Carolee is a passionate author with a love for studying and instructing. She is a broadcast creator, poet, blogger, and content material creator.
Jamaicans love pork, and the second hottest approach to have pork is stewed. We like our meats darkish—whether or not they’re grilled, broiled, or stewed. It’s customary to make use of a darkening agent on the meat to present it some shade. The opposite factor to do is to brown the meat, then stew it in its sauces.
The pork stew recipe beneath could be carried out how you want, so long as it is darkish and has a gravy when you find yourself carried out—then you’ve got your stewed pork.
Jamaican-style pork stew is totally different from the European or American model. Whereas the American pork stew has a number of greens and potatoes that make it a beautiful, hearty meal, it’s a must to serve your pork as a meat dish right here in Jamaica. (See beneath for some additions and variations.) I serve this with our conventional rice and peas and a salad.
Table of Contents
Prepare dinner Time
Elements
- 2 kilos pork stew, reduce into 1-inch cubes
- 1 medium brown onion, chopped
- 2 stalks scallion, chopped
- 2 tablespoons darkish soy sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon celery salt
- 1/4 teaspoon coriander powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 heaping tablespoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- salt (non-obligatory)
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1 massive thyme sprig
- 1 piece of recent ginger, about 1 inch, smashed or sliced
- 6 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon pimento seeds, cracked
A Notice on Salt
Also read: Crockpot recipes stew beef tips
Salt is non-obligatory as a result of the seasonings are already salty. I omit the salt altogether. You may style the sauce and regulate the salt to your style.
Additions and Variations
Most households will add one thing to their pork stew apart from the plain pork. Listed below are what Jamaicans will add to their stew pork. Select one of many following:
- 1 cup carrots, sliced
- 1 medium potato, diced
- 1 cup broad beans, cooked (or 1 can, rinsed and drained)
- 1 cup inexperienced peas (or 1 small can)
Chances are you’ll add your most well-liked sort of vegetable to your stew, however you could do not forget that this dish just isn’t a one-pot meal and will probably be served with a starch and salad.
Directions
- Earlier than you narrow up your pork, I like to recommend rinsing it in some vinegar or a lime juice resolution. Pat dry your pork with paper towels.
- Dice your meat and set in a bowl.
- To the bowl, add all different elements aside from oil. Marinate for not less than 2 hours earlier than cooking. It is best to do that in a single day.
- In a dutch oven, warmth oil on excessive till it is nearly smoking. Whereas oil is heating, shake off the scallion, onion, garlic, and all seasoning items. Reserve.
- Add all of the items of meat to the new oil and canopy. Maintain turning the meat to make sure that all sides get browned. Let the pork brown, lined, till all items are good and brown. Retaining the meat lined ensures that the meat doesn’t dry out.
- When the pork is sweet and brown, drain any extra oil, add 1 cup of water, and scale back flames to medium. Every time the water evaporates, add 1 cup at a time till the meat is tender. Maintain checking the meat to ensure you do not overcook it. You’ll know when the pork is tender when the meat begins to fall away from the bone.
- When the meat is tender, add the reserved seasoning and 1 cup of water, if wanted. Scale back flames to medium low. Cowl and let simmer till your sauce is sweet and constant to your liking. I like my sauce medium-thick, however you could thicken your sauce to your liking.
- Style and regulate the salt and pepper.
- Flip off flames when your sauce is prepared.
Seasoning Substitutes
There are just a few issues constant together with your Jamaican pork stew: the colour, onions, garlic, scallion, thyme, ginger, and pimento.
Also read: The top 10+ soup vs stew vs chowder
The kind of coloring you place in your pork is as much as you. Listed below are a number of solutions.
Browning Agent Choices
- Grocery store Browning: That is browning that’s offered within the supermarkets and used primarily for baking. It’s actually only a coloring agent, because it does not add a lot taste, and it is fairly thick. For two kilos of pork, it is best to solely use 2 drops. Use a syringe or teaspoon so as to add this to your meat, or you could run the chance of including an excessive amount of.
- Teriyaki or Worcestershire: You may as well use Teriyaki or Worcestershire sauce. These will give the pork distinctive flavors.
- Sugar Browning: That is completely selfmade. I hate the style of the industrial browning, so I make my very own. It isn’t as darkish, but it surely tastes higher. See the recipe beneath.
The way to Make Sugar Browning
Elements
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- water
Directions
- I add 3 tablespoons sugar to a small saucepan and let that boil till the sugar will get chocolaty darkish and begins to present that burnt scent. Don’t stir but, however make sure that all of the sugar is boiling.
- Subsequent, add 4 tablespoons water. Swirl sauce pan, then add one other 3 or 4 tablespoons water. Let it boil just a little, then stir to dissolve any sugar that’s sticking to the underside.
It could take awhile to get the hold of it, however you will get it with follow. Your browning shouldn’t have any lumps or burnt particles in it, and it needs to be the consistency of maple syrup. For those who see black stuff on the backside of the pot, then it is probably your browning is just too bitter.
Also read: Delicious Buttered Rutabagas | Family Cuisine
Make your browning a day earlier than it is wanted so you’re positive it seems okay. Add 1 teaspoon of this to your meat and retailer the steadiness in an hermetic bottle or jar for future use.
Spices
As an alternative of the coriander, celery salt, garlic salt, and onion powder that I used, you could use your most well-liked powdered spices, resembling:
- Pork spice or bouillon
- Meat inventory within the gravy as an alternative of water
- No matter further spices you would possibly choose
As I discussed, taste your pork your means. However be sure you hold the essential recent herbs intact (the garlic, onion, thyme, pimento, and ginger are a should).
© 2012 Carolee Samuda