Carne de Porco à Alentejana

Name: Carne de Porco à Alentejana
Cook time: 190 min
Total time: 190 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Portuguese
Ingredients: 1 kg Pork Shoulder, Cut into 3 cm cubes; 3 tbsp Massa de Pimentão, Portuguese red pepper paste; 5 cloves of Garlic, Crushed; 200ml Dry White Wine; 2 leaves of Bay Leaf; 1 tsp Pepper (Black), Freshly ground; 1 tbsp Red Wine Vinegar, Traditional; optional; 2 tbsp Lard, Banha; or 3 tbsp Olive Oil, for searing; 1 kg Clams, Amêijoas; scrubbed and purged; 900g Potatoes, About 3 large, peeled and cut into 2 cm cubes; 750ml Vegetable Oil, For frying potatoes (or enough for deep/shallow frying); 1 small bunch of Coriander, Fresh; roughly chopped (cilantro); 1 Lemon, Cut into wedges; Some Sea Salt, To taste; use sparingly (massa de pimentão is salty)

Carne de Porco à Alentejana is a comforting Portuguese classic that pairs tangy, smoky marinated pork with briny clams and crispy fried potatoes. The dish balances deep pimentão flavors and garlic with bright lemon and fresh coriander for a rustic, satisfying meal perfect for sharing.

Carne de Porco à Alentejana is a comforting Portuguese classic that pairs tangy, smoky marinated pork with briny clams and crispy ... Show more

Traditional Portuguese Recipe

Health Grade

S- · Outstanding

Rating

4.1

Time

3 hrs

Price

3,17 €

Calories

1078 kcal

healthy

nutritious

gluten free

high protein

Method

Wash the clams

Rinse the Clams under cold running water, scrubbing off any grit, and discard any that are cracked or that stay open when tapped. Soak them in a bowl of cold well-salted water for 20 minutes to help purge any sand, then lift them out with your hands and rinse again. While they soak, scrub the Potatoes, rinse the Coriander, and wash the Lemon.

Prep the vegetables

Peel the potatoes and cut them into 2 cm cubes so they cook evenly. Peel and crush the Garlic. Roughly chop the coriander, including the tender stems, and cut the lemon into wedges for serving.

Marinate the pork

Cut the Pork Shoulder into 3 cm cubes if it is not already cut. In a large bowl, mix the pork with the Massa de Pimentão, crushed garlic, Dry White Wine, Bay Leaf, Black Pepper, and the Red Wine Vinegar if you want a slightly sharper finish. Toss well so every piece is coated, cover, and marinate in the fridge for at least 2 hours.

Fry the potatoes

Pour the Vegetable Oil into a deep, heavy pot and heat it to 175° C. Pat the potato cubes very dry, then fry them in batches until lightly golden and crisp outside but still fluffy in the middle, about 6 to 8 minutes per batch. Transfer them to a tray or bowl lined with paper towels to drain.

Sear the pork

Lift the pork out of the marinade, letting the excess drip back into the bowl, and reserve the marinade and bay leaves. Pat the pork pieces dry. Heat the Lard in a wide, heavy skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, then sear the pork in batches until well browned on several sides, about 6 to 8 minutes per batch. Transfer each browned batch to a plate as you go.

Simmer the pork

Return all the pork to the pan and pour in the reserved marinade and bay leaves. Bring everything to a lively simmer, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom, then lower the heat and cook until the pork is almost tender and the liquid has reduced to a lightly thickened sauce, 15 to 20 minutes. Add a small splash of water if the pan looks dry before the pork softens.

Steam the clams

Add the clams to the pan, stir them into the pork, and cover tightly. Steam for 5 to 7 minutes, shaking the pan once or twice, until the clams open and release their juices into the sauce. Discard any clams that stay closed.

Finish and serve

Fold the fried potatoes into the pork and clams just long enough to coat them in the sauce without breaking them up too much. Remove the bay leaves if you like, scatter over the chopped coriander, and taste before adding any Sea Salt, since the red pepper paste and clams already bring plenty of salinity. Serve right away with the lemon wedges on the side for squeezing over at the table.