Pork Stew

So, I normally do not cook pork. Given the large Muslim population where we grew up in India, pig was rarity and somehow, that aversion spilled over to the Hindu population as well. As kids in the states, we ate pork only in restaurants and even then, mostly as toppings on pizza. However, as I sprouted my wings and left the nest, I ventured into trying out "the other white meat". 

This particular recipe came about during Pork Month at Hmart. For weeks, I would walk by and see people buying pounds and pounds of pork from the butcher, so finally I gave in to indirect peer pressure and got some pork picnic. What exactly is pork picnic you ask? I have no idea! At last, not until I turned to google. Turns out, Pork Butt and Pork Picnic are upper and lower parts of a pork's shoulder, respectively. Picnic has more bone and is sold with skin on where as Butt has a small bone and a smaller fat cap. Granted, I did not buy the entire Picnic, but mine still came with a sufficient large piece of skin. I got home and really had no idea where to begin, so I thought, stew! Can't go wrong with stew, especially when its spicy and this is how it went....

Ingredients

2lbs Pork, preferably with some fat and skin

2 large onions, halved and then quartered

1 pod of garlic, about 10-12 cloves, coarsely chopped

3 dried red chili pepper

2 tablespoon Sesame oil, adjust as necessary

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 quart chicken broth

Salt and Pepper to taste

1. Rub the pork down with 1 tbsp of sesame oil and some salt and pepper. I would a half teaspoon of each.

2. Heat a heavy bottom pan or a dutch oven until its very very hot on high heat. 

3. Quickly sear the pork evenly on both sides, 30 seconds should be enough. I like a little thicker sear so I let it got for a little longer on each side. 

4. Removed the pork from the pan and let it sit a room temp. 

5. Put the remaining sesame oil into the pain and add the onion, garlic and red chilies. Stir fry quickly for about 30 seconds. Add the lemon juice, soy sauce and chicken broth and stir to combine. 

6. Place the pork on top of the onions. Cover and turn the heat to simmer. Simmer for about 2 -3 hours or until you can separate the meat with a fork. Taste and add, salt or pepper to adjust.

7. Remove the pork from the pot. Cut off any remaining fat or skin. Slice up the meat and serve on a bed of gravy and onions. 

This recipe turned out a lot better than I could have hoped for. The beauty lies in its simplicity. The few ingredients make it quick to prep and also allows the pork to really shine through. Hope you enjoy it as much as I did!