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Braised Marsala Pork Stew with Cheddar Cornmeal Biscuits {+ a giveaway!!!}

December 5, 2016 by Molly 48 Comments

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Braised Marsala Pork Stew with Cheddar Cornmeal Biscuits

I don’t know about you guys, but this Monday calls for an extra dose of comfort.

I’ve been battling a horrible cold for several days now, and all I want to consume is soup. Like, even for breakfast. Just give me a big steaming bowl of soup instead of that piping hot cup of coffee. If you know me well, you know this is a BIG deal. I never forego coffee. Ever.

I managed to power through my yucky symptoms and had a very productive weekend, but it was a struggle for sure. And today is Monday. Yuck.

Braised Marsala Pork Stew with Cheddar Cornmeal Biscuits

Lucky for me (and you!), today’s recipe fits the comfort food bill big time. This is about as comforting as things can get when it comes to eating. This pork stew goes above and beyond flavor expectations and is super soothing to boot. Let’s get into it, shall we?

This stew is a sort of hybrid dish. Think of it as soup, a pot of pulled pork, and chicken and dumplings all in one. Except swap pork in for the chicken! It’s a complete meal in one pot, and it tastes like heaven. The stew has savory pulled pork, loads of veggies, chunks of tender potato, and the most delicious depth of flavor, thanks in part to marsala wine. Holland House® marsala wine, to be exact. It’s a delicious flavor infusion for slow-cooked dishes like this one, and I love the slightly sweet balance it brings to this dish. With all the savory going on, a little sweetness is just what the doctor ordered.

Braised Marsala Pork Stew with Cheddar Cornmeal Biscuits

The dish starts out with browning pieces of pork shoulder (a no-skip step when it comes to braising any meat, in my opinion) in a big ol’ pot. Then, to the delicious porky drippings, you add your veggies and cook until tender. Then things get a little spiced up with cumin and chili powder (don’t worry, this definitely doesn’t taste like just another chili when all is said and done) and lots of liquid goes into the pot (including that delicious wine!).

Braised Marsala Pork Stew with Cheddar Cornmeal Biscuits

Then the pork and potatoes go in and everything simmers together over low heat for a couple hours until the pork is dreamily pull-apart tender and lovely. You can basically get this one going and then go about your life for the next couple hours. It’s easy peasy. I love when meals start out with some prep and then I don’t have to really do anything all that difficult for the rest of the cook time! It is a great thing to make on a Sunday. If you do, you’ll have something incredibly delicious and hearty for dinner after a long Monday. Or Tuesday. Or even Wednesday.

Braised Marsala Pork Stew with Cheddar Cornmeal Biscuits

Which is exactly what today is calling for, I think. Head cold or not.

AND THEN! To make matters just ridiculous, the stew gets topped with super easy cheddar cornmeal drop biscuits. The pot goes into the oven and the biscuits bake on top of the stew. They sort of puff up and absorb some of the glorious porky-marsala flavor like dumplings would, but they have a more biscuity heft to them. Plus, there’s CHEESE. So, obviously, we’re winning big time already.

Braised Marsala Pork Stew with Cheddar Cornmeal Biscuits

I made this on a low-key Sunday ahead of a very busy week, and it served so many people in my life well. Not only did my husband RAVE about it, but my mom and sister happened to be over around dinnertime later that week, and they both said it was incredible. Like eating a hug.

Braised Marsala Pork Stew with Cheddar Cornmeal Biscuits

There’s something really magical about braised pork. I mean, who doesn’t love pulled pork? Turning it into a soup just seems like the right thing to do. When you throw in some cheesy biscuits and a healthy glug (or four) of marsala wine, things only get better. Like, way, waaaaay better.

Braised Marsala Pork Stew with Cheddar Cornmeal Biscuits

It’s a serious contender for the”best pork dish I’ve ever made” award. If there was such a thing!

Braised Marsala Pork Stew with Cheddar Cornmeal Biscuits

I am loving the flavor this marsala imparts so much, that I’ve partnered up with Holland House® wines to benefit my readers with some fun product!

 

THE DETAILS:

Holland House® is giving away a suite of their cooking wines (check them all out here) to one of my readers FOR FREE! All you have to do to enter is leave a comment on this post by 5 PM EST on Friday, December 9, 2016. I’ll choose a winner at random. The winner will be notified by email, so please make sure the email address on your comment is accurate!

And even if you don’t win the contest, they’re awesome enough to offer a coupon to EVERYONE. Click here to download! I highly recommend you grab a bottle or two of their wines for your pantry. They’re great for adding depth of flavor to any dish, fast or slow. If you’re looking for even more fantastic recipe ideas using their wines, check out this YouTube channel for some amazing inspiration!

 

 

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Braised Marsala Pork Stew with Cheddar Cornmeal Biscuits

Braised Marsala Pork Stew with Cheddar Cornmeal Biscuits {+ a giveaway!!!}


  • Yield: 8 servings 1x
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Ingredients

Scale

For the Stew:

  • 3-lb boneless pork shoulder, cut into 2-inch pieces
  • Salt and pepper
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 large onion, diced
  • 3 carrots, sliced
  • 3 stalks of celery, diced
  • 5 garlic cloves, smashed
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon ancho chili powder (or regular chili powder)
  • 1 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 5 tablespoons flour
  • 1½ cups Holland House® marsala cooking wine
  • 4 cups low-sodium chicken stock
  • 1 cup milk
  • 4 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 1 large Yukon gold potato, diced
  • ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped

For the Biscuits:

  • 1¼ cups flour
  • 1 cup finely ground cornmeal
  • 2 tablespoons baking powder
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • Pinch of salt
  • ¾ cup whole milk
  • 1 egg
  • 1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Instructions

For the Stew:

  1. Heat a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed, oven-safe pot over medium-high heat.
  2. Pat the pork dry with paper towels and liberally season on all sides with salt and pepper.
  3. Add the oil to the pot and once hot, add the pork pieces in batches. Cook for 2-3 minutes per side, or until all sides are crisp and golden brown.
  4. Remove the pork from the pot and place on a plate. Continue with remaining pork. Set seared pork aside.
  5. Reduce the heat to medium. To the drippings in the pan, add the butter, onion, carrots, and celery. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently, or until the vegetables are tender.
  6. Add in the garlic, spices, brown sugar, and dried herbs and cook for another minute.
  7. Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and toss to evenly coat. Cook for a couple minutes to get out the raw flour taste.
  8. Slowly and carefully stream in the marsala wine, scraping the bottom of the pot well to get up all the browned bits.
  9. Bring the mixture to a simmer and then stir in the stock and milk. Return it to a simmer.
  10. Once the liquid is simmering, return the pork to the pot, along with the fresh thyme and diced potato.
  11. Reduce the heat to low, partially cover the pot, and cook for 2-3 hours, stirring every now and then, or until the pork is tender and falling apart.
  12. Shred the pork to your liking and remove the pot from the heat. Stir in the parsley.

For the Biscuits:

  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
  2. Combine the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, sugar, and salt in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse to combine.
  3. Whisk together the milk and egg in a measuring cup and, while pulsing the machine, slowly stream the mixture into the dry ingredients.
  4. Add in the cheese and melted butter and pulse a few more times to bring the mixture together.
  5. Spoon dollops of the biscuit dough on top of the stew. I made mine about 2 tablespoons each in size.
  6. Place the entire pot into the hot oven and bake for 15 minutes, or until the biscuits are puffed and golden.
  7. Allow the stew to cool slightly and garnish with additional parsley before serving.

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @molly_yestoyolks on Instagram and hashtag it #yestoyolks

[This post is brought to you by Holland House® Cooking Wine. All opinions, of course, are my own. Thank you all so much for reading and supporting the blog! You have no idea how much it means to me.]

 

UPDATE AS OF 12/9, 5 PM EST: THE CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED. THE WINNER HAS BEEN SELECTED AT RANDOM AND WILL BE NOTIFIED VIA EMAIL. Thanks everyone for your participation and support!

Related

Filed Under: Entrée, Meat, Pork, Recipes, Soups & Stews Tagged With: biscuits, braised, cheddar, comfort food, cornmeal, drop biscuits, meat, pork, pulled pork, soups, stews

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Comments

  1. Sj Dc says

    December 5, 2016 at 9:27 am

    Thank you for the giveaway!
    Wishing a joyous season to you and yours

    Reply
    • Molly says

      December 9, 2016 at 9:10 am

      Thank you! Xo

      Reply
  2. Laura says

    December 5, 2016 at 9:47 am

    Can’t wait to try this recipe!

    Reply
    • Molly says

      December 9, 2016 at 9:10 am

      Hope you love it as much as we did!

      Reply
  3. Dawn Brant says

    December 5, 2016 at 10:28 am

    This recipe looks fantastic! I’ve added it to this weeks line up, sorry beef stew, you’ve been booted! I’ve actually used their wines for years so it would be great to stock up for free. Happy Holidays to your family Molly!

    Reply
    • Molly says

      December 9, 2016 at 9:10 am

      Thanks so much, Dawn!

      Reply
  4. Linda Mercer says

    December 5, 2016 at 10:53 am

    This looks great! Am printing it out right now!

    Reply
    • Molly says

      December 9, 2016 at 9:21 am

      Thanks, Linda! I hope you love it!

      Reply
  5. Chrissy Causerano says

    December 5, 2016 at 11:18 am

    I can’t wait to try this!

    Reply
    • Molly says

      December 9, 2016 at 9:13 am

      It’s right up your alley! 🙂

      Reply
  6. Lisa says

    December 5, 2016 at 11:20 am

    Everything you make is amazing. I can’t wait to make this!

    Reply
    • Molly says

      December 9, 2016 at 9:13 am

      Aww, thanks so much, Lisa!

      Reply
  7. Dan says

    December 5, 2016 at 11:27 am

    Another amazing looking recipe! Can’t wait to try this out with a frosty beer! Thanks!!

    Reply
    • Molly says

      December 9, 2016 at 9:22 am

      Thanks! It WOULD go perfectly with a frosty beer. Cozy central!

      Reply
  8. Stacie says

    December 5, 2016 at 11:44 am

    Perfect for this time of year! Reminds me of home!

    Reply
    • Molly says

      December 9, 2016 at 9:22 am

      Agreed! It’s so cozy and comforting. Thanks, Stacie!

      Reply
  9. Kaleigh Prokop says

    December 5, 2016 at 11:53 am

    This looks delicious!!

    Reply
    • Molly says

      December 9, 2016 at 9:13 am

      Thanks, Kaleigh!

      Reply
  10. Rachel says

    December 5, 2016 at 11:53 am

    Holy crap this looks so good! ‘My hubby would die for this. I’m making it for sure- thanks for the coupon!

    Reply
    • Molly says

      December 9, 2016 at 9:14 am

      Thanks, Rachel! I hope you guys enjoy it! 🙂

      Reply
  11. Abby L says

    December 5, 2016 at 1:13 pm

    Can’t wait to try this recipe! Pinned it immediately!

    Reply
    • Molly says

      December 9, 2016 at 9:14 am

      Awesome! Thanks, Abby!

      Reply
  12. Rosie says

    December 5, 2016 at 1:31 pm

    I was lucky enough to get to munch on this and ohhhhh myyyyy biscuits is it scrumptious. So good hot and piping but still so worth picking at the chilly leftovers the next day in the fridge. YUM.

    Reply
    • Molly says

      December 9, 2016 at 9:14 am

      Ohhhhh myyyyy biscuits do I love you! Thanks, Po. 🙂

      Reply
  13. Pirjo Reide says

    December 5, 2016 at 3:27 pm

    Wonderful recepe,I must try it as soon as possible . We don’t have Marsala cooking wine here in Finland,but I ‘ll perhaps find something suitable.

    Reply
    • Molly says

      December 9, 2016 at 9:16 am

      Thanks, Pirjo! Do you have access to sherry? That would work in a pinch. Or, really, a dry wine of any kind would. Maybe add an extra tablespoon of brown sugar to make up for the missing marsala sweetness. Good luck!

      Reply
  14. kelli b says

    December 5, 2016 at 11:49 pm

    this looks so good. i can’t wait to make it!

    Reply
    • Molly says

      December 9, 2016 at 9:16 am

      Thanks, Kelli! I hope you love it!

      Reply
  15. Annette says

    December 6, 2016 at 1:23 am

    This recipe looks (and sounds) incredible. I love pork, but haven’t had the best luck cooking it.

    Reply
    • Molly says

      December 9, 2016 at 9:17 am

      Thanks, Annette! Doing a braised or pulled pork is so easy; it’s almost foolproof because the pork ALWAYS comes out succulent and packed with flavor. Low and slow cooking is the way to go. I hope you try this one!

      Reply
  16. carol clark says

    December 6, 2016 at 3:09 am

    this would be new ive never cooked with wine before

    Reply
    • Molly says

      December 9, 2016 at 9:17 am

      This would be a great way to try your hand at cooking with wine! It adds amazing flavor here. Thanks for the comment, Carol!

      Reply
  17. Linda says

    December 6, 2016 at 4:50 am

    I love the photos. Wish I could eat it now!

    Reply
    • Molly says

      December 9, 2016 at 9:18 am

      Thank you, Linda!

      Reply
  18. Judith says

    December 6, 2016 at 10:01 am

    yum i’d love to try this out

    Reply
    • Molly says

      December 9, 2016 at 9:18 am

      I hope you do! It’s delish! Thanks, Judith!

      Reply
  19. manda says

    December 6, 2016 at 1:38 pm

    Love their cooking sherry.

    Reply
    • Molly says

      December 9, 2016 at 9:18 am

      Me too! It adds such great flavor. Thanks for the comment, Manda!

      Reply
  20. Cara says

    December 6, 2016 at 2:27 pm

    I don’t know how to cook with wine – but I’m really good at drinking it. Like, really really good. But maybe this would be a good excuse to try wine IN a dish instead of WITH a dish 🙂

    Reply
    • Molly says

      December 9, 2016 at 9:19 am

      Hahaha, I’ve seen you drink it, so I know. This is the perfect way to cook with it. It goes perfectly with a glass of pinot, too!

      Reply
  21. Martha says

    December 7, 2016 at 8:18 am

    This looks fantastic! I love Cheddar cheese biscuits and can just imagine how they taste with the stew.

    Reply
    • Molly says

      December 9, 2016 at 9:19 am

      Thank you! The biscuits might be my favorite part! They soak up the stew juices wonderfully.

      Reply
  22. Brenda Haines says

    December 8, 2016 at 11:20 pm

    This looks amazing Thanks for the chance!

    Reply
    • Molly says

      December 9, 2016 at 9:19 am

      Thanks, Brenda!

      Reply
  23. Jennai says

    December 9, 2016 at 2:21 am

    I have used all of these wines at one time or another and found them to be very good! I’m all out now, so I’d love to win some more!

    Reply
    • Molly says

      December 9, 2016 at 9:20 am

      Thanks, Jennai! I’ll announce the winner later today. Keep your fingers crossed! 🙂

      Reply
  24. Erin Fesperman says

    December 9, 2016 at 9:42 am

    I love that you didn’t skimp on the biscuits, that’s always my favorite part!

    Reply
    • Molly says

      December 11, 2016 at 12:51 pm

      Mine too!

      Reply

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