Authentic Portuguese Cacoila Food

CAçOILA | PORTUGUESE STEWED BEEF

Steps:

• The day before cooking, in a large bowl, coat the beef with the crushed red pepper, cover, and refrigerate overnight.
• About 4 hours before you intend to sit down at the table, scatter the onion slices, parsley, garlic, and bay leaves in the bottom of a Dutch oven. Tuck the allspice and cloves in a piece of cheesecloth tied together with kitchen twine or in a tea ball and toss them in the Dutch oven. If desired, season the beef with salt. Place the beef on top and dot with the butter or lard.
• In a measuring glass or bowl, stir together the wine, tomato paste, and cinnamon and pour it over the beef.
• Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce the heat to a very gentle simmer, cover, and cook until the meat is very tender, 3 to 3 1/2 hours, turning the pieces occasionally. For a more stew-like version, keep the lid on for the duration of cooking. For a more concentrated, glaze-like sauce version, about halfway through cooking, remove the lid to let some of the liquid evaporate so the sauce can concentrate in consistency and flavor.
• Remove the bay leaves and the cheesecloth pouch or teaball. If desired, serve the caçoila with boiled white potatoes, roasted red peppers, and cooked greens. Originally published May 10, 2001.

PORTUGUESE CAçOILA (ALCATRA)

Steps:

• In a large heavy Dutch oven, saute the bacon in the olive oil until drippings are rendered and bacon is browned a bit and crisp; transfer bacon to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.
• In the bacon drippings, brown the beef roast well on all sides over moderately high heat.
• Transfer to the plate with bacon, then add butter, onions, paprika, garlic, bay leaves, peppercorns, wine vinegar, and allspice to the Dutch oven.
• Saute about 10 to 15 minutes or until lightly browned.
• Blend in tomato paste, lower the heat, cover and steam for 20 minutes.
• Remove and set aside half of the tomato-onion mixture; place the beef roast back into the Dutch oven with the bacon, then spoon remaining tomato-onion mixture on top.
• Carefully pour the wine and salt around the beef roast and bring to a simmer. Ensure the meat is cover with the wine.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Cove and bake in the 375 degree oven for 2 hours; remove and turn beef over in the liquid.
• Lower oven temperature to 325 degrees F then bake uncovered about 1 hour longer or until meat is falling-apart tender (and it will be!).

SLOW-COOKED SPICY PORTUGUESE CACOILA

Steps:

• Place pork in a large bowl; add wine, garlic and seasonings. Turn to coat; cover and refrigerate overnight., Transfer pork mixture to a 5- or 6-qt. slow cooker; add onion and water. Cook, covered, on low 6-8 hours or until meat is tender. , Skim fat. Remove bay leaves. Shred meat with 2 forks. If desired, serve with a slotted spoon on bolillos.

CACOILA (PORTUGUESE STEWED PORK)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
• Cut excess fat from the pork and then cut into 2-inch cubes; place meat into an oven-safe casserole that has a lid.
• In a medium bowl, combine the remaining ingredients; pour over pork in casserole.
• Gently massage wine and seasonings into the meat and cover casserole; place in oven for about 2 1/2 hours.
• You will want to periodically check that the meat to be sure it is tenderizing and that the flavors are blending in; also, be sure that all the liquid does not evaporate (you can add additional wine or water).
• Once you can easily break the meat apart with a fork, it is done.