Pork and Butternut Stew

Warm up this autumn (or winter!) with this simple and comforting pork and butternut stew. This is the kind of meal that you make when you want your entire house to fill with amazing aromas of slow cooked pork, spices, and sweet butternut squash. This stew tastes best when enjoyed with a good beer and some crusty sourdough bread for dunking. Make sure to get your hands on good quality pork shoulder from a reputable farmer or grocer. It makes all the difference!

Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 3+ hours
Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon cumin
• 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 1-1/2 pounds pork shoulder (boneless)
• 1 medium-sized butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1" cubes
• 1 large bunch of kale, tough stems removed, and torn into bite-sized pieces
• 1 14-ounce jar diced tomatoes (with juices)

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 300F.

Mix the paprika, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, cinnamon, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Add the lime juice and stir. Place the pork in a large Dutch oven or deep roasting pan and coat all sides with the spice mixture. Add 1 cup of water and cover tightly with a lid or aluminum foil. Cook in the oven, turning every 45 minutes.

After about 2 hours and 15 minutes, add the butternut squash cubes and 1/2 cup of water. Cook for 30 minutes longer. Add the kale and tomatoes. Place back in the oven for about 15 minutes longer. Remove the pork shoulder from the pot and place on a cutting board. Use a knife of fork to cut/shred it into large chunks. Stir the shredded pork back into the stew.

Divide the stew between bowls and enjoy.

Notes

*Use this recipe as a guide
*Adjust measurements and ingredients as necessary
*Recipe adapted from The Whole 30 Cookbook