Irish Pork Stew with Stout and Caraway Seeds

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 300°F.

Step 2

Trim the bones from the pork shoulder steaks and set aside. Trim the fat from the meat (and discard) and cut the pork into 1-inch cubes.

Step 3

In a gallon-size resealable freezer bag, combine the flour, 1 teaspoon of salt and 1 teaspoon of pepper. Add the pork and shake to coat.

Step 4

Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large oven-proof Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add half of the meat to the pot so it covers the bottom of the pot evenly and cook for 2-3 minutes before moving so that the sides brown nicely for a total of about 8-10 minutes. Transfer the meat to a bowl, add another tablespoon of oil to the pot and finish browning the rest of the meat then transfer that to the bowl as well.

Step 5

Reduce the heat to medium and add the last tablespoon of oil to the Dutch oven and heat until it's shimmering. Add the onion and mushrooms and cook until the vegetables just begin to soften, about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Step 6

Add the caraway seeds and the 1 ½ teaspoons of kosher salt and 1 teaspoon of pepper and cook for another 2 minutes or so.

Step 7

Add the raw pork bones to the Dutch oven and top with the cooked pork chunks. Add the Irish Stout, water and bay leaves then raise the heat and bring to a boil, and stir and scrape any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.

Step 8

Cover the Dutch oven with the lid and transfer to the oven to cook for 1 hour.

Step 9

Remove the pot from the oven, give it a stir if you'd like, and add the carrots and potatoes, cover again and put back in the oven for another 1 to 1 ½ hours until the carrots and potatoes are cooked through and the sauce has thickened.

Step 10

Remove the pot from the oven and the remove the bones from the stew. Add the parsley and stir everything together, taste for seasoning and add more salt or pepper if needed. Serve hot.