Carne de Vinha d'AlhosMadeira Wine and Garlic Pork

Carne de vinha d'alhos is Madeira's Christmas dish: chunks of pork marinated for two or three days in wine vinegar, white wine, lots of garlic and bay, then simmered in the marinade and fried in their own fat until golden. It's sharp, garlicky and rich at the same time, and on the island it appears on almost every table on Christmas Eve or Christmas morning.

The name means "meat in wine and garlic", and it's tied to the old tradition of killing the family pig before Christmas, when a vinegar marinade helped the meat keep. Two things make it work. Give the marinade time, at least 48 hours, so the garlic and vinegar reach the centre of each piece. And let the liquid cook away completely at the end, so the pork fries in its own fat and browns instead of just stewing.

The recipe

Carne de Vinha d'AlhosMadeira Wine and Garlic Pork

Carne de vinha d'alhos, Madeira's Christmas pork: marinated for days in wine vinegar, garlic and bay, then simmered and fried golden. Served with bread.

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Prep20 min

Cook75 min

Total95 min

Serves6

Ingredients

MetricUS

Serves

6

½×1×2×3×

• 1.5 kg pork shoulder, with some fat, cut into 4–5 cm chunks
• 300 g pork belly, cut into chunks (optional, for extra richness)
• 250 ml white wine vinegar
• 250 ml dry white wine
• 250 ml water
• 10 cloves garlic, crushed
• 4 bay leaves
• 1–2 small dried chillies (malagueta), or a pinch of chilli flakes
• 1 sprig fresh thyme or ½ tsp dried oregano (optional)
• 1 tbsp coarse salt
• 2 tbsp lard or olive oil
• Slices of rustic bread or bolo do caco, oranges and boiled sweet potato, to serve

Method

1. Put the pork in a large glass or ceramic bowl. Add the vinegar, wine, water, garlic, bay leaves, chilli, thyme and salt. The meat should be just covered. Add a little more water if it isn't.
2. Cover and refrigerate for 2–3 days, turning the meat once a day.
3. Lift the pork out of the marinade and put it in a heavy casserole. Pour in about 300 ml of the marinade, including the garlic and bay. Keep the rest.
4. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook gently for 45–55 minutes, until the pork is tender when pierced.
5. Uncover, add the lard and turn up the heat to medium-high. Cook for 15–20 minutes, stirring now and then, until all the liquid has gone and the pork is frying and turning golden at the edges. Check that the thickest piece reads at least 71 °C.
6. Lift out the pork. Fry or dip slices of bread in the fat and juices left in the pan.
7. Serve the pork with the bread, orange slices and sweet potato.

Notes

Clear ticks

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The bread is part of the dish

In Madeira, the bread matters as much as the pork. Slices of bread are dipped into the leftover marinade or fried in the pork fat until crisp, then eaten with the meat. Many families use bolo do caco, the island's flat sweet-potato bread, which you can make with our air fryer bolo do caco recipe. Fresh orange slices on the side cut through the fat and are traditional.

Madeira versus the mainland

Vinha d'alhos marinades are used all over Portugal, but on the mainland they're usually milder, with more wine and little or no vinegar, and the pork is often roasted rather than fried. The Madeira version is sharper and fried until golden. Portuguese sailors also took the idea to Goa, where it became the much spicier vindaloo. Read more in what to eat in Madeira and our Portuguese Christmas food guide.

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Make ahead and storage

The pork keeps for 3 days in the fridge after cooking. Reheat it in a hot pan without any liquid so it crisps again. Leftovers make an excellent sandwich in a soft roll, a little like the bifanas sold across the mainland.

From the shop

What you’ll need

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Amazon best seller

Lodge enamel cast iron dutch oven, 6 qt

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Tip: Enamelled, so no seasoning needed.

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