Moldavian Pork Stew Cooked in a Cauldron
Ingredients
- 1.5 kg pork neck — cut into large chunks
- 1.5 kg pork leg — or pork shoulder, cut into chunks
- 1.5 kg pork ribs — cut into 4–5 cm pieces
- 800 g raw pork fat — cut into small cubes
- 4 bay leaves
- 2 tablespoons of coarse salt — or to taste
- 2 teaspoons of ground black pepper
- 4 crushed garlic cloves
Instructions
Heat a large cauldron over medium-high heat.
Add the diced pork fat and let it melt slowly, stirring occasionally, until enough lard is rendered. The cracklings should be golden and crispy. Remove them and set aside if you don’t want them to remain in the cauldron.
Add the pork ribs to the hot lard. Brown them well on all sides for about 10 minutes.
Add the pork neck and pork leg, cut into large chunks. Stir constantly to ensure the meat cooks evenly and develops a golden crust.
Season with salt, pepper, and bay leaves.
Reduce the heat to low and partially cover the cauldron. Let everything simmer gently in its own fat for about 60–75 minutes, stirring occasionally.
At the end, add the crushed garlic for extra flavor. Let it cook for 5 more minutes. Turn off the heat and allow the stew to rest for 10 minutes before serving. You can serve it with polenta and crumbled feta or aged sheep cheese.