Equipment
Ingredients
Meat
- 800 g pork shoulder, trimmed of excess surface fat and cut into 4cm cubes
- 200 g spanish chorizo, semi-cured cooking style, sliced into thick coins
Vegetables & Aromatics
- 2 fennel, trimmed, cored, and sliced thickly
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 4 garlic, minced
Pantry & Liquids
- 15 ml olive oil
- 3 g smoked paprika, sweet or hot based on preference
- 500 ml chicken stock, low sodium preferred
- 400 g chickpeas, canned, thoroughly drained and rinsed
- 10 g kosher salt
- 3 g black pepper, freshly ground
Garnish
- 1 lemon, zested and juiced
- 15 g fresh parsley, flat-leaf variety, roughly chopped
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 939 kcal
- Protein
- 57 g
- Carbohydrates
- 38 g
- Fat
- 62 g
- Fiber
- 11 g
- Sugar
- 11 g
- Sodium
- 2042 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 15 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 19 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 5 g
- Cholesterol
- 145 mg
- Potassium
- 1354 mg
- Calcium
- 157 mg
- Iron
- 4.9 mg
- Magnesium
- 93 mg
- Phosphorus
- 547 mg
- Zinc
- 7.0 mg
- Vitamin A
- 88 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 29 mg
- Vitamin D
- 3.4 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 2.1 mg
- Vitamin K
- 132 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 1.0 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 1.5 mcg
- Thiamin
- 1.64 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.71 mg
- Niacin
- 8.9 mg
- Folate
- 100 mcg
- Water
- 457 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat the oven to 160°C/320°F.
Season the diced pork shoulder evenly on all sides with the kosher salt and black pepper.
Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the seasoned pork shoulder and sear without moving for a few minutes on each side until deeply browned.
Using tongs, transfer the browned pork to a plate. Add the sliced chorizo to the Dutch oven and saute until the fat renders out and the edges crisp.
Transfer the crisped chorizo to the plate alongside the pork, leaving the seasoned rendered fat behind in the Dutch oven.
Add the sliced fennel and diced yellow onion to the hot rendered fat in the Dutch oven. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until deeply golden and caramelized.
Stir the minced garlic and smoked paprika into the caramelized vegetables using a wooden spoon, and cook briefly until the spices release their aroma.
Pour the chicken stock into the Dutch oven. Use the wooden spoon to immediately scrape and dissolve the concentrated browned fond from the bottom of the pot.
Return the resting pork, chorizo, and any accumulated juices from the plate back to the Dutch oven. Bring the liquid to a steady simmer, cover tightly, and transfer to the preheated oven. Braise at 160°C/320°F until the meat reaches an internal temperature of at least 90°C/195°F and is supremely tender.
Carefully remove the Dutch oven from the oven. Uncover, stir in the drained chickpeas, and simmer gently on the stovetop over medium heat to warm the legumes through and slightly reduce the braising liquid.
Remove the pot entirely from the heat. Mix in the freshly squeezed lemon juice, lemon zest, and chopped flat-leaf parsley.
Ladle the hot, rustic stew into warm serving bowls, ensuring an even distribution of meat, fennel, and chickpeas in each portion.
Chef's Notes
- Pork shoulder contains tough connective tissues that require reaching an internal temperature of at least 90°C/195°F to properly convert into meltingly tender gelatin.
- Using a semi-cured cooking chorizo rather than a fully cured slicing chorizo will yield a much better texture and release vastly more flavorful, paprika-infused fat for the vegetables to cook in.
- Do not rush the initial searing step. Developing a deep brown crust on the pork via the Maillard reaction builds the foundational flavor profile of the entire braise.
- Adding the lemon juice and parsley completely off the heat is critical. It ensures their volatile aromatic compounds remain bright and fresh rather than cooking out into muddiness.
Storage
Refrigerator: 4 days — Flavors deepen significantly when stored overnight.
Freezer: 3 months — Thaw completely in the refrigerator before reheating.
Reheating: Simmer gently on the stovetop over low heat until warmed through, adding a splash of chicken stock if the stew appears dry.
Troubleshooting
Pork is tough and chewy
Cause: Braising time was insufficient to break down the dense connective tissues and collagen in the pork shoulder.
Fix: Return the covered pot to the oven for an additional 30 to 45 minutes, checking periodically until the meat yields completely.
Prevention: Never rush the braising process; always verify fork-tenderness before moving on to the final steps.
Stew lacks body and seems watery
Cause: The braising liquid did not reduce enough after removing from the oven.
Fix: Simmer uncovered for an additional 10 minutes on the stovetop, or mash a small handful of the chickpeas against the side of the pot to thicken the broth.
Prevention: Ensure a steady, vigorous simmer during the final stovetop step.
Cultural Context
This dish draws heavily from Spanish rural cooking traditions, where slowly braising tough, inexpensive cuts of pork with cured meats and legumes provided essential, energy-dense sustenance for agricultural workers. The combination of pork and fennel is a classic Mediterranean pairing, utilizing the sharp anise notes of the vegetable to slice through the rich, heavy fat of the meat.
