Bavarian Pork, Vegetable and Ale Stew

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Pork Bavarian Stew

Fill your home with the aroma of this hearty Bavarian stew as it slow cooks, melding meat and veggies with a savory broth. For an authentic taste, choose a Bavarian brew and pay homage to this German state’s beer-loving people. Serves 6-8.

Ingredients

16 oz dark ale *
1 Polish Kielbasa (approx. 13 oz)
2 lb pork shoulder, cut into 1½” pieces
3 T vegetable oil
1 yellow onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, sliced
1/4 c flour *
4 c chicken broth
1/4 c cider vinegar
3 T (plus more for garnish) flat leaf parsley, chopped
1 T fresh thyme, chopped
2 t caraway seeds
2 t black peppercorns, or 1 t red chili flakes (optional)
1 c ea yam and rutabaga, peeled and diced into ½” pieces
1 c Savoy cabbage, cut into 1” strips
1 c kale, stems removed, roughly cut

Steps

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. In a saucepan over med-low heat, simmer beer and reduce to approx. 11/2 c. Slice sausage lengthwise, then cut into 1/2” pieces. In an oven-safe pot, warm oil over med-high heat, add sausage and saute until browned. Remove sausage from pot and set aside. Cut pork into 11/2” pieces and season with salt and pepper. In two batches, add pork to pot and brown on all sides. Set aside. Add onion and garlic and saute until browned, approx. 4 min. Add flour and whisk constantly, incorporating any brown bits to create thick paste, or roux, and cook 2 min; being careful not to burn. Add beer reduction to deglaze pan, scraping the bottom of the pot to loosen any bits. Add chicken broth, vinegar, herbs, peppercorns and caraway seeds. Season with salt and pepper and bring to a boil while stirring. The liquid will thicken slightly. Return pork and sausage to pot. Bring to a boil, cover and place into pre-heated oven, cooking for 1 1/2 hr. Add yam, rutabaga, cabbage and kale and return to the oven for 45 min, or until vegetables are tender. Spoon into serving bowls and garnish with chopped parsley.

* To make this recipe gluten-free friendly, use gluten-free flour and beer.