Lacipecsenye: Hungarian Braised Pork

Step 1

Place the pork shoulder on a cutting board and use a sharp knife to cut it into 2-inch cubes, cutting straight down through the meat in a grid pattern.

Step 2

Peel the onions and cut each one in half from root to tip, then place each half flat on the cutting board and slice crosswise into half-moon pieces about 1/4-inch thick.

Step 3

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large wide skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat until it shimmers and slides quickly when you tilt the pan, about 90 seconds.

Step 4

Working in two batches to avoid crowding, place the pork cubes in the hot oil and let them sit still for 2 minutes until the bottom is deep brown, then flip and cook 2 minutes more on another side.

Step 5

Transfer the browned pork to a plate and set aside.

Step 6

Pour the sliced onions into the same skillet and stir once every 30 seconds for 4 minutes until the onions are soft and beginning to turn golden at the edges.

Step 7

Sprinkle the paprika, salt, and black pepper directly over the onions and stir constantly for 30 seconds until the paprika smells strongly fragrant, like it fills the whole kitchen.

Step 8

Pour 1 cup of water into the skillet and use a wooden spoon to scrape up all the stuck-on brown bits from the bottom, stirring until the liquid turns reddish-brown.

Step 9

Return the pork and any juices from the plate to the skillet and stir once to combine.

Step 10

Reduce heat to low, cover the skillet with a lid or foil, and simmer for 20 minutes until the pork is fork-tender (a fork should pierce it easily with almost no resistance).

Step 11

Remove from heat and stir in the sour cream until fully blended with no white streaks visible.

Step 12

Taste and add a pinch more salt if needed — it should taste richly savory and slightly tangy.