Portuguese Style Pork Cutlets Food

PORTUGUESE STYLE PORK CUTLETS

Steps:

• Combine all ingredients except pork and cooking oil and pour over pork in a non-reactive container. Let marinate for between 6 and 48 hours (refrigerate for longer than 6 hours).
• Heat frying pan over medium heat and add just enough oil to cover the bottom. Cook pork cutlets two or three at a time until done. Keep finished cutlets warm in a low oven while cooking the others.
• When all the meat is cooked, drain off excess oil and pour the excess marinade into the pan. Cook over medium high heat for about 10 minutes, or until the sauce is thick like gravy.
• Serve the pork cutlets with marinade on top. Rice and/or fried potatoes are essential with this, as is a green salad.

BIFANA (PORTUGUESE PORK CUTLETS)

Steps:

• Rinse the pork cutlets and then pat dry with paper towels.
• Place pork in a large heavy plastic bag (like a freezer ziploc bag) and place in a large bowl.
• In a mixing bowl, combine one cup of the wine, the vinegar, garlic, bay leaf, 1/2 tsp of the pimento paste, 1/4 tsp of the paprika, peppercorns, cloves and piri-piri sauce.
• Pour this over pork, make sure all meat is coated, and seal the bag.
• Refrigerate for several hours or overnight, turning bag over in bowl frequently.
• Bring meat to room temperature before cooking.
• To cook, remove pork from marinade and lightly pat pork dry with paper towels.
• Heat a skillet over medium-high heat and melt lard, then cook pork in batches in hot lard; if your pork is thin it will likely only take a minute per side, at the most.
• When all the pork has been sauteed, drain off the fat and add the remaining wine (1/4 cup), remaining pimento paste (1/4 tsp), remaining paprika (1/4 tsp) to the skillet, as well as salt and pepper to taste.
• Bring this to a boil, stirring the pan to get up any brown bits.
• Return all the pork to the skillet, reduce heat to low, and cook for about another minute.

PORTUGUESE-STYLE PORK CHOPS (OR CHICKEN)

Steps:

• Prepare Portuguese-Style Paste (see recipe I posted).
• Place pork chops in a shallow glass dish and rub pepper paste over both sides.
• Pour wine over the chops.
• Cover and refrigerate for at least six hours or overnight, turning once or twice.
• Drain marinade into a small saucepan.
• Add oil and bring to a simmer.
• Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, until slighly thickened, about 15 minutes.
• Stir in pepper and salt.
• Measure out 1/4 cup sauce for basting.
• Keep remainder warm.
• Meanwhile, heat grill to medium-high.
• Lightly oil grill rack.
• Place the chops on the grill.
• Cook, basting occasionally with pepper sauce, until browned and just cooked through, 2 to 2 1/2 minutes per side for 1/2 inch thick chops.
• Serve immediately, passing remaining pepper sauce separately.
• Variation: Substitute boneless, skinless chicken breasts or skinned bone-in chicken for pork chops.
• Allow 4-6 minutes per side for boneless breasts, 20 to 30 minutes for bone-in pieces.
• Serves 6.

PORTUGUESE PORK CHOPS

Steps:

• Dredge chops in flour. In a large skillet, heat oil and fry chops until golden brown on both sides; remove from skillet.
• Add tomatoes, onion, mushrooms, and garlic; saute for a few minutes. Add sherry, salt and pepper.
• Return chops to skillet and put bell pepper rings on chops. Cover and simmer until chops are tender, about 45 to 50 minutes.

PORTUGUESE PORK BIFANAS (SANDWICHES)

Steps:

• Pound the pork cutlets until they are very thin (1/8"), being careful not to tear the meat.
• Stir the wine, garlic, siracha, bay leaves, vinegar, paprika, and salt. Add the pork to a shallow pan and pour the marinade over top, and submerge the meat. Refrigerate for a minimum of 1-1/2 hours, tossing the meat several times.
• Heat a large skillet until hot, then add the lard. Fry the cutlets (reserve the marinade) quickly just until cooked through, about a minute per side, adding more lard as needed. Transfer the cooked meat to plate, and set aside.
• Slice the onions into 1/2 inch slices. Separate the rings then add them to the skillet and saute until softened, then add the peppers and saute several minutes. Discard the bay leaves, then pour the reserved marinade into the pan with the onions & peppers and heat for 5 minutes. Add the pork back into the skillet, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 5 minutes.
• Slice the buns and spoon some of the sauce & vegetables over half of each bun, then pile with meat.

WINE AND GARLIC PORK (PORTUGUESE VINA DOSH)

Steps:

• Whisk red wine vinegar, red wine, garlic, bay leaves, cloves, black pepper, salt, and thyme together in a bowl; pour into a resealable plastic bag. Add the pork, coat with the marinade, squeeze out excess air, and seal the bag. Marinate in the refrigerator 2 to 4 days, turning occasionally.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Drain the pork, reserving 1/2 cup of marinade. Put pork and reserved marinade in a baking dish.
• Bake in preheated oven until the pork is completely warmed, about 20 minutes. Drain as much liquid from the pork as possible.
• Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the pork to the skillet in batches to prevent crowding; cook and stir in hot oil until completely browned and no longer pink in the center, 10 to 15 minutes.