Portuguese pork and clams is from the Alentejo, the country’s vast plains region, but my version bears only a passing resemblance to the original. Portuguese cooks typically fry the marinated cubes of pork loin in lard, making for some tough chewing, even with Portugal’s tender pork.
The version I was weaned on was braised, requiring hours of cooking so that the meat would soften and break down. I use pork shoulder (aka pork butt), an excellent choice for juicy, tender morsels—with significantly less time on the stove.–David Leite
Pork and Clams FAQs
We don’t recommend it. The lean cuts of pork will be tough and chewy after the long braise. Stick with pork shoulder or butt here.
Always look for clams with closed shells when buying live, and always buy from a licensed and reputable supplier. Fresh clams (and other shellfish, for that matter) should have a “Harvested in the USA” label, and the supplier/fishmonger should be able to tell you exactly when and where they were harvested.
You may notice that there’s a bit of dirt and sand on your clams. No worries at all, the muck around it actually helps keep the clam moist until you’re ready to use them. Just soak the clams and give them a good brush before cooking.
Generally speaking, a clam that doesn’t open is probably dead. While you could still eat it, don’t. You don’t know why it died (and there are lots of reasons…none of them good) before you got your hands on it, so don’t tempt fate.
This also goes for open clams that don’t close when you tap them on the counter before cooking. As well, some clams are just so tightly joined to the shell that they’re not going to open—they’re alive but tough enough that you wouldn’t want to eat it anyway. Stubborn bast*rds!
Portuguese Pork and Clams | Porco Alentejana
Ingredients
- 3 pounds boneless pork shoulder or butt, cut into 1-inch (2.5-cm) chunks
- 1/4 cup red pepper paste
- 1 3/4 cups dry white wine
- 6 tablespoons olive oil, plus more if needed
- 2 medium yellow onions, coarsely choppped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch (2.5-cm) cubes
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 3 1/4 pounds small clams, such as cockles, manila, butter, or littlenecks, scrubbed and rinsed
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, toss the pork chunks with the red pepper paste. Add the wine and toss again. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 24 hours or up to 36 hours.
- Position a rack in the middle of the oven and crank up the heat to 400°F (200°C).
- In a colander set over a large bowl, drain the pork, reserving the marinade. Pat the pork dry with paper towels.
- In a large pot over medium-high heat, warm 3 tablespoons olive oil. Working in batches, add the pork and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned on all sides, 5 to 7 minutes. Add more oil in between batches, if needed. Transfer the pieces to a plate using a slotted spoon. If the bottom of the pot develops a dark coating, tip in some water in between batches and scrape it up.
- Lower the heat to medium, add the onion, and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
- Pour in the reserved marinade, return the pork to the pot, and cook, covered, over low heat until the meat is tender, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. If it looks as if the liquid will burble away, spoon in a bit of water.
- Meanwhile, in a large bowl, toss the potato cubes with the remaining 3 tablespoons oil, season lightly with salt and with plenty of pepper, and scatter in one layer on a rimmed foil-lined baking sheet. Roast, flipping them once or twice, until golden brown, about 45 minutes.
- Discard any clams that feel heavy (which means they’re full of sand), have broken shells, or don’t close when tapped.
- Raise the heat under the pork to high, stir in the clams, cover, and cook until they open, 7 to 10 minutes. Toss out any that refuse to pop open. Taste the broth and season with salt and pepper if needed.
- To serve, remove half the clams from their shells, and return them to the pot. Toss out the shells. Line the bottom of the serving bowls with the potato cubes, top with the pork and clams and broth, and sprinkle with the cilantro. Have a large bowl at the ready for the shells.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe Testers’ Reviews
This hearty meal was so satisfying and comforting, and our whole family loved it. The pork was meltingly tender, and the clams gave a pleasant brininess to the spicy broth. Even my kids were fighting over the last clam in the pot. It was an enjoyable weekend project and well worth the effort.
I used inexpensive Pinot Grigio and Manila clams. I didn’t need to add any additional oil between batches of meat or any water while searing or braising the meat.
Great recipe! Can easily be eaten as a stew or as a soup. Having visited Portugal a few times, I’ve always been a big fan of Portugese home cooking. So being able to make this and have it with dinner with a nice red blend wine from Portugal brings back a lot of memories. The photo is the final product.
Paulo, the photo is AMAZING! I’m so glad you like the recipe, and it’s wonderful to see that you’ve used cockles!
what’s a good side dish to go with pork and clams?
paulo, the dish includes potatoes, and, traditionally, it’s served with pickled veggies (carrots, onions, cauliflower). But any veg you like is fine. I often serve a green with it.
I love your recipes. I made the Porco Alantenjana. I used to work at a Portuguese Restaurant. I think Ferna would be proud of me. She used to make this for her and I after the customers would leave. Your recipe is just as good if not better and my husband was in love. Donna
Donna, you did a fantastic job. That image is stunning and we couldn’t be more pleased with how well this turned out for you. Thanks so much for taking the time to let us know.
I grew up eating this dish at Tony da Caneca in the Ironbound section of Newark, and it was the last homecooked meal I got to make for my folks. This recipe is spot-on, and I’ll be serving it to someone special soon. Thanks, David!
Wonderful! Thanks so much for taking the time to let us know, Keith.
Keith, I grew up in Elizabeth, NJ and Tony DaCaneca was the first Portuguese restaurant I had EVER gone to. Where was this food all my life? There were no Portuguese restaurants in Elizabeth at the time. Down Neck was where it was happening. Now I still eat it but I cook it too. I came on her a few days ago looking for a good Pork & Clams Alentejana recipe and found it. The pork shoulder is marinating as we speak. Can’t wait to put it together for Sunday dinner. As a side note, I live in SoFL now and the only Portuguese restaurant we have is in Coral Gables (Miami) which is a almost an hour from where we live.So when I want good food, I have to make it:)