Family Dinner: Winter Pork Stew

This is one of my favorite stews, but I only make it once or twice a year....I forget about it, move on with my life, and then BAM, I am sitting there brainstorming menu ideas for the week and it pops into my brain.  Like a flash of genius.  It is warm, rich, savory, and sweet at the same time, and the leftovers are great for lunches throughout the week.

You can use any kind of beer you want...I had Leinie's Oktoberfest on hand, so it is what I used.  And my goodness, I just happened to taste a small sip before adding it to the pot, and I immediately put another bottle in the fridge for me to drink.  I know, a weeknight beer??  Things are getting cuh-razy up in here!!

I like this stew served over egg noodles, but it would be good with mashed potatoes, rice, or by itself with a chunk of bread on the side.

Winter Pork Stew
Makes 6 servings
320 cals / 7g fat / 27g carbs / 34g protein

2 lbs pork loin
2 TB flour
2 tsp olive oil
2 onions
6-8 carrots
4 cloves garlic
2 apples, firmer variety
1 cup canned crushed tomatoes
2 TB brown sugar
1 bottle beer 12 oz
2 cups chicken broth
1 bay leaf
Salt and Pepper

1.  First chop all your veggies, to get everything ready.  Dice your onions, mince the garlic, and peel and cut your carrots into bite size chunks.  Set it all aside.

2.  Trim all visible fat and junk from the pork and cut into 1 - 1 1/2 inch chunks.  Season well with salt and pepper, and toss with flour to coat.

3.  Heat 1 tsp oil in large sauce pan or dutch oven over medium high heat.  Add the pork and sautée until browned (don't worry if things start getting brown and sticking to the bottom of the pan, it is supposed to, that brown stuff is full of delicious flavor....just keep cooking the pork until it is browned).  Remove pork from pan and set aside.

4.  Return pot to heat and heat remaining 1 tsp oil.  Add the onions, carrots, and apples, stirring occasionally, and cook until beginning to soften, about 10 minutes.  Add garlic and continue to cook an additional 1-2 minutes.

5.  By now the bottom of your pot should be browned and crusty (but not black and burnt!).  Add that beer you have been trying not to drink, and stir and scrape the bottom to stir up all those brown bits (flavor crystals as I like to call them).  Add the remaining ingredients and return the pork to the pot.

6.  Bring the stew to a boil, then reduce heat to medium low, and continue to cook partially covered until pork is tender, about 2 hours.  Season with salt and pepper (I like mine with a heavy dose of salt) and serve.  I recommend egg noodles and some fresh parsley, but you do what you want.

Want to turn this into a slow cooker meal?  Easy.  Follow steps 1-5, then dump in in your crock pot and cook on low, partially covered for ~6 hours.  Or just make this at night, and reheat it the next day, or whenever you want to eat it.

This is one of my favorite stews, but I only make it once or twice a year....I forget about it, move on with my life, and then BAM, I am sitting there brainstorming menu ideas for the week and it pops into my brain.  Like a flash of genius.  It is warm, rich, savory, and sweet at the same time, and the leftovers are great for lunches throughout the week.

You can use any kind of beer you want...I had Leinie's Oktoberfest on hand, so it is what I used.  And my goodness, I just happened to taste a small sip before adding it to the pot, and I immediately put another bottle in the fridge for me to drink.  I know, a weeknight beer??  Things are getting cuh-razy up in here!!

I like this stew served over egg noodles, but it would be good with mashed potatoes, rice, or by itself with a chunk of bread on the side.

Winter Pork Stew
Makes 6 servings
320 cals / 7g fat / 27g carbs / 34g protein

2 lbs pork loin
2 TB flour
2 tsp olive oil
2 onions
6-8 carrots
4 cloves garlic
2 apples, firmer variety
1 cup canned crushed tomatoes
2 TB brown sugar
1 bottle beer 12 oz
2 cups chicken broth
1 bay leaf
Salt and Pepper

1.  First chop all your veggies, to get everything ready.  Dice your onions, mince the garlic, and peel and cut your carrots into bite size chunks.  Set it all aside.

2.  Trim all visible fat and junk from the pork and cut into 1 - 1 1/2 inch chunks.  Season well with salt and pepper, and toss with flour to coat.

3.  Heat 1 tsp oil in large sauce pan or dutch oven over medium high heat.  Add the pork and sautée until browned (don't worry if things start getting brown and sticking to the bottom of the pan, it is supposed to, that brown stuff is full of delicious flavor....just keep cooking the pork until it is browned).  Remove pork from pan and set aside.

4.  Return pot to heat and heat remaining 1 tsp oil.  Add the onions, carrots, and apples, stirring occasionally, and cook until beginning to soften, about 10 minutes.  Add garlic and continue to cook an additional 1-2 minutes.

5.  By now the bottom of your pot should be browned and crusty (but not black and burnt!).  Add that beer you have been trying not to drink, and stir and scrape the bottom to stir up all those brown bits (flavor crystals as I like to call them).  Add the remaining ingredients and return the pork to the pot.

6.  Bring the stew to a boil, then reduce heat to medium low, and continue to cook partially covered until pork is tender, about 2 hours.  Season with salt and pepper (I like mine with a heavy dose of salt) and serve.  I recommend egg noodles and some fresh parsley, but you do what you want.

Want to turn this into a slow cooker meal?  Easy.  Follow steps 1-5, then dump in in your crock pot and cook on low, partially covered for ~6 hours.  Or just make this at night, and reheat it the next day, or whenever you want to eat it.