Cacoila recipe

Prepare this easy Portuguese cacoila recipe: simple add all ingredients in 1 pot and boil, so you will end up with a huge amount of delicious stew and very little dishes afterwards.

Serves 8 in 4 to 5 hours, originally posted with permission by Ana Patuleia Ortins on 10th March 2006 (Meat / Pork or Beef / Main Dish / Stove / No marination)

Cacoila: in Portugese written as "Caçoila" – notice the "ç cedilha" which indicates the right pronunciation should be "caSoila" – is a Portuguese stew recipe, often made with pork or beef. This one-pot meal is very traditional, especially during a "mantaca" which is the winter slaughtering of pigs or cattle.

The recipe below is from the island of Pico, in the Azores. It gets it name from the type of black clay pot called a "caçoila" – notice the resemblance with the English word casserole – used to cook it in. Depending who you ask, the answer may differ as to what type of meat is used. Some might tell you the stew is made with beef. But when it is cooked in the pot, it is always called cacoila. On the mainland Portugal, this stew, using pork, would be called "Cachola"

This is one of the many delicious recipes from Guest Chef of the Month March : Ana Patuleia Ortins, famous chef and author of Portuguese Homestyle Cooking.

Portuguese cacoila recipe

• 5 pounds (2.25 kg) bottom round beef, cut into 2 to 3-inches (5 to 7.5 cm)pieces or you can use a 5 pound (2.25 kg), 2-inch (5 cm) thick chuck roast with bone-in.
• 1/2 stick butter (about 55 gram)
• 3 meaty shin bones, about 2 1/2 pounds (1.13 kg))each
• 1 pound (0.45kg) salt pork
• 1 large onion, coarsely chopped
• 3 to 4 large cloves
• garlic or taste
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 1 tablespoon wine vinegar
• 1 2-inch (2.5 to 5 cm) cinnamon stick
• 6-8 balls Jamaican allspice
• 2 teaspoons coarse salt or to taste
• 2 small "maleguetas" chili peppers or pinches of dried crushed red pepper

How to prepare Portuguese stew in 1 – cacoila – pot

1. Place all the ingredients in a deep heavy pot, large enough to accomodate all.
2. Pour in enough cold water to come up 3/4 the side of the indgredients.
3. Cover tightly and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 3 to 4 hours, until the meat is fork tender and nearly falling off the bone.

Tips:

• Serve Portuguese cacoila with sauteed greens and boiled potatoes or safe yourself extra work and simply serve with a fresh crusty loaf of bread (like ciabatta, which isn’t Portuguese but hey, are you?: it’s all about enjoying delicious food without too much work!)
• Variation: If you wish,you can add a tablespoon of tomato paste….hmmm…hmmm… good!

When you want to cook more easy and delicious Portuguese recipes: click here.