Bekri Meze is a quick and very flavorful pork stew with a rich tomato sauce and bits of Gruyere or Kefalotyri cheese. It's flavored with red wine and spices. Plus a hint of spiciness (which is optional)!

What's Bekri Meze

In translation, Bekri Meze means drunken Meze. Where Meze refers to a type of appetizer that's served together with alcohol. And drunken either refers to the person who is eating it (who is consuming alcohol along with it), or to the fact that this dish is always cooked along with some alcohol. In some other versions, it can be Tsipouro or Ouzo instead.

So this quick pork stew is a dish that's mostly served as an appetizer or Meze along with other small plates. Together with alcohol and lots of bread to dip in the delicious sauce.

Ingredients

Bekri Meze is made of small little bites of pork, that get marinated for a few minutes with spices like smoked paprika, garlic, and cumin. And then gets sauteed very well in hot olive oil, before adding onions, red wine, tomato paste, and diced tomatoes to it. Plus, a few other seasonings like bay leaf, oregano, and garlic.

Finally, when the sauce has thickened you add small bites of cheese to it and let it soften into the sauce right before serving.

Type Of Cheese To Use

Kefalotyri and Gruyere cheese are the best options for this stew. But you can make it with a cheese like Kaseri or some Saganaki cheese as well.

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If you like Meze dishes, try this saucy Greek sausage and pepper stew (Spetsofai). It's soo tasty!

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QUICK TIPS:

Brown the meat very well all over. It's what gives a strong flavor to the stew. To do this heat the oil well and wait a few minutes before flipping and turning the meat.
Caramelize the tomato paste. Cook it stirring constantly before adding liquid to it. This enhances its flavor, brings down the acidity of the paste, gives stronger color to the sauce, and adds extra sweetness.
Let the alcohol drain completely. To ensure there won't be any bitter flavor.
Cook over medium-low heat partly covered. Keeping a standard simmer throughout cooking ensures the meat won't harden.
Every piece of meat has different cooking times. Prick with a knife to see if it's tender enough otherwise add some hot water and cook a bit longer.

SERVE WITH 🠫

Serve this saucy pork stew sprinkled with red pepper flakes. You can add either sweet or spicy according to your liking. And don't forget to serve it together with lots of bread for dipping. And here are a few other small plates to serve with this Meze.

Enjoy this pork stew as a main meal by serving it together with some steamed rice or french fries.

Recipe