This hearty Pork Stew With Green Beans is living proof that to make a delicious stew you don't need a bunch of ingredients. With just some pork, round green beans, and canned tomatoes, plus a few seasonings and a bit of olive oil, you can make a really flavorful and healthy stew!
This traditional Greek dish is saucy and flavorful. And it's a stew that you can enjoy all year round. As it is made with canned tomatoes (you can switch to fresh if it is summer and they are in season). And frozen round green beans (though you can use fresh also if you blanch them first).
Meat Cuts For Making Pork Stew
For this stew and most pork stews, the ideal cuts of meat to use are either boneless pork neck, shoulder, or picnic. These all contain a small amount of fat, are meaty, and get nice and tender cooked into a stew without containing any bones.
How To Make A Real Flavorful Pork Stew
To make a really flavorful pork stew it's important to sear the meat properly first. This is done with a small amount of hot olive oil. The meat should get nicely browned all around which is what will give it most of its flavor. And also, why you needn't use any stock in this stew.
After searing the meat pour a good splash of white wine so the meat will get nice and tender. And most of the strong flavors of pork and fried oil evaporate along with the alcohol.
And finally to make a really flavorful pork stew, like with any stew, simmer covered for quite some time. Until the meat feels really tender when you prick it with a knife.
SERVE WITH 🠯
In Greece, whenever there is a dish that Fasolakia (green beans) are involved there is always a big piece of feta cheese served along with it. So you may want to give that one a try. Or serve it together with these easy-to-make Feta cheese bread rolls.
Recipe
Pork Stew With Green Beans
Ingredients
- olive oil
- 550 grams / 19.4 oz boneless pork neck or picnic or shoulder cut cut into cubes (about 5 cm / 2-inch)
- 90 grams / 3.1 oz (about 1 small) red onion minced
- 2 large garlic cloves sliced
- a splash of white wine
- 400 grams / 14.1 canned tomatoes
- 3 dried bay leaves
- ½ teaspoon paprika sweet
- â…” teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
- 600 grams / 21.1 oz round green beans fresh or frozen
Instructions
- NOTE: If using frozen beans leave them inside a strainer for 2-3 hours at room temperature to thaw. If using fresh, ideally blanch them first. By cooking them in boiling water for 2-3 minutes and then adding them straight into ice-cold water. Strain and use into the stew.
- Add the canned tomatoes to a small food processor and blend until smooth. Set aside.
- Heat a splash of olive oil in a cooking pot over high heat.
- Pat dry the meat with paper towels and then season with salt and pepper.
- Add to the pot with the hot oil and sear on all sides. Don't flip the pieces right away give them a minute or two to get some colour first.
- Once the meat is nicely browned all over, remove it from the pot with a slotted spoon.
- Drop the heat to low and add the onion and garlic. If needed add a little bit more olive oil to the pot. Saute until completely soft.
- Then turn the heat to medium and transfer the meat back to the pot. Pour a good splash of wine, scrape the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon and wait for a few minutes until it evaporates (stops smelling of alcohol).
- Then add the tomatoes, bay leaves, thyme, and paprika. Add 3 cups of hot water (750 ml) and simmer covered over medium heat for about an hour. Or until the sauce thickens a bit and reduces down by half.
- Taste the sauce for any additional seasoning. Then add the parsley and the green beans to the pot. Put the lid back on the pot and cook for 30-40 minutes more. Meanwhile, keep an eye on it in case the sauce thickens too much and you may need to add a splash of water to it.
- Once the beans are soft and tender and the sauce thickened turn the heat off and let the food stand for 15 minutes.
- Then serve with freshly ground pepper on top, and if you like a piece of feta cheese that goes so nicely with this food!
Nutrition
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The Pork stew with fresh green bean is Fantastic. I stopped eating pork and beef 15 years ago, but I had to make this.