Slow Cooker Pork Stew

This slow-cooker pork stew is especially wonderful. The perfectly seasoned meat is so tender that it falls apart. Along with all the juicy chunks of pork, you have carrots, celery, peas, and mini red potatoes, all cooked in a savory sauce of red wine, beef broth, tomato paste, and butter. It’s the perfect dinner that will warm your soul.

When I want a hearty and delicious meal for the family but have to be out all day, I like to use my trusty slow cooker. Cooking anything in this awesome appliance tastes extra flavorful and tender. And if you are cooking it in the summer, you don’t have to worry about the house being too hot from the stove.

Whether cold or hot outside, Slow Cooker Pork Stew is the perfect comfort food, amazing when served with a chunk of crusty bread and a salad. I usually make extra so I can have leftovers the next day because stew always seems to taste better the next day. If you make enough, you can freeze some in individual containers for fast and easy meals.

The kids love this dish and eat every bite, including the veggies, which is always a bonus. I love crockpot recipes because they are all so flavorful and easy to make. The long hours it takes to cook dishes like Lasagna Soup, Swiss Steak, and Butter Chicken are totally worth it!

Why you will love this recipe

• It is so easy to make: There is really no prep work for this dish. Just dump it all in the slow cooker and let it cook all day. You can brown the meat first to make it extra delicious, but you don’t have to if you are in a hurry.
• The kids eat every bite: You rarely find a kid that picks out any veggies from this yummy stew.
• It is so versatile: If you are serving someone particularly picky, you can remove or add what you need to without changing the recipe. For example, replace carrots with broccoli or bell peppers if you know they don’t like carrots.
• It’s easy to make extras: Using the slow cooker, you can easily make enough for two or three meals.

What you’ll need to make slow cooker pork stew

Special items:

• Slow cooker or crockpot – Whichever you use, the cooking time is the same.
• Large skillet – For browning the meat and sauteing the aromatics.
• Wooden spoon – A wooden spoon is perfect for stirring and mixing without scratching the delicate ceramic pot.

Ingredients:

• Pork stewing meat—You can buy stewing meat already chopped into chunks the perfect size for this recipe or choose your favorite cut of pork and chop it up yourself.
• Red wine – I prefer red wine for this recipe because it has a tangier flavor and is sweet without any bitter aftertaste.
• Butter – Unsalted butter is best for this, but if you only have salted butter, omit the salt from this recipe. The butter is for sauteing the garlic and onion.
• Onion – You can use any kind of onion, but I prefer yellow. Peeled and chopped into small chunks.
• Garlic—For the most robust flavor without bitterness, Use fresh garlic, minced when ready to use.
• Tomato paste—For the best flavor and a sweet and tangy addition to the stew, I prefer high-quality tomato paste.
• Beef broth—I only use low–sodium organic beef broth. Otherwise, it contains too much salt.
• Carrots—To make it easier, you can use baby carrots, which are the perfect size for this recipe and don’t need to be peeled and chopped.
• Celery – Fresh, organic celery stalks, diced when ready to use for crunchy bites with lots of juiciness.
• Potatoes—I like to use organic baby reds peeled and chopped in half. You do not have to peel them if you don’t want to, but my family prefers them that way.
• Peas – Using frozen peas for this recipe makes sense because they will cook all day, and you don’t want them to get soggy.
• Bay leaves – The subtle herbal and woodsy taste adds a nice floral background.
• Flour – Any flour will do for this. It is just for coating the meat before browning to give it a caramelized flavor and texture.
• Vegetable oil – I prefer olive oil for this, but you can use whatever oil you usually use for frying.
• Salt – Kosher salt has the best flavor without any additives like iodine.
• Pepper – Freshly ground black pepper gives this stew a refreshing peppery taste.

For the slurry:

• Cornstarch – To thicken the juice.
• Water – Warm water to dissolve the cornstarch.

How to make slow cooker pork stew?

1. Brown the meat: First, toss the pork in a large bowl with flour, salt, and pepper, coating it evenly. Then, heat the oil over medium-high and add the meat in a single layer. Work in batches if you have to. Brown the pork on all sides, about five minutes per side. Add the meat to the slow cooker as you go.
2. Deglaze and saute: Then, pour the wine into the skillet and scrape the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Pour it all into the slow cooker. Then, turn the heat to medium and melt the butter before adding the garlic and onion. Saute for one to two minutes and then deglaze the pan again with one cup of broth. Pour it all into the cooker with the tomato paste, veggies, and broth. Stir well.
3. Cook on low: Now, add bay leaves, salt, and pepper and cover the pot. Set it to low and cook for seven to eight hours.
4. Taste and thicken: After it is done, taste and add salt and pepper as needed. If it is too thin, add some cornstarch slurry or mash some of the potatoes to thicken it during the last 30 minutes.
5. Garnish and serve: Finally, garnish with chopped parsley and serve.

Expert tip

Cooking pork on high or low

Although the temperatures vary somewhat between brands of crockpots and slow cookers, they all seem to take twice as long on low as they do on high. When cooking pork, it is best to cook it on low to braise it rather than boiling it. Doing this makes it tender and juicy, as the meat absorbs the fat as the gristle and collagen break down. The length of time to cook pork depends on the size and cut.

A pork loin should be cooked on low for four to six hours. Pork chops can be cooked for two to six hours, depending on their thickness and how firm you want. The pork you want to shred has to be cooked for eight to nine hours. Whatever cut of meat you use for this recipe, you can cook it for six to seven hours because it is chopped into pieces. This will help the collagen break down faster.

I do not recommend using the high setting when cooking pork stew. Most cuts of pork used for stew meat need to be cooked low and slow to get them tender enough to eat without having to cut the pieces smaller. The whole point of stew is that the meat is small and tender enough to eat easily without a knife and fork.

Recipe variations and add-ins:

• Different meat: Although it is called pork stew, you can use a different kind of meat if you want to. Beef stew is the most common way to make this dish, but you could also use chicken, turkey, or ham.
• Add more veggies: Stew is made with lots of meat and vegetables, so go ahead and add what you like. I prefer root vegetables like turnips and parsnips, as well as sweet potatoes, but mushrooms, corn, green beans, and bell peppers are also perfect for stew.
• Spicy stew: Spice up your stew by adding some chopped chiles or jalapenos or sprinkle in some red pepper flakes.
• Sweet stew: My kids love it when I add a bit of brown sugar for a rich sweetness. It really gives it a nice, warm, comforting flavor.
• Bacon: Everything tastes better with bacon, especially pork. Cook your own in the oven and crumble it before adding it to the pot.

Serving suggestions:

• Help your guests soak up every drop of the tasty juice with some dinner rolls. Try my easy 30-minute dinner rolls.
• Instead of bread, you could also serve this delicious stew with crackers or buttery biscuits.
• Any kind of salad would pair well with pork stew. Try my kids’ favorite strawberry broccoli salad or this chopped Mexican salad recipe.
• Another way to make this a heartier meal is to serve it on a bed of fluffy rice, or pasta.
• This dish also goes well with southern cornbread and mashed potatoes,
• My family also loves it when I serve this with their favorite dessert, strawberry shortcake pie.

Frequently asked questions

Which cut of pork is best for stew?

For stew cooked low and slow in the slow cooker, you need a cut of pork that has enough connective tissue to keep it together. But it also needs enough fat to make it tender, juicy, and flavorful. I feel pork shoulder or pork butt are both great choices. You do not want to use anything too fatty, like pork belly, because it would dissolve as it has no connective tissues to keep it together.

Why is my pork stew tough?

One of the first things that comes to mind is that it was not cooked long enough. Make sure it cooks for at least six hours. If it is still tough, let it cook for another two to three hours. It may also be that the juices all leaked out of the meat. Be sure to brown the pork before you cook it to seal in the juices. If you know you are using a tough cut of pork, soak it in salt brine or marinade before cooking it.

Can pork be overcooked in the slow cooker?

Any type of meat can be overcooked no matter what cooking method you use. The best way to cook this stew is by setting it on low and letting it cook for at least six hours. The high setting will boil the meat instead of braising it, making it tougher to chew because it gets done too fast. Also, if it gets done too fast and you do not remove it from the heat after a few hours, it will be overcooked.

Is pork stew healthier than beef stew?

Both pork and stew are high in vitamins, minerals, and protein, but beef has more fat, cholesterol, and calories than pork. Pound for pound, beef versus pork, pork is the best choice for those trying to keep their cholesterol and fats low. However, some cuts of pork are just as fatty as beef, so you have to choose the leaner cuts or trim the fat yourself.

How to store:

• Refrigerate: Once your pork stew has cooled to room temperature, you can store it in an airtight container in the fridge for four to five days.   
• Freezing: If you need to keep it longer than that, pour stew into a freezer-safe container or freezer bag, and it will stay fresh in the freezer for three or four months.   
• Defrost: Be sure to put frozen leftovers in the fridge the night before serving for the best flavor and texture.
• Reheating: To reheat, pour stew into a saucepan and cook it over medium heat for five minutes, stirring frequently.

More stew recipes:

Recipe tips:

• Keep the lid of your slow cooker closed to prevent heat from escaping, or you may need to extend the cooking time.
• Your pork should read 145 degrees F on a meat thermometer when finished.
• When freezing, pour it into single-serving containers to remove just what you need.
• Instead of wine, you can use red wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar.
• Ensure you use low-sodium beef broth, or your stew will taste too salty.
• If your potatoes are falling apart from cooking so long, wait until the four-hour mark to add them to the pot.
• Another way to help keep them together is to leave the skin on your potatoes.