Pork Stew with Sweet Potatoes and Prunes

Summary
Prep time	20 min
Cook time	1:15 hours + 15 minutes rest
Source	Perfect One-Dish Dinners by Pam Anderson
Yield / serves	6-8 servings
Rating	Delicious

Ingredients

• 3 lbs boneless pork shoulder (or boneless country ribs), cut into 1 1/2 inch cubes and patted dry
• 5 T vegetable or olive oil, divided
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 3 large garlic cloves, minced
• 2 t dried thyme
• 3 T all-purpose flour
• 3 c chicken broth
• 1 c full-bodied red wine
• 4 medium sweet potatoes (2 lbs), peeled and cut into 1 1/2 inch chunks
• 1 1/2 c pitted prunes

Preparation

Adjust oven racks to lowest and middle positions and heat oven to 450 degrees. Heat a heavy-bottomed soup kettle or large Dutch oven over low heat.

Meanwhile, place pork in a medium bowl. Pour 2 tablespoons oil over meat, season with salt and pepper, and toss to coat.

Increase heat to a strong medium-high until wisps of smoke start to rise from the pan. Working in 2 batches to prevent overcrowding, add pork and sear, turning only once, until two sides form an impressive brown crust, 6-8 minutes per batch. Transfer meat to a plate; set aside.

Add onion to pan, adding 1 tablespoon oil if pan is dry, and cook, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and thyme and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Whisk in flour, then broth and wine. Return pork to pan. Using two potholders to protect hands, place a sheet of heavy-duty foil over pan, pressing down on foil so that it touches the stew. Seal foil around edges. Place lid snugly on pan and let cook until you hear juices bubble. Set pan on middle rack in oven and cook for 1 hour and 15 minutes.

After 45 minutes, toss sweet potatoes with remaining 2 tablespoons oil and a sprinkling of salt and pepper in a 13x9-inch pan. Set on bottom rack and roast until sweet potatoes and pork are tender, about 30 minutes longer. Remove sweet potatoes and stew from oven. Remembering that pan and lid are hot, stir sweet potatoes and prunes into the stew. Re-cover pan with foil and lid and let meat rest and vegetables marry with stew, about 15 minutes. Set stew over low heat, if necessary, to reheat, and then serve.