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Pork, Corn and Butternut Squash Stew
This colorful stew is loosely based on Argentinian locro, a stick-to-your-ribs dish that traditionally includes multiple cuts of fresh and cured meats, hominy, legumes and winter squash. The flavors here skew sweet from the corn, tomatoes and butternut squash, but the cumin, garlic and pork balance with their savoriness. We prefer this stew made with fresh corn kernels cut from cobs, as this leaves us with stripped cobs to infuse even more corn flavor into the mix. But when fresh corn is not in season, frozen corn is a fine substitute. Use 2 cups frozen corn kernels; no need to thaw before use.
4-6
Servings
Tip
Don’t add more water than the amount called for. Two cups may seem scant, but the ingredients release moisture as they cook, creating ample broth for the stew.
FAST: 1½ hours
Slow: 4½ to 5½ hours
30 minutes active
Ingredients
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2
ears fresh corn, husks and silk removed
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3
tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Directions
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01Using a chef's knife, cut the kernels from the ears of corn; you should have about 2 cups. Stand the stripped cobs in a wide bowl, then use the back of the knife to scrape from top to bottom all around it, allowing the liquid to fall into the bowl. Add the kernels to the bowl, then cut each cob in half and reserve separately. On a 6-quart Instant Pot, select More/High Sauté. Add the oil and heat until shimmering. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in the garlic, paprika, cumin and cayenne, then cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the pork, squash, corn kernels and liquid, tomatoes, 2 cups water and 1 teaspoon salt, then distribute in an even layer. Add the corn cobs to the pot.
Reviews
I’m disappointed that this recipe only gives instructions for an instapot, as if everyone has one. I know how to cook, so I can make it conventionally, but I’m not impressed in this free trial if recipes are tailored for using trendy gadgets rather than conventional cooking methods available to the public broadly.
Hi Erin,
We’re so glad you're exploring our recipes. When we developed the recipes for our Instant Pot book, Fast and Slow, we offered pressure cooker and slow cooker instructions for every recipe that worked well cooked either way. Recipes that have only one set of instructions did not produce good results when prepared with the alternative method. And unfortunately, it’s not possible for us to reverse engineer Instant Pot recipes for stovetop cooking. But the good news is that many of them were inspired by recipes we’d already prepared for conventional cooking methods. If you check our website, you might find what you are looking for.
Best,
The Milk Street Team
I just made this recipe without the Instant Pot (we do not have one). I followed Step 1 but prepared it in a 5 qt Dutch oven (I also used about 1.5 lbs of squash cubes, triple the amount called for). I then brought the mixture to a boil, put the lid on the Dutch oven and put it in a preheated 350 degree oven (middle rack) for 1.5 hours, checking it half way through.
Then I followed Step 3. It is delicious. The only change is next time I will add the tomatoes half way through the oven time. They did not hold their shape well.
Hi Barb -
No. Pork shoulder is cut from the shoulder of the cow and a significantly fattier cut with more connective tissue. This lends itself to slow cooking or, in this case, pressure cooking more than the leaner loin cuts, which are better roasted quickly. Because of these differences in makeup, a tenderloin would likely be overcooked and tough in the pressure cooker after 25 minutes. Additionally, the amount of liquid in the pressure cooker is important to the success of this dish and a tenderloin and a shoulder will release different amounts of juice and could negatively impact the cooking process.
Best,
The Milk Street Team
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The recipe is so easy to make while tasty and flavorful. I thought one tablespoon paprika might be too much but it wasn’t. I used a slow cooker to make this dish, turned it on and left the place. When I come back, the smell of corns fulled of the entire place. The ingredients all balanced out the flavor with each other to form a very nice dish. I will make this receipt again and again.
I have been making several fast/slow recipes and none of them disappointed me.