Dark Beer Replaces Kvass in Ukrainian Pork Stew

Three cups of dark beer serve as the primary braising liquid in a modern adaptation of vereshchaka, a traditional Ukrainian pork stew. Yevhen Klopotenko, a chef and author, detailed this substitution in his cookbook, “The Authentic Ukrainian Kitchen.” The recipe replaces kvass, a low-alcohol fermented drink made from beets or bread, which is difficult to source outside of Ukraine. Klopotenko noted that making homemade kvass requires a significant amount of time, making beer a practical alternative for home cooks.

The chef specified that only dark beer should be used for the dish. He advised that the darker the beer, the better the final taste. While the flavor profile differs slightly from the original recipe, the beer-braised version remains similar to the traditional preparation. Klopotenko acknowledged that cooking meat in beer is a common technique across several European countries, though the specific application here targets the Ukrainian stew.

The recipe yields four to six servings and requires two hours and thirty minutes to prepare. The process involves cutting two to two and one-half pounds of pork shoulder into bite-size chunks. Cooks season the meat with kosher salt, black pepper, and minced garlic before searing it in sunflower oil. The meat is then transferred to an ovenproof dish, sprinkled with dried oregano, and covered with approximately three-quarters of the beer.

The pork bakes in a 375 F oven for one and one-half to two hours. During this time, the sauce is prepared by deglazing the frying pan with the remaining beer. A slurry made from softened butter and flour is stirred into the reduced liquid to thicken the mixture. The sauce cooks over low heat for a few minutes before being set aside.

Klopotenko serves the dish by placing the cooled meat on large plates. A generous amount of sauce is drizzled over the meat, followed by a sprinkle of breadcrumbs. Fresh parsley garnishes the final presentation. The chef promotes authentic Ukrainian cuisine through his website, klopotenko.com, and his social activism.

The book was published in 2024 by Voracious, an imprint of Little, Brown and Co., located in New York. The recipe appears in a section that offers accessible alternatives for traditional ingredients. Klopotenko maintains that the substitution preserves the essence of the dish while accommodating the availability of ingredients in foreign markets.