Pork Stew with Olives & Green Beans

This is a low and slow braise built in layers. Boneless pork pieces get browned hard in olive oil first, building a caramelized fond on the bottom of the Dutch oven that becomes the flavor base for everything that follows.

Onions cook down for a full 12 minutes in that same pot until soft and sweet, then eight cloves of garlic go in before the pork returns with plum tomatoes, chicken broth, white wine, thyme, and oregano. An hour of uncovered simmering gets the pork almost tender, then olives join for the final 45 minutes, adding their briny, salty depth as the juices thicken naturally.

Green beans go in at the very end, covered, for just 8 minutes. They stay bright and snappy against the meltingly tender pork.

Chef Tips

• Brown the pork in batches. Crowding the pot steams the meat instead of searing it, and you lose all that flavor-building caramelization.
• Use Niçoise, hojiblanca, or cacereña olives as suggested. Their meaty texture holds up through 45 minutes of simmering where softer olives would fall apart.
• Simmer uncovered for the full time. The evaporation is what concentrates the broth into a rich, slightly thickened sauce.
• Add the green beans only in the last 8 minutes. Cooking them longer turns them drab and mushy.

Variations

• Lamb version: Swap boneless pork for lamb shoulder cut into chunks for a heartier, more Mediterranean take.
• Add potatoes: Toss in cubed Yukon Gold potatoes when the olives go in for a starchier, more filling stew.