Hey, do you have like, five hours to kill? Then totally make this stew this weekend.
I wish I was kidding. After my brag fest of how quickly the Butternut Squash, Lentil and Mushroom Stew comes about, we come to this Shredded Pork, Kale and White Bean Stew and I’m not gonna lie, it takes some time. The majority of which is waiting for the pork to cook and slightly cool so it can be shredded. But I’m telling you, I seriously saved the best for last with this stew. This is a keeper. The crème de la crème. The stew that caused my pregnant butt to get out of bed at 3 in the morning and sneak a bowl #donttellmyhusband. Hey! I get hungry sometimes while growing a person, lay off of me.
Have you tried my Salt & Sugar Pork Shoulder? The pork in this recipe follows a slightly similar vein, only since it’s cooked with the lid on, you’ll need to be careful that the sugar rub doesn’t boil up all over and spill over the sides of the pot and burn in the bottom of your oven, making your apartment smell like burning. Not that I completely know what that’s like, or anything, ahem.
The rest of the stew comes together fairly quickly once the meat is done. You let the pork cool. You shred it with a fork, (sneak the fatty pieces and revel in their amazingness), and then combine it with the beans, kale and some liquid and cook down. It’ll take a bit of time to cook down as well, especially since the kale will release its own liquid while cooking, but the whole thing is so worth the time.
And then, like the best of the best of the best stews ever, the flavor is deeper and tastier the next day. Or you know, that night… like during a 3 in the morning fridge raids (whaaaaaat?)
Shredded Pork, Kale and White Bean Stew Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 lb pork roast or pork shoulder with at least ¼” fat cap
- ¼ cup dark brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons coarse sea salt
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 4-5 cloves garlic, minced
- 15.5 can cannellini beans
- 10-12 leaves curly kale, ribs removed and discarded, diced
- 2 cups chicken or vegetable stock
- 2 cups water
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 300*F. Arrange the pork, fat cap side up, in an ovenproof pot with a tight fitting lid, and rub all over with the sugar and salt. Place the pot on a baking sheet (in case of overspill), place the lid on the pot and roast the pork for 3 and ½ hours. Remove from the oven and allow to cool. When the pork is cool enough to handle, shred it using a fork, discarding (or eating!) any extra fatty pieces.
- Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onions and cook until translucent, then add the garlic and cannellini beans, including any juices from the cannellini can. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the garlic has lightened and becomes very fragrant, about 1-2 minutes. Add the kale and stir to mix in with the onions, garlic and beans. Add the shredded pork, then the stock and water and stir to combine.
- Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to low. Allow the stew to simmer until the water has reduced and the kale has fully wilted, about 1 hour. Serve hot.Reheats beautifully; If the stew dries out a bit, add a little bit of water before reheating.
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