Although this is a simple dish, it’s far from basic. It requires time, patience  and a few secrets to bring out its full flavor.

Translation | Amaryllis Tsegou

Choosing the right cut of meat is essential. Ideally, opt for pork neck, shoulder, or boneless belly - cuts with enough fat to keep the meat tender during slow cooking. If you prefer a leaner option, tenderloin can work, but it should be cooked for less time to prevent it from drying out.

Here, we use boneless pork neck, cut into medium-sized pieces. First, brown the pork well over high heat to seal in its juices and flavor. Add only a few pieces at a time so the oil stays hot - otherwise, the meat will steam rather than brown.

The onion and carrot add natural sweetness, while the celery, bay leaf, and rosemary provide depth and aroma. The lemon brings brightness and acidity, enhancing and balancing all the flavors. It’s important to add the lemon juice at the end of cooking - adding it too early can cause the meat to toughen. If you’d like a more pronounced lemon aroma from the beginning, you can add a strip of lemon peel during cooking and reserve the juice for the final step.

Add the wine, then pour in hot stock or water. Naturally, stock will give the dish a richer flavor, so keep that in mind.

Once the liquid comes to a boil, cover the pot and reduce the heat. The key here is gentle simmering. The dish needs about 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes (depending on the cut), until the meat is so tender it can be cut with a fork. If using tenderloin, however, 20-25 minutes of cooking will be sufficient.

If you prefer a thicker sauce, you can stir in 1 teaspoon of cornstarch dissolved in a little water toward the end of cooking. Let it simmer for another 2–3 minutes until thickened. Personally, I find that if the dish is simmered properly and for longer, the sauce thickens naturally and cornstarch isn’t necessary. For a better natural reduction, cook uncovered for the final 10 minutes.

At the end, gently shake the pot rather than stirring with a spoon - this prevents the meat from breaking apart. Let the dish rest off the heat for 10 minutes before serving. This will allow the sauce to thicken further and the meat to absorb all the flavours and aromas.

This pairs beautifully with many sides, but it’s especially good with mashed or fried potatoes, or rice.

Prep time: 20 min
| Cooking time: 1 hr 15 min
| Total time: 1 hr 35 min
| Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 1,400 g pork (neck or shoulder), cut into medium pieces
• 4 large carrots, sliced into thick half-moons or sticks
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 1 celery stalk, finely chopped
• 2–3 garlic cloves
• juice of 2 lemons
• 100 ml olive oil
• 150 ml white wine
• 2 bay leaves
• 1–2 sprigs fresh rosemary
• 350–400 ml hot vegetable stock or water
• salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

1. Prepare the meat:
Pat the pork dry, season with salt and let it rest at room temperature for 20 minutes.
2. Brown the meat:
Heat the olive oil in a wide pot and brown the pork pieces in batches until golden on all sides. Remove and set aside.
3. Sauté the aromatics:
Add the onion to the pot and sauté until lightly golden.
Add the garlic, celery and bay leaves and cook briefly until fragrant.
4. Add the carrots, rosemary, salt and pepper and then pour in the wine and allow the alcohol to evaporate.
5. Return the browned pork to the pot.
6. Pour in enough hot stock or water to come halfway up the meat. Cover with a lid and simmer gently over low heat for about 1 hour, or until the pork is tender and the liquid has reduced.
7. Finish with lemon:
Add the lemon juice and gently shake the pot. Simmer uncovered for a few more minutes, until the sauce thickens. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed.
8. Remove from the heat and let the dish rest for 10 minutes.
9. Serve the lemon pork hot, ideally with mashed potatoes, a sprinkle of freshly ground pepper and plenty of the flavorful sauce.