Pumpkin and Pork Stew

Celebrate the flavors of Fall! This is the perfect weather for a comforting one-pot meal of hearty Pumpkin and Pork Stew. The sweet flavor of pumpkin teams up with tender chunks of pork, herbs and spices, creating an amazing, mouthwatering fragrance in your kitchen.

4.91 from 60 votes

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Prep Time: 20

Cook Time: 3

Total Time: 3 20

Servings: servings

Calories: 359kcal

Author: Pat Nyswonger

Ingredients

2 pounds boneless pork shoulder cut into 1-inch cubes
Salt/pepper
3 tablespoons coconut or olive oil
1 onion chopped
2 garlic cloves finely chopped
3 tablespoons fresh ginger root grated
3 cups chicken broth homemade if possible
3 tablespoons tomato paste
14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes
1 pound pumpkin peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks
1 large sweet red bell pepper seeded and cut into large pieces
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes I used Aleppo flakes
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage leaves
1 large bay leaf
3 thin slices of lemon
Fresh sage sprigs for garnish

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 300°F.
In a Dutch oven (or large oven-proof pot), set over medium-high heat, add the oil and when it is warm, add a portion of the pork cubes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Brown the pork in batches and remove it to a paper towel-lined plate as they brown. Continue browning until all the pork has been browned, adding additional oil a tablespoon at a time as needed.
Reduce the heat to medium and add the onions and a couple of tablespoons of water. Cook the onions, stirring often, just until translucent, about 3-4 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger, stir and cook for 30 seconds. Return the browned pork cubes to the pot and add the chicken broth, tomato paste, tomatoes, pumpkin, and red bell pepper.
Stir in the pepper flakes, cumin, cinnamon, and sage leaves. Add the bay leaf and the thin slices of lemon. Place the lid on the pot and transfer it to the oven. Cook for 2 1/2 hours, tilt the lid slightly, allowing the liquid to thicken a bit, and continue cooking for another 30 minutes.
Transfer the pot from the oven, and remove and discard the lemon slices and the bay leaf. Ladle the stew into shallow bowls and serve with crusty bread.

Notes

To ease in cutting that tough pumpkin or squash skin, par-bake it whole at 400°F — just long enough to soften it up a little. Or, stab the skin in several places with a fork and microwave it for 3 minutes to soften up.
Prepare this one-pot meal a day in advance as the flavors will meld together and enhance the taste.