Pork in spicy tomato sauce with caramelized onions
Pork in spicy tomato sauce with caramelized onions is the kind of dish that disappears before it has a chance to cool down. The tomato sauce with garlic and wine clings beautifully to the pieces of meat, while the onions cooked with sugar and balsamic vinegar add a sweet and tangy flavor. I served it with polenta, but from the prepared portion, only a little polenta was left for the next day. Quick Info Total time: about 1 hour and 20-30 minutes, including 30 minutes of resting in the fridge Preparation time: about 10-15 minutes, plus the resting time for the meat Cooking time: about 45-50 minutes Servings: about 6-8 Difficulty: easy Recipe type: main course, suitable for lunch or dinner Ingredients For the pork 1500 g lean pork 100 ml oil 100 ml red wine 2 heads of garlic 200 g roasted red pepper tomato paste Pepper, to taste Thyme, to taste Basil, to taste Hot paprika, to taste Sweet paprika, to taste Salt, to taste 3 bay leaves For the caramelized onions 2 onions 2 tablespoons oil 1 tablespoon sugar 100 ml balsamic vinegar A pinch of salt Preparation method 1. Prepare the meat Wash the pork and let it drain well. Cut it into bite-sized cubes, so they can be easily picked up with a fork and cook evenly. Season the pieces with pepper, thyme, basil, sweet paprika, hot paprika, and salt. Mix well and refrigerate the meat for 30 minutes. This time is enough for the flavors of the spices to distribute better. 2. Lightly brown the meat In a large pot with a lid, heat the 100 ml of oil. Add the meat and stir a few times until it starts to brown slightly. There’s no need to fry it hard; just a few minutes are sufficient for this stage. Once the meat has taken on some color, pour in the red wine. Add the bay leaves, cover the pot, and let everything simmer on low heat. The meat should cook slowly in the pot. Stir occasionally to ensure it cooks evenly and doesn’t stick. 3. Continue cooking in the sauce After about 35-40 minutes, the meat should be well cooked through. At this point, add the roasted red pepper tomato paste and the crushed garlic. Stir and let the pot simmer for about 10 more minutes. Taste the sauce and adjust the salt or spices if necessary. Before adding the tomato paste, check if there’s excess oil in the pot. If there is, drain it. For this recipe, the sauce will also receive the oil used for the caramelized onions, so a large amount of fat is not needed. 4. Prepare the caramelized onions Peel the onions and slice them thinly. Heat the two tablespoons of oil in a separate pan, then add the onions and a few drops of water. The water helps the onions to steam rather than fry. Sprinkle a little salt and stir frequently until the onions become soft and translucent. Add the sugar and keep stirring. Once the sugar has melted, gradually pour in the balsamic vinegar, stirring constantly. There’s no need to pour it all at once; adding it gradually helps it distribute better among the onion slices. The onions are ready when they are soft, glossy, and well coated in the sauce made from sugar and vinegar. 5. Combine the ingredients Put the caramelized onions over the meat in the pot. Stir a few times and let the pot simmer briefly to combine the flavors. Turn off the heat and add the chopped parsley. The initial ingredient list doesn’t specify an exact amount for the parsley, so use as much as you deem appropriate. Pork in spicy tomato sauce is served warm, alongside polenta. Why I make this recipe often It’s a hearty dish that is made in a single pot for the meat, with the onions cooked separately while it simmers. The flavor is balanced by the tomato sauce, garlic, wine, and the sweet and tangy onions. It’s especially suitable when you want to cook a larger amount for family, even though leftovers tend to disappear quickly. Tips and variations Tips Choose a piece of lean pork and cut the meat into similarly sized cubes. This way, the pieces will cook approximately at the same time. Keep the meat on low heat after adding the wine. If the heat is too high, the liquid will evaporate quickly, and the meat may remain tough before it is fully cooked. Stir occasionally, but there’s no need to stand by the pot constantly. The lid helps the meat to cook in steam and remain tender. The balsamic vinegar should be added gradually over the onions. The mixture may darken as the sugar and vinegar combine, which is normal. Before putting the onions over the meat, drain any excess oil from the pot if it has accumulated. The onions were also cooked in oil, and there’s no need for the final sauce to be too greasy. Substitutions If you don’t have roasted red pepper tomato paste, this remains the key component that gives the sauce its main flavor, so it’s not recommended to replace it with a different amount of another ingredient without adjusting the recipe. However, you can use plain tomato paste if that’s what you have available, noting that the roasted pepper flavor will not be present. Red wine is used for flavor and as the liquid in which the meat simmers. If you don’t use it, the recipe needs to be adapted carefully, as the source does not indicate another amount of liquid. Variations For a spicier flavor, use more hot paprika. The amount is not specified in the recipe, so it’s better to add gradually and adjust at the end. If you prefer a less sweet taste, you can use less sugar for the onions, but it plays a role in helping with caramelization and balancing the acidity of the balsamic vinegar. Serving ideas The most suitable side dish is polenta, which absorbs the tomato sauce and caramelized onions. The dish can also be served simply with bread if you want to enjoy the sauce without preparing a separate side. Frequently asked questions How long should the meat rest in the fridge before cooking? The meat should be seasoned and left to rest in the fridge for 30 minutes. There’s no need for a longer time for this recipe. How can I tell if the pork is cooked through? After about 35-40 minutes of simmering on low heat, the meat should be tender enough to continue with the recipe. The duration may vary slightly depending on the size of the cubes and the cut of meat used. Can I prepare the onions at the same time as the meat? Yes. The onions can be cooked in the approximately 10 minutes while the meat simmers with the tomato paste and garlic. This way, both components will be ready almost at the same time. Why is water added to the pan with the onions? A few drops of water help the onions to steam and become soft, rather than frying intensely. This is also why they need to be stirred often. What can I serve with pork in tomato sauce? Polenta is the option used in the recipe and pairs well with the sauce. The dish can also be served with bread to soak up the remaining sauce on the plate. Nutritional values The values below are estimates and depend on how lean the meat is, how much oil remains in the final dish, and how many servings the food is divided into. The estimate is made for 8 servings, without polenta. A serving of pork in sauce may have approximately: 720-800 kcal 35-40 g protein 35-45 g fat 25-35 g carbohydrates The carbohydrates mainly come from the tomato paste, onions, sugar, and wine. If the dish is divided into 6 servings, the values for each serving will be higher. Storage and reheating Store the cooled meat in a covered container in the fridge. It’s best to consume it within 3-4 days. To reheat, place the portion in a pot and heat it on low, stirring occasionally. If the sauce has thickened too much, a small amount of water can be added to return it to the right consistency. The meat can be reheated just once in the amount you need, not the entire pot each time. If there is leftover polenta, keep it separate to avoid absorbing all the sauce.
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