This rich and gutsy pork and chorizo stew is packed full of flavour. Make it in a pressure cooker/Instant pot and its super quick to cook too
This Pork and Chorizo stew was one of the first recipes I posted here on Recipes Made Easy. Since then I have made it dozens of times over. As I was updating the recipe I pondered with the idea of changing the name to Casserole instead of stew, as not only have I served it as a hearty family meal in the winter, it has been good enough to serve at dinner parties. But in the end, I really felt that stew is the right name for it. After all this is not a pretentious dish, it is all about well flavoured home cooking and should be celebrated as such; so stew it is
Being an early post of mine the only images were a couple taken on my smartphone. They really were not doing the dish any justice and I was disappointed that it was not getting seen, because it really is a fabulous recipe. To try redress this, last time I made it for dinner I took some new photographs so that I can update and republish it.
Back when I first published the recipe, I had recently rediscovered the pressure cooker. I had had one back in the 80's but I don't remember using it much. Now I actually have two - one that goes on the hob and an electric instant pot and I use them both a lot.
They really are a godsend when time is short. I take advantage of cheaper cuts of meat that would normally take hours of slow cooking to become tender even when I don't have much time.
Although it is true that sometimes the flavour doesn't have time to develop in quite the same way as it does with a long slow cook, that's not an issue with this dish as it is so flavour packed anyway.
Do you have to have a pressure cooker to make this Pork and Chorizo Stew?
No, If you don't have a pressure cooker (yet) you can still make it. It will just take longer to prepare and cook but it is worth the wait. Follow the recipe below using a large heavy-based saucepan and add an extra 150ml of stock. Cook covered over a very low heat for 1–1½ hours or until the pork is very tender, adding a little extra stock if required.
It's the chorizo that adds the flavour
I have to confess that for a long time I was not a huge fan of chorizo finding the flavour a little too strong. But then I tried a Hairy Bikers low-calorie recipe where just a little bit of chorizo added lots of flavour to what would have been a rather tasteless diet recipe. From then on I was hooked. There are lots of different chorizos out there, from mildly spicy to hot and peppery, so experiment until you find the one which you like best.
I usually serve this with a mash made from canned haricot beans, mixed with some garlic and fresh thyme, but regular mash is good too. As is rice or crusty bread. A fresh green vegetable of some kind not only complements the food but also adds some colour.
The dish freezes well for up to 3 months.
If you like stews and casseroles you may also like to try my Beef Carbonade, Slow-Cooked Lamb Shanks with Onions and Peppers or Beef Goulash
How to Make Pork and Chorizo Stew Step by Step
Pork and chorizo stew
Ingredients
- 3-4 tablespoon rapeseed oil
- 2 onions sliced
- 4 cloves of garlic sliced
- 1 kg pork shoulder cut into chunks
- 225 g chorizo sliced
- 2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 150 ml red wine
- 2 tablespoon tomato purée
- 400 g can chopped tomatoes
- 150 ml vegetable stock
- few sprigs fresh thyme leaves removed or ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Heat 1 tablespoon oil in the pressure cooker and add the onions, cook over a medium heat, stirring frequently until the onions have softened and are beginning to colour. Add the garlic and continue to cook for 1 minute, then remove the onions and garlic from the cooker and set aside.
- Heat 1tbsp oil in the cooker and brown the pork in batches over a high heat adding more oil as required. Once the pork is browned, remove from the cooker and add it to the onions.
- Once all the pork has been browned add the chorizo to the pan and cook until beginning to colour, then stir in the paprika and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
- Add the red wine to the cooker, stirring well to scrape out all the caramelised juices from the bottom of the cooker. Bring to the boil and allow to bubble for a minute or two.
- Return the meat and onions to the pressure cooker, add the tomato purée, chopped tomatoes and stock, thyme and bay leaves.
- Close the pressure cooker and bring up to high pressure. Lower the heat to maintain the pressure and cook for 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow the pressure to drop slowly before opening. Season to taste. Serve garnished with extra thyme if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
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Carolle
Lovely, I put some mushrooms in mine but other than that followed the recipe exactly. I will definitelymake it again. I'm off to check your other recipes now.
Jacqueline Bellefontaine
Glad you liked it and mushrooms are a great addition too.
Danny
Made this as part of a 5 dish Tapas, was lookingD for a change from Chicken Stew, this was Ideal made it with my homemade Chorizo it turned out totally delicious also only took 15 minutes in the Pressure cooker cant wait to try it as a main dish so glad I found this recipe
Jacqueline Bellefontaine
Really pleased you liked it Danny and I love the idea as serving it in a tapas spread.
Sonia
This has become a family favourite in our house even my son who doesn’t like pork loves this. Thank you for this wonderful and easy recipe. Might seem odd to others but we love it with pasta
Jacqueline Bellefontaine
I think it would be very nice with pasta too. Pleased that you and your family like it so much and thank you for taking the time to comment
Claire
Hi...we ate a similar stew while having tapas yesterday, it included dates and almonds which I am going to add to your recipe today, wish me luck!
Jacqueline Bellefontaine
Hi Claire How did it go? Were the dates and almonds a good addition and what did you think of the stew? I hope you liked it as much as we do. It become a regular on our menu, particularly in the colder months. Jacqui x
Carol Howell
I didn't have the pork shoulder so used smoked sausage along with the chorizo and added half a can of kidney beans. It was very, very good! Thanks for sharing your recipe.
Jacqueline Bellefontaine
What an interesting variation. Pleased you liked the recipe.
Monica
Lovely recipe thanks! I didn’t have all the right ingredients, hence modified the recipe a little (using Hungarian smoked sausage instead of chorizo and sweet papirika instead of smoked & some caraway seeds instead of thyme and bay (as I’d run out of both!!)- I don’t have a pressure cooker so slow cooked it on the hob which also worked well.... & it was really lovely
Jacqueline Bellefontaine
Monica Im so glad you liked it and great that you were confident enough to adapt to what you had available. I do try give a recipe that can be adapted to taste and what people have. Thank you also for taking the time to comment I do love to hear when people have tried and enjoyed a recipe
Pete
Nicest meal I have ever cooked, real easy instructions that a rubbish cook like myself can easily follow. Was delicious! Will try out more of your recipes. Thanks
Jacqueline Bellefontaine
Thanks Pete, That's one of the nicest comments i have ever had. so really pleased you liked it and look forward to hearing what you think of some of my other recipes.
Lynn Troughton
Will make this again
Jacqueline Bellefontaine
Ohh so glad you enjoyed it Lynn
Cliona Keane
This looks absolutely delicious! A proper family friendly comfort dish! #CookBlogShare
Cat | Curly's Cooking
This is definitely my kind of meal. I absolutely love pork and chorizo and the stew looks so rich and delicious!
Jacqui Bellefontaine
Thanks, Cat it is that!
Monika Dabrowski
Looks super gorgeous, very appetising and perfect for cold February evenings.
Jacqui Bellefontaine
or anytime of the year for that matter 🙂