Slow-cooked pork with basmati rice and arugula salad with Parmesan
🥩 Slow-Cooked Pork with Spices is a tender, juicy dish prepared through slow cooking, which enhances the natural flavors of the pork. The gentle spices add a rich, balanced taste, making it a versatile choice for pairing with rice, potatoes, fresh salads, or even served in pita bread, wraps, or as…
Ingredients
- 2 kg pork shoulder — or pork neck, pork leg
- 200 g onion — red and white
- 280 g tomato sauce
- 1 tablespoon of granulated garlic
- 2 tablespoons of mustard
- 2 teaspoons of coarse salt
- 3 tablespoons of sweet paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon of ground pepper
- 30 g brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce
- 50 ml olive oil
Instructions
Place the onion on a cutting board and finely chop it, or use a blender/food processor to mince it. Mix the chopped onion with olive oil, paprika, garlic powder, mustard, coarse salt, and pepper until you get a smooth mixture. Transfer the mixture to a deep frying pan or a heat-resistant pot. Cook over medium heat for about 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until the flavors intensify and the onion becomes slightly translucent.
Keep the mixture on low heat and pour the tomato sauce over it. Add Worcestershire sauce and brown sugar. Mix well to combine all the ingredients. Cover the pan or pot with a lid, leaving a small gap to allow steam to escape. Simmer the mixture on low heat for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking and ensure even cooking. Remove the pan from the heat, divide the mixture equally into four bowls, and let it cool completely at room temperature.
Score the pork, making shallow cuts on the surface with a sharp knife. These cuts allow the marinade to penetrate the meat better and ensure even cooking.
Preheat the oven to 150°C, with ventilation and heat from top to bottom. Coat the pork on all sides with the marinade from the first bowl and transfer it to a cast-iron pot (lightly greased with olive oil). Cover with a lid and place it in the oven for 90 minutes.
After 90 minutes, remove the pot from the oven, turn the pork over to the other side, and coat it with the marinade from the second bowl. Cover with the lid and return it to the oven for another 90 minutes.
Turn the pork over again, coat it with the marinade from the third bowl, and place it back in the oven for another 60 minutes.
After 60 minutes, remove the pot from the oven, coat the pork with the marinade from the fourth bowl, and return it to the oven without the lid for another 30 minutes to achieve a beautiful browning and a caramelized, flavorful crust. Use two forks to shred the meat into thin strips. Let the meat rest for 10 minutes before serving to retain its juices and tender texture.