Caçoila is a delicious Portuguese-style of pulled pork or beef. There are countless versions of caçoila [ka-soy-la, although some folks say ka-sir-la] using different types of meat, such as pork, beef and liver, and different ways of serving it, like in a bowl or as a sandwich.
Some recipes add vinegar and cinnamon instead of wine and allspice. Recipes vary from family to family and region to region, whether in the United States, Azores, Madeira, Cape Verde, Brazil or in Portugal, they all have one thing in common, a long cooking process to ensure meat is very tender.
What I am sharing, reflect my Portuguese heritage. This is one of my food loves. I am addicted to this delectable slow-roasted meat and spices. This sandwich is very simple, meat and bread, but the flavor is so incredible! If you try this, you will understand why this savory, aromatic, salty, tender, juicy, slow-cooked meat ranks as one of my personal favorite dishes. A mixture of pork or both pork and beef can be used.
Made with our own Caçoila Seasoning Mix
Ingredients:
- 1 package of Cacoila Seasoning Mix
- 2 pounds boneless meat (pork butt or combination of beef and pork)
- 8 ounce can of tomato sauce
- ½ cup red wine (use Red Port Wine or other sweet, rich red wine)
Directions:
- Cut up meat into chunks, similar to what you would find in a package of stew meat and add to your crock pot.
- Add the Cacoila Seasoning Mix over meat.
- Add the tomato sauce and red wine and stir everything together.
- Cover crockpot with lid and cook 4 hours on high or 8 hours on low.
- When done cooking, remove bay leaf. Meat will be very tender. Break meat apart and mix together in the crockpot till it gets to a pulled pork consistency.