Pork and Sweet Potato Stew

Stew is, by far, one of my favorite types of dishes to make - right up there with casseroles.   Meat and Veg in one dish is every Paleo girl's dream!   I love a meal that requires me to only bring one tupperware dish to work rather than 2 or 3.  I don't have to go into panic mode hurriedly whipping up another vegetable side because I ran out of broccoli but still have tons of chicken left over.   I originally found this recipe at Redeeming the Table.  I love how the vegetables absorb all of the delicious flavors of the meat, aromatics and spices.  I think it would be a great dish to make for kids.  It's easy to cook except that, like most recipes that are fully homemade, it requires a bit of chopping.  But it will all be worth it when you just smell the final product.  The most surprising part about this stew is how the lime wedges and fresh cilantro really bring the dish together, as simple as they are. 

mmm, meat and veg...

Equipment Needed:
large, heavy-bottomed pot (I use a cast-iron dutch oven)
oven

Ingredients:
2 lbs. pork stew meat (just ask your butcher - or farmer's market vendor - what cut is best), cut into 2-inch pieces
salt and pepper
2 tbsp. plus 1 tbsp. of your favorite cooking oil (coconut oil, bacon fat, etc.), separated
1 small (or 2/3 large) yellow onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 cup chicken broth
4 cups boiling water (love my electric kettle!)
1 (4 oz.) can diced green chiles
1 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp. maple syrup
2 lbs. sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped
For serving:
lime wedges
chopped (or torn) cilantro

Directions:
1. Rinse pork (before cutting) and pat dry.  Sprinkle salt and pepper over the pork pieces.
2. Heat oven to 325°F.  Heat 2 tbsp. coconut oil in a heavy-bottomed pot on the stove over medium heat.
3. Add meat and brown on all sides (work in batches if you need to - don't overcrowd the pot).  Remove meat with slotted spoon and set aside.
4. Add remaining tbsp. of coconut oil to pot, then add onions and cook until translucent (don't brown).
5. Add garlic and cook for one minute.  Add chicken broth and stir up all the browned bits at the bottom of the pot (called "deglazing").
6. Add boiling water and meat, then cover and braise in the oven for 2 hours.
7. Carefully remove the pot from the oven and add chiles, vinegar, maple syrup and sweet potatoes.  Cover pot and put back in the oven for another hour.
8. Serve with lime wedges and fresh cilantro.

post-lime carnage