Brassói Aprópecsenye

Step 1

Pat the pork shoulder dry with paper towels to remove surface moisture, which helps it brown better.

Step 2

Cut the pork shoulder into 2-inch cubes by first slicing it lengthwise into thick slabs, then cutting each slab crosswise into chunks about the size of a walnut.

Step 3

Peel the onions, then cut them in half lengthwise from root to tip, then slice each half crosswise into half-moon slices about 1/4 inch thick.

Step 4

Mince the garlic cloves until the pieces are smaller than a grain of rice—about the size of pencil-tip dots.

Step 5

Set a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat and wait 2 minutes until the bottom is hot to the touch.

Step 6

Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the hot pot and let it shimmer and slide quickly when you tilt the pan, about 30 seconds.

Step 7

Working in two batches, add the pork cubes to the hot oil in a single layer without crowding, and leave them undisturbed for 3 minutes until the bottoms turn deep golden brown like caramel.

Step 8

Stir the browned pork cubes and cook for another 2 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the exposed sides begin to brown.

Step 9

Remove the first batch of browned pork to a clean plate using a slotted spoon, then repeat steps 7–8 with the remaining pork cubes.

Step 10

Pour away all but 1 tablespoon of the fat left in the pot, then add the sliced onions to the remaining fat.

Step 11

Stir the onions continuously over medium-high heat for 5 minutes until they soften and begin to turn translucent around the edges.

Step 12

Add the minced garlic to the onions and stir continuously for 1 minute until the raw garlic smell disappears and you smell sweet, toasted garlic.

Step 13

Sprinkle the 3 tablespoons of paprika over the onions and stir constantly for 30 seconds until the paprika is fully coated in oil and smells strongly fragrant—this prevents the paprika from burning.

Step 14

Sprinkle the caraway seeds over the paprika mixture and stir for 15 seconds until they smell toasted and fragrant.

Step 15

Return all the browned pork to the pot, pouring in any meat juices that collected on the plate.

Step 16

Pour in 1.5 cups of beef broth and scrape the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon to lift up all the stuck-on brown bits—this adds deep flavor.

Step 17

Stir in 1.5 teaspoons of salt and 0.5 teaspoon of black pepper until evenly mixed.

Step 18

Bring the liquid to a boil by turning the heat to high and watching for large bubbles breaking the surface, about 3–5 minutes.

Step 19

Reduce the heat to medium-low so the liquid simmers gently with small bubbles breaking the surface every few seconds—not a rolling boil.

Step 20

Cover the pot with a lid, leaving it slightly ajar so steam can escape.

Step 21

Braise for 1 hour, stirring once every 20 minutes, until the pork is fork-tender and breaks apart with gentle pressure from a spoon.

Step 22

Taste the stew and add more salt or pepper in 1/4-teaspoon increments if needed—it should taste rich and savory, not bland or overly salty.

Step 23

Ladle the pork and onions into shallow bowls, making sure each serving gets plenty of meat, onions, and broth.