Vereshchaka
Juicy chunks of pork braised in bread kvass with garlic, onion and spices — an old Cossack dish with a velvety, thickened sauce.
Ingredients
- pork (belly)700 g
- lard or oil2 tbsp
- onion2 pcs
- garlic1 head
- bread kvass500 ml
- bay leaf2 pcs
- allspice4 pcs
- salt1 to taste
- black pepper1 to taste
- dried rye bread80 g
Instructions
Cut the pork (belly) into large chunks of 4–5 cm, pat dry with a paper towel and rub on all sides with salt and black pepper.
Heat lard (or oil) in a Dutch oven or deep skillet over high heat and sear the pork in batches for 3–4 minutes per side until golden brown.
Add the onion, sliced into half-rings, and cook together with the pork for 5 minutes, until the onion softens.
Add the minced garlic, stir and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
Pour in bread kvass until it almost covers the meat, then add the bay leaf and allspice berries.
Cover with a lid and braise over low heat for 45–60 minutes, until the meat is tender.
Grate the dried rye bread or crumble it by hand and stir it into the sauce to thicken it.
Simmer for another 5 minutes, stirring, until the sauce thickens, and serve hot with buckwheat porridge, potatoes or a slice of rye bread.
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