French-Style Pork Stew


SERVES 8 TO 10

Pork butt roast, often labeled Boston butt in the supermarket, is a very fatty cut, so don’t be surprised if you lose a pound or even a little more in the trimming process (the weight called for in the recipe takes this loss into account). Serve with crusty bread.

6

sprigs fresh parsley

3

large sprigs fresh thyme

5

garlic cloves, unpeeled

2

bay leaves

1

tablespoon black peppercorns

2

whole cloves

5

cups water

4

cups chicken broth

3

pounds boneless pork butt roast, trimmed and cut into 1- to 1½-inch pieces

1

meaty smoked ham shank or 2–3 smoked ham hocks (1¼ pounds)

2

onions, halved through root end, root end left intact

4

carrots, peeled, narrow end cut crosswise into ½-inch pieces, wide end halved lengthwise and cut into ½-inch pieces

1

pound Yukon Gold potatoes, unpeeled, cut into ¾-inch pieces

12

ounces kielbasa sausage, halved lengthwise and sliced ½ inch thick

8

cups shredded savoy cabbage

Salt and pepper

¼

cup chopped fresh parsley

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Cut 10-inch square of triple-thickness cheesecloth. Place parsley sprigs (fold or break to fit), thyme sprigs, garlic, bay leaves, peppercorns, and cloves in center of cheesecloth and tie into bundle with kitchen twine.

2. Bring water, chicken broth, pork butt, ham shank, onions, and herb bundle to simmer in large Dutch oven over medium-high heat, skimming off scum that rises to surface. Cover pot and place in oven. Cook until pork chunks are tender and skewer inserted into meat meets little resistance, 1¼ to 1½ hours.

3. Using slotted spoon, discard cheesecloth bundle and onion halves. Transfer shank to plate. Add carrots and potatoes to pot and stir to combine. Cover pot and return to oven. Cook until vegetables are almost tender, 20 to 25 minutes. When cool enough to handle, using two forks, remove meat from shank and shred into bite-size pieces; discard skin and bones.

4. Add shredded shank meat, kielbasa, and cabbage to pot. Stir to combine, cover, and return to oven. Cook until kielbasa is heated through and cabbage is wilted and tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then stir in parsley. Ladle into bowls and serve.