You can tell pork is tender when it is soft to the touch of a fork. Just be certain to allow enough time for cooking and to add enough liquid. For a German-style pork stew, use beer as part of the simmering liquid and season with onions, caraway and thyme. For a continental stew, add white wine, tarragon, fennel, pearl onions, and green peas. For a Mediterranean melange, use a hearty red wine, tomato puree, olives, and garlic.
Braising is a close cousin to stewing.
Stewing usually involves simmering less-tender cuts for several hours in a liberal amount of liquid. Braising requires liquid only to cover and can be done in as little as twenty minutes. Braising liquid can include chicken, mushroom or vegetable stocks, tomato sauce, wine or beer, vegetable juice cocktail or prepared gravies. Use the braising liquid as a sauce for the cooked meat. Both stewed and braised pork dishes benefit from marinades or rubs.