Chef John's Irish Pork Stew

1 (2 1/2 pound) boneless pork shoulder, cut into 2-inch cubes

salt and ground black pepper to taste

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 tablespoon butter

1 large onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

1 bay leaf

3/4 teaspoon caraway seed

1 (12 fluid ounce) bottle dark beer such as Guinness®

2 cups chicken broth

3 carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces

2 stalks celery, cut into 1-inch pieces

1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

12 Brussels sprouts, halved

3 cups mashed potatoes, or as needed

1 teaspoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, or to taste



Season pork cubes with salt and black pepper.

Heat vegetable oil in a pot over high heat. Working in batches, cook and stir pork in hot oil until browned on all sides, 5 to 10 minutes. Transfer pork to a bowl and reduce heat to medium.

Melt butter in the pot. Cook and stir onion with a pinch of salt in hot butter until onion is softened and translucent, 7 to 10 minutes. Add garlic; saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Stir flour into onion mixture; cook and stir until flour is completely incorporated, about 2 minutes. Add bay leaf and caraway seed; cook for 2 minutes more. Pour beer into onion mixture. Cook and stir until thickened, 1 to 3 minutes.

Stir pork, chicken broth, carrots, and celery into beer mixture; bring to simmer. Stir 1/4 cup parsley and balsamic vinegar into stew, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until pork is fork-tender, about 2 hours.

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the Brussels sprouts and cook uncovered until almost tender, about 5 minutes. Drain.

Stir Brussels sprouts into stew and simmer until heated through, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Divide mashed potatoes between 6 bowls. Ladle stew over potatoes and top each with a pinch of parsley.