then serve with a slice of bread and fresh parsley on top.
Notes
Serve this recipe with a side of cornbread, biscuits, or crusty toasted bread.
Recommended Products
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AmazonBasics Enameled Cast Iron Covered Dutch Oven, 6-Quart, Blue
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Lodge 7 Quart Oval Enameled Dutch Oven. Classic Red Enamel Cast Iron Dutch Oven (Red)
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Smoked Paprika - 32 oz (16 oz/ 1 Lb Each) -Paprika Powder - Paprika Bulk - Smoked Paprika Powder - Smoke Paprika - Bulk Spices
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Wild Greek Dried Mountain Oregano Bunch 220g 7.8oz 1.95 | Etsy
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1 LB Organic Dried Basil Leaf Bulk Dried Herbs Culinary | Etsy
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Bulk Bay Whole Leaves 1 Lb Organic Natural Herbalist | Etsy
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
6Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 854Total Fat: 48gSaturated Fat: 16gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 28gCholesterol: 172mgSodium: 1221mgCarbohydrates: 46gFiber: 8gSugar: 9gProtein: 52g
CHARLETNEWTON
AFTER HAVING A TASTE OF SCRAMBLEDCHEFS RICH PORK STEW IT HAVE BEEN THE BEST DAY OF MY LIFE, EVERYONE I WAS WITH THAT DAY WAS SINCERELY HAPPY WITH ME, AND I THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING, RICH PORK STEW HAVE COME AS A REGULAR IN MEAL'S, YOUR THE BEST SCRAMBLEDCHEFS, YOUR'S TRULY CHARLETNEWTONBECAMETRIPLE9
CHARLETNEWTON
THANK YOU
Katie Hale
I am so glad you have enjoyed this!
KAREN DATSKO
This is the best pork stew I have ever made. I doubled up on the pepper and added some onion powder. We will make this many more times. Thanks for sharing this recipe.
Kelly
I do not get the calorie count on this. Why so high?
Katie Hale
If you make 6 larger servings from this it is definitely that high. That is a 2 cup serving. A more traditional 1 cup serving would be more reasonable if you are watching calories.
Mary
What size Dutch Oven do you suggest. Mine is 2-1/2 quarts. Is that too small?
Katie Hale
This amount is best in a 5-quart or larger. Your Dutch oven would be a bit too small but you can cut the recipe in half or make it in a regular stockpot/soup pot.
Sandra Darnall
I had a lb of mild Italian bulk sausage to use up. With that addition, this stew turned out absolutely delicious. Really, give it a try.
Rox
Could I use a slow cooker instead of Dutch oven?
Thank you
Katie Hale
While you can cook stew in the slow cooker, it would be a different process altogether. For this recipe, it is best cooked on the stove top.
Michelle Holder
What would be different about the process??
Katie Hale
The slow cooker does cook differently and while this recipe would work in it, I have not made it that way and cannot guarantee the results would be the tender pork and vegetables with rich flavors you get when preparing as shown. For a slow cooker you could start with the same process then dump into the cooker and leave on low to finish cooking for 4 to 6 hours, but that would require almost as much work as just cooking on the stovetop.
Sandy
Add to a Crockpot after chicken stock has been added and scraped bottom of fry pan of bits. High 5 hours. Delish.Did not use white wine or peas.
Sadporkstewgirl
I don't know where I went wrong but it's very bland :/
Katie Hale
I'm sorry you weren't happy with the results. I recommend tasting as it cooks and adding additional salt if needed. You can also add other spices such as more paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, or even a bi9t of chili powder for more heat if you wanted. Typically I recommend starting with 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon and adding more only if it still isn't how you want after another 5 minutes of cook time.