This Simple Pork Stew includes tender braised pork shoulder, mixed with some of the fall season's best produce. Delicious sweet potatoes, kohlrabi, and apples are served along with the pork in a rich sauce.
When the weather turns chilly soups and stews become my favorite comfort food.
Here are a few more soup recipes to try: Roasted Tomato and Herb Soup, Pork Black Bean and Pumpkin Stew, Cream Free Leek and Potato Soup, Chili with Green Peppers, Roasted Cauliflower Soup, and Dutch Oven Beef Stew.
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Why You Will Love This Recipe
- This hearty stew is easy to double or triple and freezes really well for an even quicker meal later. This is one of my favorite ways to ensure I have a quick and easy meal for a later busy night.
- This one-pot meal is mostly hands-off while this Simple Pork Stew braises in the oven until the pork is fall-apart tender and the vegetables are perfectly cooked.
- I have also included slow cooker instructions so that you can choose the cooking method that works best for you.
Recipe Ingredients
You will need the following ingredients to make this delicious Simple Pork Stew.
Boneless Pork Roast: Boneless pork roast (sometimes called pork butt, boneless pork shoulder, or Boston butt) is one of those meats that is usually best cooked low and slow. Slow cooking this cut of meat helps to break down the connective tissue making it nice and tender.
This marbled cut of pork produces flavorful tender chunks of pork when cooked for a long time.
Pork shoulder is such a versatile cut of meat. You can Smoke a Pork Roast in an Electric Smoker and then use the it to make this Leftover Pulled Pork Casserole, this Leftover Roast Pork Stroganoff, or these delicious Pulled Pork Tacos.
Olive Oil: Don’t worry about using fancy olive oil. Basic olive oil will work just fine for searing the meat.
Kohlrabi: Look for kohlrabi that is firm, blemish-free, and about 3-5 inches in diameter. Avoid kohlrabi that is larger than 5 inches in diameter because it can be woody.
Need another kohlrabi recipe? Try these Baked Kohlrabi Fries.
Apples: I like to use a sweet and firm apples. Some of my favorites are gala, fuji, and honey crisp.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Substitutions and Variations
Yellow Onion: You can use either yellow or white onion.
Garlic: Fresh garlic will give you the best flavor. You can use freshly chopped garlic cloves, chopped garlic from a jar, or use some garlic paste from a tube. If you only have garlic powder reduce the amount to 1 ½ teaspoon for the meatballs and 1 ½ teaspoon for the sauce.
Herbs and Spices: Sage, thyme, ground mustard, cayenne pepper, and nutmeg are all used to flavor the soup. You could substitute fresh herbs for dried herbs but you will need to double the amount.
Chicken Stock: You could also substitute vegetable stock.
Hard Apple Cider: If you are avoiding alcohol try substituting regular apple cider. You could also substitute a semi-dry white wine.
Kohlrabi: Sometimes kohlrabi can be difficult to find at the store. If you can't find any kohlrabi turnips make a great substitute.
Step by Step Directions
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 325°F (165°C) and move the oven rack to the lower-middle position.
Step 2: Pat the pork shoulder dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper.
Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium high heat.
Step 3: Working in batches, add the pork pieces to the pot and sear on all sides, turning with tongs, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Remove the seared meat to a bowl.
Tip: Patting the pork dry before searing it is the easiest way to insure a crispy sear. To maximize flavor, salt and pepper the meat about 30 minutes before cooking. This will allow the salt to permeate into the meat flavoring it throughout. It will also help dry out the surface of the meat ensuring a great sear.
Tip: Crowding the pan by trying to brown all of the meat at once will cause it to steam instead of sear. Preventing the meat from browning and developing a lovely caramelized flavor.
Step 4: Reduce the heat to medium-low and pour off all but 2 tablespoons of fat from the pot. Add the onion and saute until softened, about 5 minutes.
Step 5: Stir in the garlic, dried sage, dried thyme, ground mustard, nutmeg, and cayenne. Cook until fragrant, stirring continuously, about 1 minute.
Step 6: Return pork and any accumulated juices back into the Dutch oven.
Add the broth and cider. Bring to a boil scraping any additional browned bits from the bottom of the pan, cover, and place in the oven to braise for 2 hours.
Step 7: Remove the pot from the oven and add the vinegar, sweet potatoes, kohlrabi, and apples. Cover and place back in the oven for thirty more minutes.
Step 8: Remove the pot from the oven again and add the green beans. Cover and place back in the oven and cook for an additional 30 minutes until the vegetables are tender.
Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed.
Tip: This stew can also be prepared in a slow cooker. I have included those directions in the recipe card below.
Serving Suggestions
Serve this stew with a flaky biscuit, crusty bread, cornbread, soft rolls or these Sourdough Scones.
I also usually serve a simple side salad like this Kale Apple Salad with this soup.
Recipe FAQs
Kohlrabi is a member of the brassica family which includes other vegetables like broccoli and cabbage. It comes in two varieties purple and green. Though it may look like it, kohlrabi is not a root vegetable. The bulb grows above the ground and is actually an enlarged portion of the stem.
It has a sweet mild juicy flavor with just a hint of peppery bite. It is very crunchy like an apple. Some people compare it to eating broccoli stems.
Both the leaves and stems are edible. It can be eaten both raw and cooked but should be peeled before being consumed.
Yes, kohlrabi, especially large ones, has tough woody skin that should be removed with a vegetable peeler or knife.
Kohlrabi is often sold with stems and leaves still attached. Trim the stems and leaves off. Save the leaves to saute just like you would kale or other leafy green vegetables. My favorite way to prepare kohlrabi leaves is to cook some bacon and then saute the leaves in the bacon grease.
Like most stews, this one tastes even better the day after it's made. Store it in the fridge in an airtight container for up to a week.
Reheat leftovers in the microwave or on the stovetop.
This stew can be frozen for up to three months. After the stew has cooled place it in an airtight container to freeze. Be sure to label the container with the date and the contents.
The stew can be reheated from frozen in the microwave or a pot on the stove.
Need tips on the best way to freeze stew?
Expert Tips
- I don't recommend substituting pork tenderloin or pork chops. They are typically too lean and will dry out during the long braising time. Pork loin and pork chops are better saved for dishes with a shorter cooking time. Save them for this Frozen Pork Chop Recipe.
- Salt and pepper the meat about 30 minutes before cooking to maximize flavor. This will allow the salt to permeate into the meat flavoring it throughout. It will also help dry out the surface of the meat ensuring a great sear.
- Brown the pork in batches. Crowding the pan by trying to brown all of the meat at once will cause it to steam instead of sear. Preventing the meat from browning and developing a lovely caramelized flavor.
- Kohlrabi: Sometimes kohlrabi can be difficult to find at the store. If you can't find any kohlrabi turnips make a great substitute.
- Save the kohlrabi leaves and saute them like kale or other leafy green vegetables.
- You could substitute fresh herbs for dried herbs but you will need to double the amount.
- Hard Apple Cider: If you are avoiding alcohol try substituting regular apple cider. You could also substitute a semi-dry white wine.
More Easy Dinner Recipes
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📖 Recipe
Simple Pork Stew
Ingredients
- 3 pounds boneless pork shoulder excess fat removed and cut into 2-inch chunks
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion diced
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 teaspoon dried sage
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon ground mustard
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth or stock
- 1 cup dry hard apple cider
- 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- ½ pound sweet potatoes (1 large) peeled and cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 pound kohlrabi (2 medium) peeled and cut into bite-sized pieces
- 2 medium firm sweet apples peeled, cored, and cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 cup green beans cut into 1-inch pieces
Instructions
Stovetop/Oven
- Preheat the oven to 325°F (165°C) and move the oven rack to the lower-middle position.
- Pat the 3 pounds boneless pork shoulder dry with paper towels and season with 1 teaspoon kosher salt and ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper.
- Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large dutch oven over medium-high heat.
- Working in batches, add the pork to the pot and sear on all sides, turning with tongs, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Remove the seared meat to a bowl.
- Reduce the heat to medium and pour off all but 2 tablespoons of fat from the pot. Add the 1 large yellow onion and saute until softened, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in the 2 garlic cloves, 1 teaspoon dried sage, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, 1 teaspoon ground mustard, ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg, and ¼ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper. Cook until fragrant, stirring continuously, about 1 minute.
- Add the pork and any juices in the bowl back into the dutch oven.
- Add the 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth or stock and 1 cup dry hard apple cider. Bring to a boil scraping any additional brown bits from the bottom of the pan, cover, and place in the oven to braise for 2 hours.
- Remove the pot from the oven and add the 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, ½ pound sweet potatoes (1 large), 1 pound kohlrabi (2 medium), and 2 medium firm sweet apples. Cover and place back in the oven for thirty more minutes. Remove the pot from the oven again and add the 1 cup green beans Cover and place back in the oven and cook for an additional 30 minutes until the vegetables are tender.
- Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed.
Slow Cooker
- Pat the 3 pounds boneless pork shoulder dry with paper towels and season with 1 teaspoon kosher salt and ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper.
- Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
- Working in batches, add the pork to the pot and sear on all sides, turning with tongs, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Remove the seared meat to a bowl.
- Place the 1 pound kohlrabi (2 medium) ½ pound sweet potatoes (1 large), 2 medium firm sweet apples, 1 cup green beans, and 1 large yellow onion in the bottom of a slow cooker. Add the pork, 2 garlic cloves, 1 teaspoon dried sage, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, 1 teaspoon ground mustard, ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg, ¼ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper, 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth or stock, 1 cup dry hard apple cider, and 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours or on HIGH for 3-4 hours until the meat and vegetables are tender.
- Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed.
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