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Modern French Stews
Recipe
2 hr 45 min

French-Style Pork Stew

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French-Style Pork Stew
Author: Keith Dresser

Recipe By Keith Dresser

Published on January 8, 2025

We wanted a stew with lots of pork flavor but without a lot of heaviness. Could a traditional French recipe pave the way?

Time

2 hr 45 min

Yield

Serves 8 to 10

Why This Recipe Works

To produce a rich, savory broth, we use three types of pork: pork butt, kielbasa, and smoked ham shank. Aromatics, herbs, and spices season a mixture of water and chicken broth, and a careful selection of vegetables—savoy cabbage, carrots, and potatoes—complete the meaty yet light dish.

Ingredients

6 parsley sprigs, plus ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
3 large sprigs fresh thyme
5 garlic cloves, unpeeled
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
2 whole cloves
5 cups water
4 cups chicken broth
3 pounds boneless pork butt roast, trimmed and cut into 1- to 1 ½-inch pieces
1 meaty smoked ham shank or 2 to 3 smoked ham hocks (1 ¼ pounds)
2 onions, halved through root end, root end left intact
4 carrots, peeled, narrow end cut crosswise into ½-inch pieces, wide end halved lengthwise and cut into ½-inch pieces
1 pound Yukon Gold potatoes, unpeeled, cut into ¾-inch pieces
12 ounces kielbasa sausage, halved lengthwise and then cut into ½-inch-thick slices
½ head savoy cabbage, shredded (8 cups)

Instructions

Cook along with these step-by-step instructions

step 1 imagestep 2 imagestep 3 imagestep 4 image
  1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Cut 10-inch square of triple-thickness cheesecloth. Place parsley sprigs (fold or break to fit), thyme sprigs, garlic, bay leaves, peppercorns, and cloves in center of cheesecloth and tie into bundle with kitchen twine.
  2. Bring water, broth, pork, ham, onions, and herb bundle to simmer in large Dutch oven over medium-high heat, skimming off scum that rises to surface. Cover pot and place in oven. Cook until pork chunks are tender and skewer inserted in meat meets little resistance, 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours.
  3. Using slotted spoon, discard onions and herb bundle. Transfer ham to plate. Add carrots and potatoes to pot and stir to combine. Cover pot and return to oven. Cook until vegetables are almost tender, 20 to 25 minutes. When ham is cool enough to handle, using 2 forks, remove meat and shred into bite-size pieces; discard skin and bones.
  4. Add shredded ham, kielbasa, and cabbage to pot. Stir to combine, cover, and return to oven. Cook until kielbasa is heated through and cabbage is wilted and tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then stir in chopped parsley. Ladle into bowls and serve. (Stew can be made up to 3 days in advance.)

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French-Style Pork Stew

Recipe By Keith Dresser

Published on January 8, 2025

Time

2 hr 45 min

Yield

Serves 8 to 10

French-Style Pork Stew

Ingredients

6 parsley sprigs, plus ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley3 large sprigs fresh thyme5 garlic cloves, unpeeled2 bay leaves1 tablespoon black peppercorns2 whole cloves5 cups water4 cups chicken broth3 pounds boneless pork butt roast, trimmed and cut into 1- to 1 ½-inch pieces1 meaty smoked ham shank or 2 to 3 smoked ham hocks (1 ¼ pounds)2 onions, halved through root end, root end left intact4 carrots, peeled, narrow end cut crosswise into ½-inch pieces, wide end halved lengthwise and cut into ½-inch pieces1 pound Yukon Gold potatoes, unpeeled, cut into ¾-inch pieces12 ounces kielbasa sausage, halved lengthwise and then cut into ½-inch-thick slices½ head savoy cabbage, shredded (8 cups)

Instructions

  1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Cut 10-inch square of triple-thickness cheesecloth. Place parsley sprigs (fold or break to fit), thyme sprigs, garlic, bay leaves, peppercorns, and cloves in center of cheesecloth and tie into bundle with kitchen twine.
  2. Bring water, broth, pork, ham, onions, and herb bundle to simmer in large Dutch oven over medium-high heat, skimming off scum that rises to surface. Cover pot and place in oven. Cook until pork chunks are tender and skewer inserted in meat meets little resistance, 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours.
  3. Using slotted spoon, discard onions and herb bundle. Transfer ham to plate. Add carrots and potatoes to pot and stir to combine. Cover pot and return to oven. Cook until vegetables are almost tender, 20 to 25 minutes. When ham is cool enough to handle, using 2 forks, remove meat and shred into bite-size pieces; discard skin and bones.
  4. Add shredded ham, kielbasa, and cabbage to pot. Stir to combine, cover, and return to oven. Cook until kielbasa is heated through and cabbage is wilted and tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then stir in chopped parsley. Ladle into bowls and serve. (Stew can be made up to 3 days in advance.)
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