Brown Stew Pork Shoulder Recipe (2024)

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Cooking Notes

Jesse

If you can't find scotch bonnet peppers at your grocer, try a habanero. Jalapeno and serrano peppers are much milder than scotch bonnets, and they are grassy versus fruity, so the habanero is as better choice.

Deb

Is there another milder pepper to replace the Scotch Bonnet without sacrificing the flavor? Too many heat sensitive folks in this house.

DIANE

Turned out great in the slow cooker. Seared the meat and cooked the onions/garlic and transferred all to the slow cooker. Cooked for 6 hours (would’ve down 8/low but didn’t have enough time) and turned out great. Only substitution was a jalapeño for the scotch bonnet.

MM

This recipe is hands-down the best I've ever cooked from NYT! I suggest augmenting all spices and alliums: the aroma and flavors were spectacular.

James A

For anyone nervous about the scotch bonnet…. leave it whole so that it flavors but does not raise the heat much. delicious.

Lynne

On tasting this recipe before serving I thought that it needed some tartness. I added a good splash of lime juice and served it over brown rice. Delicious!

Kurt P

I thickened the gravy with 3T corn starch cold water slurry and served with basmati rice.

Pam Tulchinsky

Can I substitute beef for the pork?

Karl H.

Loved it. In the future I'm going to use an herb bag to hold the roughly-chopped thyme. (I was picking twigs out of mouth throughout the meal). I would put the bay leaves and chili in there too. It was also a bit sweet for my taste. I'll probably leave out the brown sugar or the ketchup next time.I like Kurt P.'s idea of thickening the broth. . . that would be a nice touch.

Edith

IMO: yes, it'll work in the IP but I highly recommend doing all the sauteing on the stove - the IP isn't very good for that. I'd set it to 20 minutes, which would effectively be about an hour cooking time. Just remember to halve the liquids when using an IP.

judy

Aji Dulce has the flavor but not the heat

Roberta

8 servings?! Maybe if you’re not too hungry.

Marla

I don't eat pork, beef, veal or lamb. Would cubed chicken or shrimp work here?

patty24

Loved this…will make again and again. One if the best I’ve tried from this site

Annie

Pork shoulder is such a great stew meat that you could use it in any stew recipe & it would be delicious. I made this mostly according to the recipe, but after reading notes, I left out the brown sugar to keep it from being too sweet. Served it over rice. There’s no way it makes 8 servings. I’d say 4.

Deanna

I’ve made this twice and both times it was delicious. But browning the meat ruined my enameled Dutch oven the first time; the second time I used a cast iron skillet, which you kind of can’t ruin, but it took a lot of scraping and scrubbing to get that cooked on crust off. I think this must be due to the brown sugar? Has anyone else had this problem? Any tips? Thx!

Liz

I made this almost exactly according the recipe, which is unusual for me. I did use a habenero rather than the scotch bonnet because it looked fresher. At the end, I added some cooked barley, which I think was a great addition. It wasn't spicy at all, more sweet, but that's what I like. I don't think I'd use so much carrot the next time. And I might add hot sauce. I gave some to my neighbors and they liked it too. It is even better the second day!

Charlie P

For my heat sensitive household I used a single large Jalapeño instead of Scotch Bonnet (also not available where I live). The result was great and loved by the family. A nice heat that seemed to build to just the right note. Really great recipe and will be added to repertoire of winter dinners.

Betsy

Tom didn't season with salt and pepper at the end as I thought he would, so no wonder it ate a little sweet at first. Better with salt and pepper.

Ariel

My husband really enjoyed the flavors of this dish, and I enjoyed its ease of preparation. Scotch bonnets not being readily available in my area, I used another reader’s suggestion of habaneros. Also, not wanting to leave my gas stove on for a few hours, I followed another reader’s option of using a crockpot. Six hours on low worked well.

Amara

Made it without the scotch bonnet since my little one can’t do spicy and the family really enjoyed it. The only downside of pork shoulder is that it’s a really fatty cut and there was a large layer of fat at the top that needs to be skimmed.

SK19118

This is so delicious! Meat was nice and tender after ~2 hour simmer. Made as described except couldn’t find scotch bonnet so used a jalapeño- broth definitely had a kick and it got more spicy as we were eating our bowls. Also didn’t have ketchup; used Hank’s Hot Sauce and some tomato paste. Really nice with a piece of crusty bread; plantains would be terrific!

NYC Cook

This was easy, complex, and soul-satisfying. I couldn’t find shoulder so I used butt and chose a Serrano pepper when I couldn’t snag a habanero. There was virtually no heat, so I’ll plan ahead next time and get the right chile. I agree with others about the cornstarch flurry. That was key, although even with that, the stew is begging to be served on top of rice or smashed potatoes. I doubled the recipe and I’m glad I did. Leftovers will warm up these cold January days.

Teri

Taste often and remove hot pepper when heat is starting to be noticeable. Add veggies after an hour of simmering the pork alone in the liquid.

Al

Great recipe. I made it exactly as stated and it was great. The second time I was short on garlic, used one clove, and had to substitute beef broth for chicken and it was just as delicious. This is my favorite stew recipe of all time.

NR

Made this while visiting Trinidad & Tobago. Found most everything at the market except some of the spices. They had some spice packs which I substituted. It turned out AMAZING. Rich and deeply flavorful. The spice pack called Hakka included: star anise, sesame seed, ginger, cinnamon, coriander, cumin, fennel and allspice. We like it spicy so added a couple extra scotch bonnets and let it all ride for 3 hours plus. Even our Trini friends loved this recipe.

Eli

Couldn't find shoulder so I used one pork tenderloin and two bone-in chops. Marinated for about fours, then put the marinating liquid and the bones in with the broth for the long cook. Cook time was true to the recipe's estimate, mine was fork tender in about 1hr45m. Very delicious and great flavor, recipe seems forgiving. I might cut the allspice a tiny bit next time but not sure, this was great as-is.

Sg

Does it interfere with the tenderness of the meat to use smaller cubes? 2 inch cubes are really big and I ended up cutting all the pieces after cooking... (Tasty nonetheless!)

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Brown Stew Pork Shoulder Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Is pork stew meat the same as pork shoulder? ›

Since pork butt has more fat marbling throughout the meat and a more uniform shape, it's the best cut for stewing and braising as well as for making fall-apart-tender pulled pork for a barbecue or for tacos. If a recipe calls for a choice between pork shoulder and pork butt, we highly recommend choosing pork butt.

How long does it take to brown stew meat? ›

The Test: Moisture Loss in Seared Stew Meat
CutTime to BrownWeight Loss (in Moisture)
Cubes25 minutes (two batches)25%
Steaks11 minutes (one batch)12%
One whole piece8 minutes7.5%

Can you use pork shoulder for pulled pork? ›

Pork shoulder is ideal for pulling purposes. It has an optimum fat content that yields to create tender, melty meat, but it's essential you cook it slowly to allow the protein to break down properly. Take it out of the oven too early and you may as well dine on a pair of wellies.

Why is my pork stew meat tough? ›

Rather than searing, you end up simmering and steaming your meat chunks. Instead of taking 10 minutes to brown, you end up blasting your meat with high heat for 20 minutes in order to first drive off that extra moisture. All of this increases the amount of stringy, dry, steamed meat in your final stew.

What is the best cut of pork for stews? ›

Best Pork for Stew: If your pork is destined for low and slow, look for pork shoulder or pork sirloin (the latter is also known as pork butte). Both shoulder and sirloin tend to be tougher, flavorful and well-marbled with fat. They turn succulent and fork-tender in the slow cooker.

Should I flour stew meat before browning? ›

The idea behind coating meat with a sprinkling of flour before browning in a hot pan is pretty simple: Flour is full of starch that will caramelize quickly and give a deeper color and flavor. You most often see this technique called for in stews, where flour is used to thicken the cooking liquid.

Why do you put flour in stew meat? ›

Toss meat pieces in flour prior to browning. The flour helps to thicken a stew as it cooks. Whisk a teaspoon of flour in a little cold water to make a slurry, then stir into the stew as it's cooking. Don't add dry flour directly to the stew as it may clump.

Does stew meat get tougher the longer you cook it? ›

Don't Stew the Stew Too Long Either

Your beef will be tough if you don't cook it enough and it will be tough if you cook it too much. It's just science, take it from us! We recommend doing a taste test or two throughout the cooking process to gauge the progress.

What is the best liquid to cook pulled pork in? ›

Transfer everything to a large slow cooker and add a splash of liquid — water is great, but so is broth, apple juice, or beer if you have them handy. Cover and cook on low until the meat is tender and pulls apart easily.

Should I remove fat from pork shoulder before slow cooking? ›

Remove some of the fat. Pork shoulder has a decent amount of fat on the surface. It's a good idea to cut away this excess fat prior to cooking, but do leave a small amount as it adds to the flavour.

Can you overcook a pork shoulder? ›

It's not easy, but yes, you can overcook pork shoulder! It becomes tough, chewy and dry when it's cooked for too long or at too high a temperature.

How to brown a pork shoulder? ›

It's optional, but if you have time, searing will deepen the final flavor of your pork and give it some textural contrast. Heat a tablepsoon or two of oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the pork and sear on all sides, working in batches as needed so as not to crowd the pan.

How to brown stew meat? ›

Heat oil over medium heat in a large dutch oven. Place meat in bag with the flour and shake until well coated. Shake off meat pieces and add them to the oil and stir until slightly browned, Add remaining flour from the bag and the finely chopped onion. Stir until well browned.

Do you season pork before browning? ›

But really, it takes no extra effort, just some forethought. And so I will always season lamb shanks the day before they go into the braise. I will try to season chickens the day before, but if I don't have the chance, I won't sweat it; and I will season steaks and pork roasts right before searing.

Is pork forequarter the same as pork shoulder? ›

Pork Forequarter Chops are prepared from the Square Cut Shoulder after the removal of the Hock. Pork Shoulder Chops contain fat and connective tissue which adds to the flavour when grilled or barbecued. Shoulder cuts are also suitable for slow cooking methods.

What is another name for a pork shoulder? ›

Pork shoulder goes by several names at the grocery store including picnic roast, Boston butt, blade roast, and pork butt. Common cooking methods for pork shoulder include braising, smoking, roasting, grilling, and slow cooking.

What pork is similar to pork shoulder? ›

Pork butt and pork shoulder are both cuts that come from the pig's shoulder (despite the term pork butt suggesting otherwise). Both are relatively inexpensive cuts that lend themselves to low-and-slow cooking applications such as barbecuing, braising, stewing or cooking in a slow cooker or Instant Pot.

What can I use instead of pork shoulder in stew? ›

Because of that, we recommend opting for pork butt when uniform chunks of pork shoulder are called for in a recipe—think stews, like chile verde or carne adovada, and carnitas.

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