Last autumn I visited my family back in Romania to celebrate my grandma’s 86th birthday. My mom made this Romanian baked pork steaks recipe, and my family gathered around for lunch to celebrate my grandmother. She is the last remaining grandparent I have, and her birthday is always a special occasion.
On this occasion, I snuck into the kitchen to see how my mom makes this recipe. She bought the pork neck straight from the butcher, that morning, to be as fresh as possible.
This recipe is perfect for a special occasion because it in itself is a celebration of flavours. The meat cooks slowly in the oven, which means that it will be so tender that you won’t need a knife to cut through it. The sauce tastes very fresh and light, garlicky, and aromatic. You can also add herbs in the sauce if you’d like. My mom didn’t on this occasion, but I think thyme and even dried basil would work really well in this recipe.
Serve this baked pork steak with a simple mash potato, which will absorb the delicious sauce. Of course, don’t forget the pickles on the side. And, if you are Romanian, you must bring some rustic bread to the table as well.
The Ingredients to Make the Baked Pork Steaks Recipe
For this tasty baked pork steaks recipe you will need some high quality pork neck. I recommend buying it from the butcher, so it’s as fresh as possible.
If you are wondering if you should use pork neck with or without bone – it’s up to you. The boned pork neck is a little bit more succulent than the deboned one. But the difference in taste is not significant, so either works. Don’t buy already cut meat, as it will be too thin and it will dry out in the oven. You want nice thick slices, which you can easily cut yourself with a good knife.
The vegetables needed for this recipe are onions, bell peppers, garlic, and chopped tomatoes. I recommend buying a can of San Marzano tomatoes because they have a sweeter and more intense taste. You will also need dry white wine, for flavour. The alcohol will evaporate in the oven, leaving only the delicate flavour behind.
When it comes to herbs and spices, this recipe requires sweet paprika, whole pepper, bay leaves, and salt to taste.
How to Make the Baked Pork Steaks
Whilst it does take a little bit of time to complete this recipe, the process itself is quite easy, and worth the wait as this baked pork steaks to cook is such a tasty recipe. You will end up making it again and again.
The first step is to cut the pork neck in thick slices and cube the ham. Heat a little bit of oil in an oven proof pot, then brown the pork. Then, add the ham. This will not just give a delicious flavour to the dish, but its fat will also act as oil, preventing the rest of the ingredients from sticking to the pan. Add the onions, peppers, and minced garlic to the pot, and let everything simmer on a low heat for about half an hour. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 170 degrees Celsius.
Put a lid on the pot and transfer to the oven for another half an hour. Then, add the white wine, the chopped tomatoes, the black pepper, the bay leaves, the sweet paprika, and the salt to the pot. Mix well, and put the pot back in the oven, uncovered this time, for another 30 to 40 minutes. In this time the sauce will reduce, and the alcohol will evaporate. Check it from time to time, to make sure that the sauce didn’t reduce completely. If it does, top it with a little bit of water.
Notes and Tips:
- There are several types of Romanian smoked ham. The one I like best is called “Sunculita Taraneasca”. You can also use “Kaiser” for this recipe. You can find them both in Romanian and Polish shops. My local Asda has a Polish version of the same ham, which works as well.
- Whilst you can use another piece of pork for this recipe, I would highly recommend neck, because it has the perfect amount of fat. It is also a forgiving piece of meat, so you don’t need any special steak skill to cook it.
- Make sure to check on the steak from time to time. If the sauce reduces too much, add a little bit of water.
Romanian baked pork steaks recipe
Ingredients
- 1 kg pork neck steaks ideally from the butcher
- 200 gr Romanian smoked ham Sunculita Taraneasca, or Kaiser
- 2 onions
- 3 cloves garlic
- 2 bell peppers
- 1 can chopped tomatoes
- 200 ml dry white wine
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tbsp paprika
Instructions
- Cut the meat in thick slices.
- Heat up some oil in an ovenproof dish, and brown the steaks on top of the hob.
- Once the meat is browned, add the smoked ham, the onions, garlic, and the bell peppers.
- Mix all together and let it cook on a low heat for 30 minutes, until the fat in the ham starts melting, and the vegetables become soft.
- Preheat the oven to 170 degrees.
- Put the lid on the pot, and take it to the oven.
- Let it cook for half an hour, then take the pot out and add the chopped tomatoes, the white wine, the paprika, the black pepper, the bay leaves, and salt to taste.
- Mix well, then put the pot back in the oven without the lid, for another 30-40 minutes, until it is tender.
- Once the meat is cooked, serve hot with plenty of sauce, alongside mashed potatoes and pickles.
FAQ:
How to store the Romanian baked pork steaks?
It is not recommended to store this dish as the meat won’t be as tender and soft when you reheat it. 1 kg of meat will serve approximately 6 people. It is best to buy just enough meat to serve everybody at the table.
For more delicious Romanian dishes check out my recommendations below:
- Romanian stuffed peppers recipe
- Romanian tochitura recipe
- Romanian chicken ostropel recipe
- Romanian roasted pork leg joint recipe
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