Bekri Meze — Greek Spicy Pork Bites

Bekri meze Greek spicy pork — braised pork neck with red, yellow and green peppers in a thick tomato sauce, cast iron pan

Bekri Meze — Greek Spicy Pork Bites

Tender pork shoulder bites braised with three peppers, red wine, and boukovo until the sauce is thick, glossy, and deeply savory.

Course Appetizer, meze

Cuisine Greek

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 1 15

Servings

Calories 278kcal

Author by Jenny Skrapaliori Graves

Ingredients

2 lb pork shoulder cut into bite-sized pieces
¼ cup olive oil 60 ml
1 large onion diced
1 teaspoon chili flakes or to taste
½ teaspoon sweet paprika or to taste
2 red long horn peppers thinly sliced
1 green long horn pepper thinly sliced
⅔ cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon tomato paste
14 oz chopped tomatoes 400 grams
5-6 garlic cloves thinly sliced

Instructions

Sear the pork: Pat the pork pieces dry and season with sea salt. Heat the olive oil in a wide, shallow pot over high heat. Add the pork and brown it, turning occasionally, for 4-5 minutes. When the pork pieces are well browned all over, transfer to a plate.
¼ cup olive oil, 2 lb pork shoulder
Soften the onions and garlic: Reduce the heat to medium. In the same pot, sauté the onions and thinly sliced garlic with the chili flakes and paprika for 2–3 minutes, until softened and just beginning to turn golden.
1 large onion , 1 teaspoon chili flakes, ½ teaspoon sweet paprika, 5-6 garlic cloves
Cook the peppers: Add the sliced peppers, and sauté for 5–6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they begin to soften and take on a little color.
2 red long horn peppers, 1 green long horn pepper
Return the pork: Return the seared pork to the pot and stir everything together for 1–3 minutes. Pour in the wine and let it bubble for 2–3 minutes until the alcohol evaporates.
⅔ cup dry white wine, 2 lb pork shoulder
Add the tomatoes: Stir in the 1 tablespoon tomato paste, and the canned chopped tomatoes with their juices. Season with sea salt, stir well and bring everything to a boil.
1 tablespoon tomato paste, 14 oz chopped tomatoes
Slow simmer: Reduce the heat to just enough to keep the liquid gently trembling. Cover partially and cook for about 45-60 minutes, until the pork is very tender and the sauce is reduced and is thick and glossy.
Serve bekri meze hot with plenty of bread for dipping and your favorite drink.

Notes

Serve with: thick-cut fries, crusty bread, a slab of feta or graviera, tirokafteri, a simple tomato and cucumber salad, cheese saganaki — and plenty of ouzo.

On the peppers: Florina peppers are the sweet, deep red roasted peppers of northern Greece, substitute with red bell peppers if you can't find them.

Make ahead: Bekri meze is even better the next day. The sauce thickens further and the pork deepens in flavour. Reheat gently with a splash of water if needed.

Nutrition