Chef John's Irish Pork Stew

Ingredients

• 1 boneless pork shoulder , 2 ½ pound
• salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 large onion , chopped
• 2 cloves garlic , minced
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 bay leaf
• 0.75 teaspoons caraway seed
• 1 bottle dark beer , 12 fluid ounce
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 3 carrots , cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 stalks celery , cut into 1-inch pieces
• 0.25 cups chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 12 Brusselss sprouts , halved
• 3 cups mashed potatoes , or as needed
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley , for garnish

Instructions

1. 1

   Season pork with salt and black pepper.

2. 2

   Heat oil in a large pot over high heat. Working in batches, cook and stir pork in hot oil until browned on all sides, 5 to 10 minutes. Transfer pork to a bowl.

3. 3

   Melt butter in the same pot over medium heat. Cook and stir onion in hot butter with a pinch of salt until onion is softened and translucent, 7 to 10 minutes. Add garlic; sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

4. 4

   Stir flour into onion mixture; cook and stir until flour is completely incorporated, about 2 minutes. Add bay leaf and caraway seed; cook for 2 minutes more. Pour in beer. Cook and stir until thickened, 1 to 3 minutes.

5. 5

   Stir browned pork, broth, carrots, and celery into beer mixture; bring to a simmer. Stir 1/4 cup parsley and balsamic vinegar into stew; reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until pork is fork-tender, about 2 hours.

6. 6

   Meanwhile, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook Brussels sprouts in boiling water until almost tender, about 5 minutes. Drain.

7. 7

   Stir Brussels sprouts into stew and simmer until heated through, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

8. 8

   Divide mashed potatoes between 6 bowls. Ladle stew over potatoes and garnish with 1 teaspoon parsley.