Pork, Sausage Recipe

Season and brown pork

Pat pork cubes dry with paper towel. In a bowl toss pork with salt, pepper and smoked paprika. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large heavy skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Working in a single layer (do in two batches if needed), sear pork cubes until well browned on all sides, about 6–8 minutes total per batch. Transfer browned pork to a plate and set aside.

Brown the sausage

Return the pan to medium heat, add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil if pan is dry. Add crumbled sausage and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until browned and cooked through, about 5 minutes. Remove most of the rendered fat if there is excess, leaving about 1 tablespoon in the pan. Transfer sausage to the plate with the pork.

Cook aromatics

With the pan over medium heat, add the chopped onion, diced carrot and celery. Sauté until softened and translucent, about 6–8 minutes. Add the diced red bell pepper and continue to cook 3 more minutes. Stir in the minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30–45 seconds, taking care not to brown the garlic.

Deglaze and build sauce

Stir in the tomato paste and cook 1 minute to deepen its flavor. Pour in the white wine (or extra stock) to deglaze the pan, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Let the wine reduce by half, about 1–2 minutes. Return the browned pork and sausage to the pan. Add the chicken/pork stock, dried oregano, bay leaf, and red pepper flakes if using. Bring to a gentle simmer.

Braise

Reduce heat to low, cover partially, and simmer gently until the pork is tender and the flavors meld, about 35–45 minutes. Stir occasionally and check liquid level — add up to 1/4 cup additional stock or water if the pan becomes dry. Remove bay leaf after cooking.

Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed. Stir in the chopped parsley and lemon juice, if using, to brighten the dish. Let rest 5 minutes before serving.