Carne de Porco em Vinha d’Alhos is a traditional pork and potato stew from central Portugal. While a simple pork stew might be considered a universal dish, this one is distinctively Portuguese. The secret is the marinade, a blend of garlic and white wine known as vinha d’alhos. If the name sounds familiar to you, it is because this traditional dish is the predecessor of the Goan vindaloo.
Vinha d’Alhos – Wine and Garlic Marinade
Vinha-d’alhos is a traditional Portuguese marinade and its name extends to the dishes that include it. The name is made by the junction of the words wine and garlic in Portuguese, which are the base ingredients of this marinade. Now if you look up vinha-d’alhos you will see there isn’t a single recipe for it.
Some people will include paprika, pepper paste, and even other spices such as cumin and clover. As for the dish itself, there’s also some level of variation. There’s the Madeira Style Vinha d’Alhos Pork which calls for fried bread and oranges, and it’s prepared differently as well. For the central Portugal version of Portuguese Wine and Garlic Pork we only need the pork meat, white wine, garlic, bay leaves, lard, onions, and potatoes. And of course, salt and black pepper!
Authentic Portuguese Wine and Garlic Pork Recipe
This recipe starts with the pork marinade, you first cut a 1kg piece of pork loin into cubes of approx. 2 cm. You then place it in a container or Ziploc bag with the white wine, sliced garlic, bay leaves, salt and black pepper, and mix well to combine. The marinade should cover the pieces of pork completely. You want to leave it marinading for at least 2 hours but ideally overnight.
After that time, you separate the pork meat from the marinade, and sear on a pan with the lard over medium to high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and fry your diced onions in the same pan for about 3 minutes or until translucent.
Deglaze the pan with the leftover marinade, add the pork back in and a splash of water. Use a wooden spoon to gently scrape the bottom of the pan to loosen any bits that might have stuck. Cook for about 30 minutes with the lid on.
You then peel and dice the potatoes and add them to the pork stew. Add another splash of water, let it cook for another 15 minutes or until the potatoes are tender. Season with more salt and pepper if needed before serving it with some fresh chopped coriander! You can enjoy it with a simple salad or steamed white rice.
How to Make Portuguese Wine and Garlic Pork
Wine and Garlic Pork – Carne de Porco em Vinha-d’Alhos
6
servings2
hours20
minutes1
hour15
minutes371
kcalCarne de Porco em Vinha-d’Alhos is a traditional and delicious pork and potato stew from central Portugal.
Ingredients
1 kg pork loin cut into 2cm cubes
250 ml White Wine
2 Bay Leaves
3 Garlic Cloves
2 tsp Salt
Black Pepper
2 Small Onions
20 g Lard
500 g Potatoes
Fresh Coriander
Directions
- Start by preparing the marinade. Place your cubes of pork loin in a container or Ziploc bag. Add in the white wine, bay leaves, sliced garlic, salt, and pepper. Leave it marinating for at least 2 hours but ideally overnight.
- Separate the pork from the marinade. Place a large skillet or pan over medium to high heat. Once the pan is hot enough, add in the lard. Once the lard has melted, sear your pork on both sides until golden brown. Don’t overcrowd the pan, it’s best to do it in batches.
- Once you are done with the pork, use the same pan to fry your diced onions for about 2 minutes or until translucent. Deglaze the pan with the leftover marinade, return the pork to the pan. Add in a splash of water, then bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low once more, let it stew for 30 minutes.
- Season with more salt and black pepper if needed and serve with a sprinkle of roughly chopped fresh cilantro.
- Peel and dice your potatoes, add them to the stew. Cook for another 15 minutes or until the potatoes are cooked through.
Have you tried this recipe? Let me know in the comments!