Pork and Squash Stew

M

marilynfl

Moderator
This recipe uses pork shoulder (aka Boston butt; aka cheapest hunk of meat currently in my area) and firm squash, like butternut or kabocba. My kabocha was about 8" in diameter and a bright orange...I actually thought it was a pumpkin. Friends gave it to me as thanks for dinner--and also because I think they secretly hoped for another meal with the kabocha as star ingredient.

You could really mess with people's verbal skills and serve kombucha drinks along with kabocha squash.

  • 3 pounds boneless pork shoulder, cut into 1" pieces
  • sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil (or more as needed)
  • 2 large yellow onions, large diced
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 small can tomato paste
  • 1 TBL curry powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground chili powder
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • 1 small butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1" cubes
  • 1 small kabocha squash, halved, seeded and cut into 1" pieces
To serve: optional
Sour cream and fresh cilantro

Marilyn's Note: The cooking process can be done in a crock pot, oven, or stove top. Since I'm lazy and there were few instructions along with this recipe (given to me by another foodie), I'm using the steps found online (oven-baked). Personally, I cooked mine stovetop in a lined Dutch oven, browning the meat first and then adding the rest of the ingredients. I was simply too lazy to go outside, walk down the driveway to reach my basement and lug up the large crockpot.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
  1. Season pork with salt and pepper and toss to coat.
  2. Warm olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Working in batches, arrange pork in the pot in a single layer and cook, turning occasionally, until browned all over. Remove from pot and set aside.
  3. Remove meat, add more oil if necessary and saute onions. Add spices and paste to the onions and stir for a few minutes to combine and distribute the spices.
  4. Return pork and any accumulated juices along with broth to pot. Cover and bake for 1 hour.
  5. Remove from the oven and add butternut and kabocha squash; stir to combine. Cover and bake for 1 hour or until meat is fork tender. Skim off any fat that has risen to the top and serve with crusty bread.
Marilyn's notes: Since I had never used this squash before, I ended up over-cooking it. Still tasty but it doesn't hold its shape like it should if I hadn't overcooked it. So don't take that final hour as a given. Check 30 minutes after adding the squash to test for doneness.

My friend's recipe says to stir 1/2 C sour cream into the final stew, but I did a small taste test and--while very good--I felt it muted the spice blend too much. The fresh cilantro is a nice touch.

Good served with any kind of starch. I served it with warm crusty bread because I'm of the firm belief that there are not many things in this world that aren't improved by having them with warm, crusty bread.

Here's the kabocha squash. They are typically green with orange interior. It took a good solid knife to cut through this. The stew wasn't pretty enough to photograph, but definitely good enough to make again. This time I'll use butternut as it was $1 less per pound than kabocha and I honestly couldn't have told you the difference in the taste.

IMG_7451.JPG
 
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That looks like a keeper!

I have another pork and squash stew, but it's a different spice profile. If you would like more heat than warm spices, give it a try.
I somehow doubt that 4 people would eat all of this, unless they are NFL linebackers!

* Exported from MasterCook *

Southwestern Pork And Pumpkin Stew

Recipe By :Bon Appetit
Serving Size : 4 Preparation Time 3:00
Categories : Pork & Ham Soups & Stews

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1 Pound Pumpkin, Seeded
1 Teaspoon Cumin Seed
3/4 Pound Mexican Chorizo Sausage, Casing Removed
2 Pounds Boneless Pork Shoulder, Trimmed -- cut in 1 1/2" pieces
2 Tablespoons All-Purpose Flour
1 Large Onion -- minced
3 Large Garlic Cloves -- minced
1 Teaspoon Dried Oregano -- crumbled
10 Cups Water -- or more
2 Bay Leaves
1 Small Green Bell Pepper -- minced
1 Jalapeno Pepper -- minced with seeds
1/4 Cup Fresh Cilantro -- minced
1 15 Oz. Can White Hominy, (See Notes) -- drained
Salt And Freshly Ground Pepper
Fresh Cilantro Leaves

Preheat oven to 350° F. Arrange pumpkin skin side up in large baking pan. Add water just to cover bottom of pan. Cover and bake until pumpkin is tender and skewer pierces center easily, about 30 minutes. Cool. Peel and cut into 3/4" cubes. (can be prepared 2 days ahead. Refrigerate.)

Cook cumin seed in heavy small skillet over medium heat until fragrant and light brown, shaking pan constantly, about 3 minutes. Using spice grinder or mortar and pestle, finely grind cumin.

Crumble chorizo into heavy 12 quart Dutch oven over medium heat. Cook until fat is rendered and chorizo is heated through, stirring occasionally, about 4 minutes. Transfer chorizo to sieve set over bowl and drain; reserve drippings. Set chorizo aside.

Heat 3 tablespoons drippings (discard any remainder) in Dutch oven over medium heat. Toss pork with flour. Add to Dutch oven in batches and cook until brown, about 6 minutes. Return all pork to Dutch oven. Add onion, garlic, oregano and cumin and cook until onion is soft, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes. Add 10 cups water and bay leaves. Bring to boil, skimming surface. Reduce heat and simmer 1 1/4 hours.

Add bell peppers, jalapeno and 1/4 cup minced cilantro to stew. Cover partially and simmer until pork is tender, about 30 minutes. Stir in pumpkin, chorizo and hominy and cook 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cool. Cover and refrigerate. Rewarm over low heat before continuing. Thin with more water if desired.) Ladle into heated soup bowls. Garnish with cilantro.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

NOTES : Dried hominy may be used; put 1/2 cup dried hominy in saucepan with 2 cups water, bring to boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer until hominy is tender, about 45 minutes. Drain any liquid off and proceed with recipe.
 
Judy, do you know why there is such a difference in the amount of liquid between these two recipes? Mine has 2 cups and yours has 10 cups.
 
marilynfl said:
Judy, do you know why there is such a difference in the amount of liquid between these two recipes? Mine has 2 cups and yours has 10 cups.
Click to expand...
It is simmered uncovered, so that may be one of the reasons. Other than that, I'd add about half the liquid initially then watch closely and add more to keep it the consistency you want. More for soup, less for stew.
 
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