Pat the pork cubes dry with paper towels. In a bowl, toss pork with kosher salt, black pepper, minced garlic, ground cumin, and paprika until evenly coated. Let sit 10–15 minutes at room temperature to absorb flavors.

Brown pork

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed Dutch oven or pot over medium-high heat. Working in batches to avoid crowding, add pork pieces and brown on all sides, about 3–4 minutes per batch. Remove browned pork to a plate and repeat with remaining pork, adding the remaining 1 tablespoon oil if needed.

Aromatics and Vegetables

Cook aromatics

Reduce heat to medium. Add diced onion, sliced celery, and carrots to the pot and sauté in the pork drippings for 6–8 minutes until softened and beginning to brown. Add chopped red bell pepper and cook 2 more minutes.

Add tomato elements

Stir in tomato paste and cook 1–2 minutes, stirring constantly, until the paste darkens slightly and loses raw flavor. Add the diced tomatoes (with juices) and stir to combine.

Liquids and Seasoning

Deglaze and assemble

Pour in the red wine (or 1 cup additional stock if not using wine) to deglaze the pot, scraping up browned bits from the bottom with a wooden spoon. Let the wine reduce 2–3 minutes. Return the browned pork and any accumulated juices to the pot.

Add stock and season

Add the 2 cups stock, bay leaves, dried thyme, brown sugar, and Worcestershire sauce. Stir, bring to a gentle simmer, then reduce heat to low so the stew barely bubbles. Partially cover the pot.

Simmer

Simmer gently for 45–60 minutes, stirring occasionally, until pork is tender when pierced with a fork. If steam/evaporation is high and liquid reduces too much, add up to 1/2 cup more stock or water to maintain a saucy consistency.

Finishers

Add potatoes

Add the cut potatoes to the pot and continue simmering, covered, for another 20–25 minutes until the potatoes are tender.

Adjust thickness and add peas

If you prefer a thicker stew, mix the cornstarch with the cold water to make a slurry, then stir it into the simmering stew and cook 2–3 minutes until sauce thickens. Stir in frozen peas and cook 2–3 more minutes until heated through.

Finish and serve

Remove and discard bay leaves. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed. Stir in chopped parsley. Serve the stew hot in bowls.