Coração De Porco Recipe

Trim and prepare the heart: pat the pork heart dry. Using a sharp knife remove any large vessels, excess fat and connective tissue from the outside and from inside the chambers. Cut the heart in half along the natural seam, open it and remove visible blood clots and valves. Rinse briefly under cold water and pat dry with paper towels.

Slice for cooking: depending on your cooking method, either leave halves whole for slow braising or slice the heart into 1/2-inch (1–1.5 cm) thick steaks or strips for quicker searing. Cutting into uniform pieces ensures even cooking.

Make marinade: In a bowl crush or mince the garlic, then whisk together garlic, coarse sea salt, black pepper, paprika, cumin, olive oil, red wine vinegar, chopped oregano/parsley and the bay leaf until combined.

Marinate: Place the heart pieces into a nonreactive dish or zip-top bag and pour the marinade over them, massaging to coat all surfaces. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, ideally 4–6 hours or overnight for deeper flavor. If leaving overnight, remove from fridge 30 minutes before cooking to come closer to room temperature.

Sear and braise (recommended for tender results)

Preheat oven to 160°C (325°F). Remove heart from marinade and reserve the marinade. In an ovenproof Dutch oven or heavy skillet heat the vegetable oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Sear heart pieces in batches without crowding until well browned on both sides, 2–3 minutes per side for sliced pieces, 4–6 minutes per side for larger halves. Transfer seared pieces to a plate.

Sauté aromatics: Reduce heat to medium. Add butter to the pan; when melted add the sliced onion and sauté until softened and lightly golden, about 6–8 minutes. If using reserved marinade, add it now and stir to loosen browned bits from the pan.

Deglaze & assemble: Pour in the white wine (or chicken stock) to deglaze the pan, scraping up any fond. Let the liquid reduce by half, about 2–3 minutes. Return the seared heart pieces to the pot, add reserved marinade and the bay leaf if removed earlier. Add up to 100 ml water if the liquid does not come halfway up the pieces — you want some braising liquid but not to submerge them fully.

Braise: Bring to a gentle simmer on the stovetop, then cover and transfer to the preheated oven. Braise until tender when pierced with a fork — about 1 to 1.25 hours for sliced pieces, or 1.5 to 2 hours for larger halves. Check once halfway through and spoon the braising liquid over the pieces to keep them moist.

Finish the sauce: When the heart is tender, remove the pot from the oven and transfer the heart pieces to a warm plate. Place the pot over medium heat on the stovetop and reduce the braising liquid until slightly thickened, about 4–6 minutes. Stir in lemon juice and chopped parsley, and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper to taste. If you like heat, stir in the optional chili flakes.

Quick pan-seared option

For sliced heart pieces marinated for at least 2 hours, heat 1–2 tbs oil in a heavy skillet over high heat until smoking lightly. Sear slices in batches 1–2 minutes per side for medium doneness — pork heart is lean and cooks quickly. Remove to a plate. Reduce heat, add butter and onions, sauté briefly, deglaze with wine or stock, return slices to pan and toss for 1–2 minutes until heated through. Finish with lemon juice and parsley.

Serve: Arrange the heart slices or halved heart on a platter, spoon the reduced sauce and onions over the top. Garnish with extra parsley and serve hot. This dish goes well with steamed rice, mashed potatoes, crusty bread or a simple salad.