Georgian Pork Stew Recipes

CLASSIC PORK STEW

Steps:

• Toss pork cubes with flour, 1 teaspoon salt and pepper in a large bowl until evenly coated.
• Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add half of the pork; cook, undisturbed, until browned on the bottom, about 3 minutes. Stir and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until browned on all sides, about 3 minutes. Transfer the meat to a clean bowl; repeat with the remaining pork.
• Reduce heat to medium. Add onion to the pot; cook, stirring often, until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Add garlic and herbs; cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add tomato paste; cook, stirring constantly, until the tomato paste darkens, about 1 minute. Add wine; cook, scraping the bottom of the pot, until reduced by about half, about 1 minute. Add stock, bay leaves and the remaining 1 teaspoon salt; return the browned pork and any accumulated juices to the pot. Increase heat to medium-high and bring to a boil; reduce heat to low, cover and cook until the pork is almost tender, 30 to 40 minutes.
• Stir in potatoes, carrots, parsnips and mushrooms. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender, 30 to 40 minutes. Transfer 1/4 cup of the liquid to a small bowl; whisk in cornstarch to make a slurry. Stir the slurry back into the stew; increase heat to medium. Stir in peas; cook until the peas are bright green and the liquid is slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in vinegar and remove and discard bay leaves. Garnish with chopped parsley, if desired.

CHEF JOHN'S IRISH PORK STEW

Steps:

• Season pork cubes with salt and black pepper.
• Heat vegetable oil in a pot over high heat. Working in batches, cook and stir pork in hot oil until browned on all sides, 5 to 10 minutes. Transfer pork to a bowl and reduce heat to medium.
• Melt butter in the pot. Cook and stir onion with a pinch of salt in hot butter until onion is softened and translucent, 7 to 10 minutes. Add garlic; saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
• Stir flour into onion mixture; cook and stir until flour is completely incorporated, about 2 minutes. Add bay leaf and caraway seed; cook for 2 minutes more. Pour beer into onion mixture. Cook and stir until thickened, 1 to 3 minutes.
• Stir pork, chicken broth, carrots, and celery into beer mixture; bring to simmer. Stir 1/4 cup parsley and balsamic vinegar into stew, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until pork is fork-tender, about 2 hours.
• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the Brussels sprouts and cook uncovered until almost tender, about 5 minutes. Drain.
• Stir Brussels sprouts into stew and simmer until heated through, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Divide mashed potatoes between 6 bowls. Ladle stew over potatoes and top each with a pinch of parsley.

GEORGIAN PORK STEW

Steps:

• Put pork in a heavy 4-quart pot and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and pepper to taste. Cover pot and let meat steam over high heat, stirring once, 10 minutes. Remove lid and cook, stirring occasionally, until juices are evaporated, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in 1 tablespoon oil and sauté, stirring occasionally, until meat is browned, 6 to 8 minutes.
• While pork is steaming, mash garlic, savory, and remaining 3/4 teaspoon salt to a paste with a mortar and pestle (see cooks' notes, below). Scrape paste into a small bowl, then coarsely grind coriander and fenugreek seeds in mortar.
• Add garlic paste to pork with remaining tablespoon oil and cook over moderate heat, stirring, 1 minute. Add onion, fenugreek mixture, and marigold and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened, about 5 minutes.
• Add water and bring to a boil. Cook, covered, at a bare simmer until meat is tender, about 1 hour.
• Stir in cilantro, 3 tablespoons ajika, and pepper to taste. Serve more ajika on the side.