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1.Preheat oven to 350u00b0F or stove top simmer.
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2.Heat a dutch oven over medium heat. Once the pot is hot, add the oil. When the oil is hot, add the pork pieces to brown them (add only enough pork so the pieces are in a single layer and don't touch each other; you will likely need to do this in batches). The pork should sizzle the second it touches the pot; if it doesn't, remove it and wait for the pot to heat up. Cook the pork , undisturbed, until each piece is well-browned on one side, about 3 minutes. Turn and brown on all sides. Transfer the pork to a large bowl or plate and repeat with remaining batches as needed.
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3.When all the pork is browned and set aside, add the onions, garlic, and salt to pot. Cook, stirring, until the onions are soft, about 3 minutes. Sprinkle the onions with masa or flour and pepper and cook, stirring, until the raw flavor cooks off (if you use flour it will smell a bit like pie crust), about 3 minutes.
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4.Add the ground chile and stir to combine. Add 4 cups of water and brown sugar and bring to a boil.
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5.In a blender, whirl the chile mixture until smooth. Return to pot and add another 1 cup of water and the reserved pork. Bring everything to a boil, cover, and bake 1 hour or simmer on stove top until tender (the longer the better). Stir, add an additional 1 cup of water if the stew seems dry, and bake until the pork falls apart when you try to cut it with a fork and the sauce is thick, about another hour. Serve hot.
