Ukrainian Braised Pork with Mashed Potatoes (video)
You’ll love this hearty and delicious Ukrainian braised pork shoulder with creamy mashed potatoes from the very first bite! This video is sponsored by National Pork Board. The pork shoulder is slowly braised with an aromatic mushroom and carrot sauce and is so tender! The creamy sauce is made with ketchup and sour cream, a staple ingredient in Ukraine. And the buttery potatoes are the perfect complement for this pork dinner dish! It’s Ukrainian comfort food at its best!
My Braised Pork Video Tutorial
Watch my YouTube video recipe for step-by-step instructions and watch me make this delicious Ukrainian braised pork dish! Want to receive new recipe emails in your inbox? Make sure to subscribe to my website emailing list and my YouTube channel and turn on notifications!
Pork is the Best Passport
You don’t have to travel to Eastern Europe to enjoy the flavors of the Ukrainian cuisine! Experience authentic world flavors at home with this incredible pork dinner recipe! Pork is a very versatile protein that’s a staple ingredient in many cuisines, including the Ukrainian cuisine! Unwind and enjoy this hearty, delicious and easy dish with friends and family any day of the week!
Bring flavor to everyday moments with pork. Visit www.pork.org/realpork to learn more!
Ingredients for Ukrainian Braised Pork with Mashed Potatoes
Here are the main ingredients you’ll need to prepare this delicious and tender braised pork shoulder with gravy!
- Pork Shoulder: this fatty and marbled cut of pork is the best choice for this recipe. When braised, the pork becomes extra tender and soft!
- Mushrooms: I used white mushrooms but you can use just about any variety. Portabella and cremini also work well. If you don’t like mushrooms, you can omit them from this recipe without having to change anything.
- Carrots, Onion, Garlic: a classic combination of aromatics are a must for this recipe!
- Ketchup: ketchup is very commonly used in place of tomato sauce in Eastern Europe. The sweet flavor works very well for the gravy sauce.
- Sour Cream: another very traditional ingredient, for making the sauce creamy. You can also use heavy cream for this recipe.
- Coriander, Paprika & Cumin: these spices add tons of great flavor! Try using smoked paprika for a smoky flavor!
- All-Purpose Flour: for thickening the gravy.
- Fresh Dill & Parsley: using fresh herbs is always the way to go! They add so much great flavor!
- Potatoes: use starchy, russet potatoes for making the mashed potatoes for serving the pork.
- Butter & Heavy Cream: for making the mashed potatoes.
Preparing the Pork Shoulder
I start my Ukrainian braised pork recipe with the pork!
- I use between 3 and 4 pounds of pork shoulder for this dish. First, cube the pork into 1-inch, bite-sized pieces.
- Next, the pork needs to be browned all over. Preheat a large frying pan over medium-high heat and add a drizzle of cooking oil. Once the oil is hot, add a portion of the cubed pork shoulder. I recommend browning the meat in batches, to avoid overcrowding the pan.
- Season the pork generously with salt while frying. Once the pork is well browned, transfer it into a large braising pan.
How to Make Ukrainian Braised Pork
You’ll love the creamy and aromatic mushroom sauce with the braised pork! It’s made with sour cream and ketchup, which might sound different from any other sauce you’ve made before. Sour cream is a staple ingredient in the Ukrainian cuisine and this dish is not exception! I recommend using full-fat sour cream for this recipe.
- First, brown the diced mushrooms in the same pan used for the pork shoulder. Then, add the grated carrots and diced onion. Sauté the mixture for a few minutes until the onion is tender.
- Next, add in the garlic and spices. This sauce is so aromatic thanks to ground coriander, cumin, smoked paprika and black pepper. I also add a bit of all-purpose flour to help thicken the sauce as it cooks.
- In a separate bowl or measuring cup, combine the water, ketchup, sour cream and salt. Whisk the ingredients together until uniform, then combine the mushroom mixture, sauce and pork.
- Once you have everything in the braising pot, it’s time to let the pork cook away! First, bring the pork a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to low and let the pork braise for 1 ½ hours, until it’s very tender. Keep the pan covered with a lid that’s slightly ajar, to let some of the liquids evaporate.
Cooking Methods For Braised Pork
This hearty pork dish can also be prepared in a slow cooker or a pressure cooker! Follow these instructions with a few minor changes for an easy meal!
- Stove Top: use a heavy Dutch oven or a large pot for cooking the pork. This is the method I used in my video recipe.
- Slow Cooker: if using a slow cooker, prepare the recipe as written, except reduce the water from 6 cups to 3 cups. Combine the browned pork, mushroom mixture and sauce in the slow cooker, cover and cook on high for 6 hours, or low for 8 hours.
- Pressure Cooker: if using pressure cooker, prepare the recipe as written, except reduce the water from 6 cups to 3 cups. Combine the browned pork, mushroom mixture, and sauce in the pressure cooker. Pressure cook at high pressure for 25 minutes to 30 minutes or use the recommended setting on your pressure cooker. Carefully open the lid!
Making Creamy Mashed Potatoes
While the pork is braising, it’s the perfect time to prepare the creamy mashed potatoes. Check out my Buttery Mashed Potato recipe for more details!
- I usually peel and cut about 4 to 5 pounds of large potatoes for this recipe. Cube the potatoes into uniform pieces for even cooking.
- Boil the potatoes in salted water for about 15 minutes, or until fork tender.
- Drain the potatoes, then add the butter. I recommend adding the butter right away into the hot potatoes, so it melts quickly. As you’re mashing the potatoes, add a few tablespoons of cream as needed.
- Keep the potatoes warm until ready to enjoy with the braised pork.
Serving Suggestions
For serving my Ukrainian Braised Pork, I recommend spooning the pork and sauce over a bed of the creamy mashed potatoes. Sprinkle some fresh dill and parsley over the top for flavor and garnish. For a traditional Ukrainian meal, serve the dish with pickles or marinated tomatoes.
Share it on Pinterest!
More Recipes to Try!
Enjoyed this delicious dinner recipe? Check out some of my other recipes you’re sure to enjoy!
- Creamy Ground Pork Stroganoff – a quick and easy dinner dish! Aromatic and creamy ground pork sauce with mushrooms, served over egg noodles!
- Creamy Mushroom Stew with Bacon – the ultimate creamy comfort food recipe! Rich, creamy, aromatic, and delicious!
- Turkey Cabbage Rolls: an Eastern European favorite! Cabbage rolls filled with turkey and rice, then cooked in a creamy carrot and tomato sauce!
- Braised Beef Short Ribs – the best recipe for fall-off-the-bone, extra tender short ribs in a red wine tomato sauce!
- Best Beef Stew Recipe – the most delicious beef stew with extra tender beef, made with potatoes, carrots and red wine!
- Ukrainian Stewed Beef & Potatoes – another one of my childhood favorites! This easy dish has chunks of tender beef coated in a tomato sauce.
Ukrainian Braised Pork with Creamy Mashed Potatoes (video)
Ingredients
- 3 to 4 lbs pork shoulder
- Salt
- Cooking oil
- 8 to 10 white mushrooms, diced
- 1 large sweet onion, diced
- 2 large carrots, grated
- 5 to 6 garlic cloves, pressed or finely minced
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp smoked or regular paprika
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 6 cups water
- ¼ cup sour cream
- ¼ cup ketchup
- 1 to 1 ½ tsp salt
- ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
- ¼ cup fresh dill, chopped
For Mashed Potatoes:
- 5 lbs Russet potatoes, peeled
- 2 to 3 tsp salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, cubed
- ¼ cup heavy cream
Instructions
Making Braised Pork:
- Prepare the pork shoulder first. Using a sharp knife, carefully portion the pork into 1-inch cubes. Preheat a large frying pan over medium-high heat and add a drizzle of cooking oil. Season the pork generously with salt and brown the pork shoulder for 7 to 8 minutes, until well-browned all over. Do this step in 2 to 3 small batches to avoid over-crowding the pan. Transfer the pork into a large braising pan.
- Next, into the same frying pan, add the diced mushrooms and more oil, as needed. Brown the mushrooms for 5 to 6 minutes, until softened. Add the carrots and onion next and continue to sauté the mixture for 3 to 4 minutes, until the onion is tender. Add in the minced garlic cloves, coriander, cumin, paprika and black pepper and cook for another minute. Sprinkle the flour over the mushroom mixture, then stir it in.
- Add the mushroom mixture to the braising pan with the browned pork. Next, prepare the sauce. Combine the water, ketchup, sour cream and salt and whisk the ingredients together for 1 minute, until smooth. Pour the sauce into the pan and stir to combine with the pork.
- Cover the pan with a lid, leaving it slightly ajar to allow liquids to evaporate. Bring the pork up to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to low and simmer the pork for 1 ½ hours, or until the pork is tender and soft. Remove the pork from heat and sprinkle in 2 tablespoons of chopped parsley and 2 tablespoons of chopped dill. Reserve the remaining fresh herbs for garnish.
Making Mashed Potatoes:
- For the mashed potatoes: peel and cube the potatoes into even sized pieces and add the cubed potatoes into a large pot of water. Season the water generously with salt and bring the potatoes to a boil over high heat. Boil the potatoes for approximately 15 minutes, or until fork tender. Drain the potatoes, then add the butter and let it stand for a few minutes until the butter is melted. Using a potato masher, mash the potatoes until they’re smooth. Add a few tablespoons of cream to the potatoes, as needed. Season with salt, to taste.
For Serving:
- Spoon the braised pork over a bed of the creamy mashed potatoes. Garnish with more fresh herbs and enjoy.
Although the taste came out good, the video seemed a bit deceiving unfortunately. You can see at 5:45 that the food looks reddish pale but when I tried to cook this, it didn’t come out like the scene on7:36. I even transferred to an instant pot and still not the same result to where I felt like something got changed in the video. I could be wrong but out of all recipes from Tatyana that I like, this was my least favorite
Hi Lylah! I’m sorry the recipe didn’t turn out well for you. Hmm, I’m a little confused about the red color… The color comes from the tomatoes and paprika, maybe your ingredients weren’t as intense in color as mine, or your liquids didn’t reduce as much as mine did. Nothing was changed in the video.
Hi there, there are no tomatoes on the ingredient list nor mentioned in the recipe. This is the 2nd time I’ve done this recipe and it’s never as read. At what point do you involve tomatoes? Please ammend ✨️
Hi Melanie! I’m sorry for any confusion, but this recipe doesn’t use tomatoes. You’ll need 1/4 cup ketchup for the sauce, but that’s it. If you don’t have ketchup, salted tomato sauce/puree will work well, too. Enjoy!
Can I use pork ribs?
Sure! That would work, too. Enjoy!
How would ì do it in slow cooker as I can’t leave the lid slightly ajar, less water? How long in the slow cooker? Thank you
Hi! Here are the slow cooker instructions: if using a slow cooker, prepare the recipe as written, except reduce the water from 6 cups to 3 cups. Combine the browned pork, mushroom mixture and sauce in the slow cooker, cover and cook on high for 6 hours, or low for 8 hours. Hope you enjoy the recipe!
I was super excited to make this and it turned out wonderful! I prepared it the night before and put everything in the crock pot. It cooked all day the next day on low while I was at work (8+ hours). When I came home it was ready to go! The pork was tender and delicious. I will add more mushrooms next time because I am mushroom obsessed. One thing I did do different was add a little cornstarch water at the end to make it thicker for my taste. This is a perfect comfort food dish. Thank you Tatyana!
You’re very welcome! 🙂 I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe! A crock pot is such a great choice for this recipe! Glad it turned out great for you!
Would this work with chicken too?
Hi! I haven’t tried this recipe with chicken but it should work nicely! I think either chicken breast or chicken thigh would taste great. Enjoy!
I’m making this tomorrow but will add half the mushrooms in the beginning and half at the last 30 min of cooking? If I add in the beginning, I’m afraid they’ll disappear. I am doubling the mushrooms bc we live and breathe all things mushrooms. Can’t wait to try. Thank you for this lovely recipe. Sending prayers for Ukraine.
Hi! Sure, that will work great, too. My husband loves mushrooms, too so I know what you mean! Hope you love the dish and thank you for thinking of Ukraine!
We typically don’t eat a lot of pork in our house, but given the price of beef right now, I gave this recipe a try, as I found a pork roast on sale. It was a real hit with my husband, son, and elderly neighbor (to whom I gave leftovers). I was especially surprised that the unique spices (especially the coriander and cumin) weren’t at all prominent and just added to the overall rich flavor profile. I floured and seasoned the pork before browning, so I didn’t need to add additional flour later. I also amped up the amount of ketchup and other seasonings. As another reviewer noted, the color was more pale than the photos and video, but I corrected that with a bit of Kitchen Bouquet, which is caramel coloring from roasted vegetables. I like my potatoes whipped, so I used that method. I think I will try this dish with beef once I find a suitable cut on sale. Thanks for the recipe!
Hi! I’m so glad to hear that the recipe was a huge hit with everyone! We’re the same – don’t eat pork too often but this dish is one of the exceptions. It’s a family favorite! Thanks for sharing your tips and for leaving a review!
I’ve cooked Russian before, but never Ukrainian. That’s changed now. I made this tonight, along with the braised cabbage piroshki, and oh my goodness! It’s one of the best meals I’ve ever made and I’m looking forward to leftovers for lunch tomorrow. #StandWithUkraine
Awesome! I’m so happy you loved the recipe! Paired with the piroshki, that sounds like one amazing meal!
This tasted fantastic! So flavorful. My guests raved and requested the recipe. My store did not have shoulder so I used butt. I floured the meat before browning, doubled the mushrooms and used half beef bone broth and half water. I only used 4-5 cups (to cover the meat) as I put it all in a Dutch oven at 250 degrees for a couple of hours the night before and then simmered it the next day to reduce even more. Mine came out the same reddish color as the video. I can’t wait to try more of Tatyana’s recipes.
Hi Sue! I’m so happy the dish was a hit with your guests! And I love that you doubled up on the mushrooms – always a good idea. Thank you for taking the time to leave a review!
Tatyana, what kind of salt do you use in your recipes in Beyond Borscht? I own the cookbook but it doesn’t say if you used kosher salt (coarse) or table salt (twice as concentrated as coarse kosher salt) in your recipes that call for a specific measurement… This is especially important for your pickle recipes. Please let me know what kind of salt to use!
Hi Corrine! Thank you so much for purchasing my cookbook. I hope you’re enjoying all the recipes. I almost exclusively use sea salt for all my recipes. For my pickling recipes, I use regular table salt, unless otherwise noted. Hope this helps! With any of my dishes, feel free to season to taste, too. If you like your food less salty, adjust the amount I have written since you can always add more later.
This is our favorite family dish! The meat is so tender and flavorful. We can’t get enough of it, I made it so many time already, even my kids who are picky eaters love it! It taste like traditional Ukrainian dish I remember eating but with even better seasoning. I make mine in instant pot.
Hi Natasha. That’s so wonderful to hear; your comment made my morning! I’m so happy this recipe has been a huge hit with your family! It’s one of our favorites, too. Thank you for taking the time to leave a review!
Holy cow, this was SO good! The pork came out meltingly tender, and the sauce was delicious. I loved it!
Hi Joanna! I’m so happy you loved the dish! I just made this last week, too. It’s a family favorite! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review!
Have a lot of people from Ukraine staying with us at the moment because of the war in Ukraine and I made this dish for them and they loved it.
Hi John. Thank you so much for helping those in need at a time like this. I’m touched by the outpouring of support for Ukraine! I’m so happy this dish was enjoyed by everyone!
I’m making this for the third time now and it’s so savory and comforting
Hi Kimberly! I’m so happy you’re enjoying the recipe! It’s the best kind of comfort food! Enjoy!
Hi Tatyana,
I’ve just got back from delivering medical & humanitarian aid to Ukraine. I’m starting to fund raise now and organising a Ukrainian evening at which we will serve your delicious recipe. Does it have a Ukrainian name for “authenticity”? Is it fair to call it a goulash?
Hi Mr. Martin. Thank you for reaching out to me! Thank you so much for your help and for taking time to help others. This dish would simply be called ‘braised meat’ – ‘tushenoye myaso’ (тушеное мясо). This term can be applied to any meat that’s braised in a gravy such as this dish. Let me know if you have any questions!
Made today and it was Amazing!!! I did add a bit more ketchup and spices. Entire family loved and I’m definitely saving it to my favorite recipies list.
*for some reason it took me 3.5 hours to simmer to get the meat to fall apart. But otherwise phenomenal recipie
Thank you
Hi Mira! That’s wonderful to hear! I’m so happy you and your family loved the dish! It’s one of my favorites, too!
Try increasing the temperature next time; maybe the meat was simmering on too low heat. Thank you for taking the time to leave a review!
Been cooking this regularly for a while now and it always goes down a treat! Tasty, tender and matches oh so well with the mashed potato, it’s heavenly 🙂
Thank you.
You’re most welcome! I’m so happy you’re loving this dish! Thanks for leaving a review!
I’m making this for the 3rd or 4th time now! It’s become a staple! My only real changes are using chicken stock instead of water, and cooking each type of veggie separately and transferring to the braising pan, I get better browning that way. Every time I’ve made it, it doesn’t really turn pink/red until the last hour of cooking, which is fine, in case anyone else is making it and wondering about the color.
Slava Ukraini
Hi Kimberly! I’m so happy you’re loving this dish! It’s one of my favorites, too! The chicken stock sounds like a very delicious substitute! Thank you so much for sharing your tips, and for taking the time to leave a review!
Tatyana, this was delicious! I have been heavily relying on your blog to make meals for my family and everything has been a hit! Thank you so much for being here and for all the recipes you continue to post for all of us!
Hi Luba! That’s so wonderful to hear! I’m so happy you and your family are enjoying my recipes! It’s the best compliment to receive! Thank you for trusting and trying my recipes!
Delish! Like others have noted, it comes out a pale red/brown, not bright red. But the taste is great!
Hi! I’m so happy you loved the dish! One of my favorites! I think my color comes from my smoked paprika. It’s very rich in color.
Thank you for taking the time to leave a review!
Hi. This sound good. Could I make it a day ahead!
Hi! Yes, this is a great dish to make the day before. You can prepare the meat, let it cool, then refrigerate. Reheat when ready to serve. I recommend making the mashed potatoes fresh. Enjoy!
Hi! I have a bone in 3 lb pork shoulder. Is there an alternate way you’d recommend to cook using bone in?
Hi Sarah! Whether using a bone-in or bone-less, I recommend cutting the pork shoulder into smaller pieces for this recipe. The meat will cook more evenly and it will be more flavorful. Simply cut the meat away from the bone. I hope you enjoy the dish!
I wish I could upload my photo!
Hi Chandra! I’m so happy you enjoyed this dish!
This was so delicious! Made this exactly as written only I cooked stew in the slow cooker. My family loved it! Will definitely make this again! Thank you for sharing this amazing recipe!
Hi Angie! That’s so wonderful to hear! I’m so glad you and your family enjoyed this dish! It’s one of my favorites, too.
Thank you for taking the time to leave a review!
SO incredibly good. Just make it. You won’t regret it.
I’m so happy you loved the recipe! One of our favorites!
Thank you for taking the time to leave a review!
We have Ukrainian friends for supper on Saturday and I intend making this. As a precaution I did it one evening last weekend just to check it out. Frankly it is possibly the best pork casserole I have made. I didn’t shred the carrot but used lovely small chanterelles as I prefer the texture. I did it in my slow cooker, 9 hours on low. I am tempted to float it on a bed of rice next time, just for a change.
Hi Chris! That’s wonderful to hear! I’m so glad you enjoyed this hearty dish! Chanterelles sound amazing in this dish, too!
Thank you for trying my recipe and taking the time to leave a review!