Entree: Brazil – Pernambuco – Sarapatel (Spiced braised pork and offal stew cooked with vinegar and aromatics)

Serving Size: 6

Approximate Time

Prep 30 min

Cook 1 hr 30 min

Total 2 hrs

Ingredients

- 2 lb (900 g) pork shoulder, cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) pieces
- 12 oz (340 g) pork liver, trimmed and coarsely chopped
- 8 oz (225 g) pork heart, trimmed and coarsely chopped
- 1 pork tongue, cooked, peeled, and sliced, approx. 12 oz (340 g)
- 3 tbsp (45 ml) lard or neutral oil
- 1 large onion, thinly sliced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 malagueta or serrano chiles, thinly sliced (adjust to heat preference)
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) white wine vinegar
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) chicken or pork stock (or water)
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) tomato paste
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) finely chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) chopped green onions
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) toasted coriander seeds, ground
- 1 tsp (5 g) ground cumin
- 1 tsp (5 g) smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp (2.5 g) freshly ground black pepper
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tsp (5 g) kosher salt, plus more to taste
- Juice of 1 lime (about 1 tbsp / 15 ml), optional

Instructions

1. Rinse all offal well. In a large pot, cover pork shoulder pieces, heart, and tongue with water, bring to a simmer and cook 30 minutes to remove impurities; drain and rinse. If tongue is raw, simmer it separately 60–90 minutes until tender, then peel and slice.
2. Bring a small pot of water to a boil and blanch liver 1 minute; drain and plunge into ice water, then chop coarsely.
3. Heat lard or oil in a heavy Dutch oven over medium heat. Add sliced onion and sauté until softened and beginning to brown, about 6–8 minutes. Add garlic and chiles and cook 1 minute more.
4. Increase heat to medium-high and add the drained pork shoulder pieces. Brown on all sides, about 6–8 minutes.
5. Stir in chopped liver, heart, and sliced tongue, then add tomato paste, ground coriander, cumin, smoked paprika, black pepper, and bay leaves. Cook 2 minutes to bloom the spices.
6. Pour in white wine vinegar and stock, scraping any browned bits from the bottom. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat to low, cover partially, and braise gently 45–60 minutes until meats are tender and sauce has reduced and thickened.
7. Stir in chopped cilantro and green onions, adjust seasoning with salt and lime juice if using. Simmer uncovered 5–10 minutes more to meld flavors.
8. Remove bay leaves and serve hot with white rice, farinha (toasted manioc flour), or boiled cassava as traditional accompaniments.