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Carne de fiesta
Marinated fried pork
Carne de fiesta: Tenerife's fried pork marinated in garlic, paprika, thyme and wine
The smell of carne de fiesta, cubes of pork sizzling in a huge pan, drifts over every romería and village saint's day in Tenerife and Gran Canaria, where it is sold piled into bread rolls or with chips. This contains pork. The meat sits for a day in a deep red marinade of garlic, paprika, thyme, oregano, vinegar and white wine before it is fried until crusty. The wine can be swapped for water with an extra spoon of vinegar for an alcohol-free version. Chef's tip: fry in batches with plenty of space, so the meat sizzles and caramelises instead of boiling in its own juices.
- Total time
- 50 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
For the marinade
- 8 cloves garliccrushed
- 2 tsp coarse salt
- 2 tbsp sweet paprika
- 1 tsp hot paprika
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp black pepperground
- ¼ cup white wine vinegar
- ¾ cup dry white wineor water plus 1 tbsp extra vinegar for alcohol-free
- 3 tbsp olive oil
For the pork
- 2 ⅝ lb boneless pork shouldercut into 3 cm cubes
- 6 tbsp olive oil, for frying
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Mash the 8 cloves garlic with the 2 tsp coarse salt, then mix with the 2 tbsp sweet paprika, 1 tsp hot paprika, 1 tsp dried thyme, 1 tsp dried oregano, ½ tsp black pepper, ¼ cup white wine vinegar, ¾ cup dry white wine and 3 tbsp olive oil.
5 minStep 2: Toss the 2 ⅝ lb boneless pork shoulder in the marinade in a non-metallic bowl, cover and marinate in the fridge for 24 hours, stirring once or twice.
5 minStep 3: Lift the pork out of the marinade and drain well, keeping the marinade.
2 minStep 4: Heat the 6 tbsp olive oil, for frying in a large frying pan over a medium-high heat. Fry the pork in batches for 8–10 minutes, turning, until well browned on all sides. A common mistake is tipping all the meat in at once; it releases water and stews instead of browning.
20 minStep 5: Return all the pork to the pan, pour in the marinade and let it bubble for 5–8 minutes until reduced and sticky and the pork reaches 160°F in the centre of the largest piece. Serve hot in rolls or with chips.
8 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 480 kcal
- Protein
- 40 g
- Carbs
- 3 g
- Fat
- 34 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does carne de fiesta take?
- About 50 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 30 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
- What can I use instead of sweet paprika?
- Smoked paprika, half the amount.
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