Cuban Style Pork & Black Bean Stew (Stovetop & Slow Cooker)

FOR STOVETOP: In a large pot or Dutch oven (4 to 5 quarts), preheat the olive oil over high heat then brown the pork shoulder pieces in a single layer on two sides, about 4 to 5 minutes per side until they form a golden brown sear.

Add in the onion, bell pepper, garlic, tomato, oregano, cumin and bay leaves, and stir to evenly distribute all the ingredients and to saute the aromatics (onions, peppers, garlic) until the onions begin to turn translucent, about 3 minutes.

Turn the heat down to medium high, add the black beans, additional kosher salt, vinegar and water, stir to evenly distribute all the ingredients, and let the stew come up to a boil for about 2 minutes.

Turn the heat down to medium low and keep it at an active simmer (you can see and hear bubbles, but they're not splattering), covered, for another 45 minutes. Give the stew a stir every 15 minutes or so. If you can scrape stuff off the bottom of your pot, the heat's too high, and you should adjust down a little bit.

Uncover the stew, give it a stir, and taste to see if seasoning needs adjustment. Adjust if needed and simmer another 5 to 7 minutes uncovered.

FOR SLOW COOKER: Follow steps 1 and 2 above, then pour your meat, veg and spice mixture into the slow cooker along with the rest of the ingredients, decreasing the water to 1+1/4 cups to offset the condensation from the slow cooker lid. Set slow cooker to low for 8 to 10 hours or high for 4 to 6 hours.

Enjoy with steamed rice, baked or boiled potatoes, or some crusty bread.