Today I’m excited to share a special family recipe that’s warmed our hearts and tummies for years, Portuguese Pork! This easy to make recipe is a symphony of flavours and nostalgia, making it the perfect comfort for chilly winter nights.

If you’re looking for a feel good recipe for some comforting and delicious food, then look no further! Perfect for the autumn/winter and super easy to make, I love to make this every now and then and it’s a firm family favourite.

The tale behind this recipe is a bit intriguing – while it’s roots no doubt trace back to Portugal, the origin of this exact version of the recipe remains a bit of a mystery. I’m not sure whether my Mum created the recipe with a moment of creative genius or whether it was taken from a 1970s recipe book, but it’s certainly become a beloved staple in our home and I can’t wait to pass it on to you!

This lovely simple recipe would actually probably be a great option for a dinner party main course choice as once you’ve popped it into the oven or Foodi, you really don’t need to do anything, other than enjoy a glass of wine and chat to your guests!

Part of the charm of Portuguese Pork lies in it’s simplicity. With a handful of ingredients that you’ll most likely already have in your kitchen, this recipe transforms humble pork into a savoury masterpiece! Even better news – with the current cost of living crisis you’ll probably be pleased to hear that you can use relatively cheap cuts of meat to make the dish. I use pork shoulder which is a pretty thrifty choice at approximately £5 a kilo (at the time of writing) it really comes into it’s own when it’s cooked slowly and just melts in your mouth!

Food has a magical way of weaving memories into it’s flavours and this tasty pork dish is no exception. Whether you’ve stumbled upon this post through a search engine or through a friend’s recommendation, you’re definitely in the right place to discover a tasty dinner that could become a new favourite in your family.

Ingredients

• 4 pieces of pork, personally I use pork shoulder steak
• 1 chopped onion
• 4 tbsp (tablespoons) white wine vinegar
• 4 tbsp water
• 4 level tbsp soft brown sugar (I don’t use as much as this, but don’t tell everyone!!)
• 1 level tbsp dry mustard – I use Dijon mustard or whatever I have in the fridge!
• 1 tbsp Worcester sauce
• 2-3 tbsp tomato puree
• Large can tomatoes
• Paprika
• 1 heaped tsp dry mixed herbs
• Salt and pepper
• Chopped mushrooms (optional)

Method

• Fry meat and onions, put into casserole dish.
• Mix everything else in frying pan.
• Pour mixture over the meat and onions and cook for approximately 2 hours at 165 degrees C or Gas Mark 3 or 4.
• JOB DONE!

If you have a Ninja Foodi or similar you can cut down on the cooking time!

• Sauté meat and onions to brown and seal the meat (Sear and Sauté setting.)
• Mix all other ingredients in a jug.
• Pour mixture over the meat and onions and cook on Pressure Cooking setting – high – for approximately 30 minutes.
• JOB DONE!

I like to serve with either a jacket potato or roast potatoes (if it’s the weekend!!) plus a variety of vegetables.

Here’s to creating new traditions and savouring the simple joy that good food brings into our lives! It’s really so good, you need to try it!