Rec and question: Hearty Pork and Apple Stew

A

anna_x

Well-known member
I thought pork shoulder should be cooked low and slow. Why boil?

Hearty Pork and Apple Stew

Boil 10 minutes covered:

4 lbs. boneless pork shoulder, trimmed of fat, cut into 1" cubes

4 medium onion, chopped

1 cup of water

Uncover and stir often, until liquid evaporates and drippings start to brown.

Add and scrape bottom of pan.

4 cups of beef broth

1 1/2 cups apple butter

Cover and simmer or bake 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Add:

2 large bell peppers, cut into strips

3 1/12 c. carrots, sliced

1 1/2 c celery, sliced

6 large Granny Smith apples, diced.

Cover and bake/simmer until pork is very tender, about 1 hour

 
Looks like you are only boiling it for a short while. . .

The first 10 min boil gets some juice from the meat so that it can be browned off. Instead of searing the pork, the juices of the pork are seared. Gives a meaty flavor without all that mess from searing. I usually wear full-body covering for an apron and need to clean my glasses after searing a big batch of meat; it is messy, even with a screen on the pan.

After that the stew is cooked for another hour and a half, at a simmer, which should tenderize the meat just fine.

And low and slow? We cook pork roasts (skin on shoulder and bone in butts) in the oven at 350º, not so low, but we are not cooking till falling off the bone. You either have to cook it low and slow or high and fast in my experience.

 
I think Mistral has given a good explanation--maybe especially for the first boil and brown step.

And in other words (from hers), you are getting a different result--it will not be soft and tender and pulling apart. This will be braised stew meat. And the temp of cooking gives a method for a quick stew.
Personally, I'd put this in a PC or Instant Pot for possibly a more tender stew.

 
Also, in our family, if a roast doesn't give enough browned juices we boil-off . . .

and brown on top of the stove then make gravy. The same thing is done here after the first 10 minute cook.

 
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