Cuban Pork Fricassee with Caramelized Pineapple and Bay Leaf Rice

Name: Cuban Pork Fricassee with Caramelized Pineapple and Bay Leaf Rice
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 55 min
Total time: 80 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Cubana
Ingredients: 1.5 lb pork shoulder, cubed; 1/2 cup sour orange juice; 6 cloves garlic; 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin; 1 tsp dried oregano; 1 1/4 tsp salt; 1/2 tsp black pepper; 3 tbsp vegetable oil; 1 1/2 cups white onion; 1 cup green bell pepper; 3/4 cup crushed tomato; 2 tbsp tomato paste; 1/3 cup green olives; 3 leaves bay leaves; 1 cup chicken broth; 1 1/2 cups fresh pineapple; 1 tbsp brown sugar; 1 1/2 cups long-grain white rice; 1 1/2 cups water; 1 tbsp lard or oil; 1/4 cup fresh cilantro

An original Cuban-inspired fricassee featuring pork simmered in a savory criollo sauce of tomato, garlic, cumin, sour orange, and olives, finished with caramelized pineapple for a balanced sweet-savory contrast. Served with fragrant bay leaf rice.

25 minPrep

55 minCook

80 minTotal

4Servings

Dairy-FreeHigh Protein

Ingredients

Adjust servings

700 g pork shoulder, cubed (boneless, cut into 1.2-inch cubes)
120 ml sour orange juice (for marinating; may combine orange and lime)
18 g garlic (minced)
4 g ground cumin
2 g dried oregano
8 g salt (or to taste)
2 g black pepper (freshly ground)
45 ml vegetable oil (divided)
180 g white onion (thinly sliced)
120 g green bell pepper (sliced)
200 g crushed tomato
30 g tomato paste
60 g green olives (pitted, halved)
3 unit bay leaves (1 for the fricassee and 2 for the rice)
240 ml chicken broth
220 g fresh pineapple (small cubes)
12 g brown sugar
300 g long-grain white rice (rinsed)
360 ml water (for the rice)
15 ml lard or oil (for the rice)
10 g fresh cilantro (chopped, for finishing)

Nutrition facts

per serving

620 kcal

Calories

31 g

Protein

51 g

Carbs

31 g

Fat

3 g

Fiber

48 g

Net carbs

Approximate nutritional information. Estimated from the recipe’s ingredients and amounts, using standard reference nutrition values. It may vary with brands, sizes and cooking method. For guidance only; not a substitute for medical or dietary advice.

Allergens

No declared allergens

Instructions

1
1. In a large bowl, combine the pork with the sour orange juice, half of the garlic, 1 teaspoon of cumin, the oregano, 1 teaspoon of salt, and the black pepper. Marinate for 20 minutes in the refrigerator.
2
2. Meanwhile, place the rice in a medium saucepan with the water, 2 bay leaves, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and the lard or oil. Bring to a boil, reduce to very low heat, cover, and cook for 18 minutes until the liquid is absorbed. Turn off the heat and let it rest, covered, for 10 minutes.
3
3. Heat 2 tablespoons of the vegetable oil in a wide Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium-high heat. Brown the drained pork for 6 to 8 minutes, in batches if needed, until nicely colored. Set the pork aside and reserve the marinade.
4
4. In the same pot, add the remaining 1 tablespoon vegetable oil. Sauté the onion and green bell pepper for 5 minutes until softened. Add the remaining garlic and cook 30 seconds more.
5
5. Stir in the crushed tomato, tomato paste, green olives, the remaining bay leaf, the remaining 1/2 teaspoon cumin, and the reserved marinade. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring to combine.
6
6. Return the pork to the pot and pour in the chicken broth. Once it comes to a simmer, reduce to low heat, partially cover, and cook for 30 to 35 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the pork is tender and the sauce is slightly thickened.
7
7. While the fricassee cooks, heat a skillet over medium heat. Add the fresh pineapple and brown sugar. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring, until the pineapple is glossy and lightly caramelized on the edges.
8
8. Fold the caramelized pineapple into the fricassee and cook 3 minutes more so the flavors meld. Adjust salt if needed.
9
9. Fluff the rice with a fork and remove the bay leaves. Serve the pork fricassee hot over or alongside the bay leaf rice and finish with chopped fresh cilantro.
10
10. If you want to keep the dish warm before serving, cover it and place it in the oven at 200 °F / 95 °C for up to 10 minutes.

Chef tips

For deeper flavor, marinate the pork for up to 2 hours. If you want a thicker sauce, uncover the pot during the last 8 minutes of cooking.

Substitutions

You can replace sour orange juice with 3 tablespoons orange juice plus 2 tablespoons lime juice. Cilantro can be replaced with parsley. If you do not have chicken broth, use water with an extra pinch of salt.

What I used to make it

Generic kitchen tools that work for this recipe. You don’t need to buy anything to make it.

Illustrative image
Ninja Professional BL610 Blender
Smoothies, sauces and soups
- Smoothies, sauces and soups
- Easy-to-wash jar
- Check the power and jar size
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Cosori Pro LE 5 Qt Air Fryer
Browning and baking with little oil
- Browns food with very little oil
- Handy for vegetables, chicken and reheating
- Check the basket capacity
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Illustrative image
TempPro TP19H Digital Thermometer
Checking doneness of meat and chicken
- Checks doneness of meat and chicken
- Quick reading
- Clean the probe after each use
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