im portuguese but my family uses pork for cacoila. and lots more garlic and we use crushed red pepper. i tried this recipe and it wasnt to bad but it is better with the pork.and we serve it with fries or rice.i live in fairhaven and cacoila is very popular here especially at the portuguese feasts they sell alot of cacoila sandwiches.and its pork meat.
I grew uo in New Bedford and I always had cacoila made with pork. I tried this recipe and it was good however I like mine much spicier and I still think I prefer it made with pork. (I marinade it for 2 to 3 days first) My grandfather was from the Azores and maybe that explains the difference of beef or pork.
This recipe is not bad it is pretty much how you make cacoila. I'm portuguese and the only thing I do different is I add a ton more garlic than this. I buy the minced in the jar and just put a few big spoons. Also when I make my cacoila I add onion powder and salt. We just throw a bunch spices in our dishes. And I don't use allspice in my cacoila but as long as you have the wine paprika onion garlic salt and pepper it'll be good. Also you can just add a splash of orange juice instead of having to zest and juice oranges.
This is very close to how I have made my cacoila for years. I usually make this with 6 to 10 pounds of pork and never really measure anything. My only differences are that I use portuguese allspice crushed red pepper flakes and cinnamon. Don't be afraid to make this and adjust ingredients for your own preferences. This is my most requested dish from family and friends.
I'm Portuguese and was so happy to see this recipe. It reminded me of home. It was delicous. I can't wait to serve it to my family and friends. The BEST......
I made this recipe to break in my slow cooker. Awesome.
I agree with other reviewers that more garlic and heat are needed for authenticity but the basic recipe is good. I had thick steaks labeled "for braising" that I think were top round that I just cut into 3" pieces. It all falls apart if cooked right anyway so size doesn't really matter;) Also I don't use allspice or bay leaves at all because I like the purely wine-paprika-hot pepper-garlic taste. I only use a splash of orange juice as well and throw the whole kit-and-kaboodle in the crock pot!
This dish had an interesting flavour (garlic/peppery/orange) and the meat turned out tender yet firm. I marinated the meat for 24 hours which it needs to make sure the flavours are maximized. Don't know why the recipe says to add water during cooking as the marinade reduced down to a nice gravy to serve over the meat and rice. My boyfriend thought it was wonderful so I will be making it again!
My husband & I both enjoyed this very much. I followed the recipe except for using commercial orange juice and made only half the recipe. The meat ended up marinating for an extra 24 hours as we unexpectedly went out for dinner when I should have been cooking this dish. We found the meat to be very flavorful; we can't understand why anyone would have called it bland. I served it with tortillas but would like to know what the Portuguese usually serve with it. I would caution anyone who makes this recipe to keep a close eye on the liquid levels. I gave the recipe only 4 stars because my stew beef while edible after an hour or so of cooking could have used another hour to get to the point of shredding. This recipe is a keeper. Thanks John for a recipe that we will keep making.
