Best Beefs Portuguese Style Recipes

CAçOILA | PORTUGUESE STEWED BEEF

Steps:

• The day before cooking, in a large bowl, coat the beef with the crushed red pepper, cover, and refrigerate overnight.
• About 4 hours before you intend to sit down at the table, scatter the onion slices, parsley, garlic, and bay leaves in the bottom of a Dutch oven. Tuck the allspice and cloves in a piece of cheesecloth tied together with kitchen twine or in a tea ball and toss them in the Dutch oven. If desired, season the beef with salt. Place the beef on top and dot with the butter or lard.
• In a measuring glass or bowl, stir together the wine, tomato paste, and cinnamon and pour it over the beef.
• Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce the heat to a very gentle simmer, cover, and cook until the meat is very tender, 3 to 3 1/2 hours, turning the pieces occasionally. For a more stew-like version, keep the lid on for the duration of cooking. For a more concentrated, glaze-like sauce version, about halfway through cooking, remove the lid to let some of the liquid evaporate so the sauce can concentrate in consistency and flavor.
• Remove the bay leaves and the cheesecloth pouch or teaball. If desired, serve the caçoila with boiled white potatoes, roasted red peppers, and cooked greens. Originally published May 10, 2001.

MOM'S PORTUGUESE BEEF STEW

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a stockpot over medium-high heat. Dust the beef with the flour. Place the beef, garlic, bay leaves, and pepper in the stockpot; cook until the beef is brown; season with salt and cook until beef is tender, about 5 minutes. Add the onion, green pepper, carrot, and paprika; cook until the onion softens, about 5 minutes. Stir in the tomato, wine, water, and parsley. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 30 minutes.
• Mix in the red potatoes, sweet potatoes, and green beans; continue to cook until potatoes are easily pierced through with a fork, about 45 minutes.

PORTUGUESE STYLE BEEF TENDERLOIN

Steps:

• Combine red wine, beef stock, garlic, chile paste, white pepper and salt in a medium bowl. Add beef, and turn to coat evenly.
• In a large heavy skillet over medium heat, fry 3 steaks for 2 minutes on each side; Set steaks aside, and drain liquids into the red wine mixture. Repeat with remaining steaks.
• Pour oil into skillet, and reduce heat to medium-low. Fry steaks for a second time, 2 minutes on each side. Drain oil, and return all steaks and marinade to the pan. Allow to boil for 2 minutes.

PORTUGUESE MARINATED BEEF (CACIOLA)

Steps:

• Combine all the ingredients in a plastic freezer bag and marinate overnight.
• Cook, over low heat, in a large skillet, Dutch oven, or crock pot until meat is tender, about 1 1/2 hours or 5 hours, on low, for crock pot.
• Shred meat and serve on buns, or leave pieces whole and serve with boiled potatoes and a vegetable.

PORTUGUESE POT ROAST IN WINE & GARLIC

Steps:

• 1. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk half the wine into tomato paste until smooth.
• 2. Stir in herbs. Set aside.
• 3. Place beef and chourice pieces in covered (18 X 12 X 7 1/2-inch) oval roasting pan. Evenly distribute garlic and onions around meat. Pour in wine mixture. Add the water and remaining wine. Cover and marinate in refrigerator overnight or up to 48 hours.
• 4. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Remove pan from fridge, place on bottom rack of oven and cook covered for 2 hours. As marinade reduces to gravy, baste meat often to keep moist.
• 5. Remove chourice, cover with foil and keep warm.
• 6. Lower temperature to 400 degrees. Add potatoes and carrots; cook covered for 30 minutes; uncover and continue cooking until meat is browned and potatoes tender, about 30 minutes more.
• 7. NOTE: If gravy is too liquid, remove meat and vegs, place pan on top of stove and cook uncovered over medium-high heat until reduced. If too thick, add water.