Fabulously Easy Pork Stew

I admit it; I’m a lazy cook.  I don’t mind a meal that takes four hours to prepare, as long as I don’t have to be in the kitchen the whole time. I have a lot more important things to do, such as nap and rearrange the wine bottles in the frig, just to name the top two.

Getting to the grocers to fondle fruit and stare at masked invaders counts as a travel adventure. 

Imagine my joyful surprise when I grabbed some sweet onions on sale, finished with the fruit and vegetable aisle, and found in the meat section that pork shoulders were also on sale.  I quickly laid hands on a 4 pounder and heaved it into my cart.  No idea what I was going to do with it, until on aisle 4, I met with another sale! This one a 2 for 1  for this and that canned goods.  I picked up cans of Cuban style black beans and fire roasted tomatoes.

Oh joy!  Oh rapture!  Right away a vision appeared of a quick throw together, and a free afternoon, accompanied by the melodious flow of French café music and glasses of delight wine, while said pork went to work in the oven to provide a heavenly meal.

I hear you and my three faithful readers breathing hard in anticipation of the recipe, but mostly in anticipation of the wine.  Have I failed you yet?  Mais non, mes amis!

Fabulously Easy Pork Stew

Ingredients…almost too few to mention!  

4 pound pork shoulder

1 can Cuban style black beans

1 can diced fire roasted tomatoes

1 sweet onion, diced

3 cups chicken broth (if you want it soupier, add more later)

1 tablespoon garlic powder 

Salt, pepper

Oven to 275ºF (135 ºC)

Cheese and green onion biscuits, and pickled red onions to accompany.  Recipes for these at the bottom of the page.  NOTE: Pickled red onions will need to be made a minimum of two hours before serving, or a day ahead and kept in the refrigerator.

Heat the baking oven!

Add the diced onions to a Dutch oven and add a bit of oil and lightly sauté.

For the roast, salt and pepper the pork, then slice it in four thick pieces and sprinkle on garlic powder. 

Put the pork in the Dutch oven with the sautéed onions, add the whole contents of the cans of beans and tomatoes. Cover and put in the oven for 3 hours.  (A perfect time to make your pickled red onions.) 

At the end of 3 hours, check for doneness.  The pork should pull apart easily, but if not, raise the oven temperature to 350ºF (180ºC), recover and roast for another hour.  Don’t worry about the time too much, just test the pork!

When the pork is cooked to your satisfaction, take the pieces out, remove the fat, and chop.  Skim off fat from the cooked stew and add the meat back.  Your supper is ready to surprise those who doubted your abilities in the kitchen, and who are already salivating.

Top their bowls of stew with pickled red onions and serve with cheese and green onion biscuits.

Pickled Red Onions

2 red onions, peeled and sliced thinly

2 cups white vinegar

2 cups water

1/3 cup sugar

2 tablespoons sea salt

3 cloves garlic, smashed and peeled

1 tablespoon mixed peppercorns

1 quart jar

Put the sliced onions in the jar, add the peppercorns and garlic.  Heat the vinegar, water, salt and sugar in a sauce pan, stirring until the sugar and salt dissolve.  Pour the mixture over the onion et al in the jar. Do not put on the lid until the mixture has cooled somewhat. Let it sit for at least 2 hours or store it in the frig.

Cheese and Green Onion Biscuits.

2 cups flour (or use 3 cups gluten free flour)

1 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons baking powder

6 teaspoons butter, but in small chunks

1 cup or more of your favorite cheese

3 green onions chopped

1 cup milk

I use my food processor.  Add all but the milk to the food processor to mix.  Well mixed? Add the milk and mix again until the dough sticks to the sides.

Flour a surface and roll out the dough to about a thumb width thickness.  Cut into squares or rounds and bake at 450ºF (230ºC) for 12 minutes.

Have you ever cut the lawn with barber’s scissors?  I find it creatively rewarding.  You can make wonderful designs, although it may disturb the neighbors. But, I thought their lawn looked great.  Also, don’t forget the fun of re-fluffing the clothes in the dryer.  Is it against the law to drink Jameson with your morning coffee?  What if you’re at Starbucks?  Just asking.