Chanfana (Portuguese Braised Goat) is a rich and flavorful dish hailing from the town of Poiares, Portugal. Traditionally served on special occasions like weddings and feast days, this hearty braised goat is slow-cooked to fork-tender perfection in a savory red wine marinade, making it a beloved comfort food.
Chanfana is a classic Portuguese dish known for its tender braised meat, infused with a rich combination of garlic, bay leaves, fresh herbs, and a dash of paprika. While traditionally made with goat, lamb can also be used, and the slow cooking process in a clay pot ensures the meat is melt-in-your-mouth delicious. The dish is typically served with boiled potatoes and crusty bread to soak up the flavorful juices, making it the perfect meal for a gathering with friends and family.
For the best results, use a sturdy, unglazed clay pot called a caçoilo, which helps retain the deep, earthy flavors of the dish. Any clay pot or roaster will work, but most kitchens don’t have one. If you don’t have one, a regular roasting pan will work just as well, as will a dutch oven.
Keep in mind, Chanfana requires a long marinating time, ideally overnight, to allow the wine and seasonings to fully infuse the meat, creating a depth of flavor that’s truly unforgettable.
This particular traditional recipe for Chanfana comes fromAuthentic Portuguese Cooking by Ana Patuleia Ortins.
Ingredients for Chanfana
To make Chanfana, you’ll need goat or lamb leg meat, ideally aged for tenderness, which should be cut into chunks. The meat is marinated with garlic, bay leaves, parsley, paprika, chili pepper, and salt, then bathed in red wine and olive oil. You’ll also need fresh mint leaves, chopped salt pork or bacon for richness, and onions to create a flavorful base for braising.
To make this dish, you’ll need:
- Goat or Lamb Meat: Cut into 2½- to 3-inch (6.4- to 7.5-cm) chunks; traditionally made with goat, but lamb works well too.
- Garlic: Whole cloves, which will infuse the meat with flavor during braising.
- Bay Leaf: Broken in half; adds earthy depth to the marinade and braising liquid.
- Fresh Parsley: Coarsely chopped; for a burst of herbal freshness.
- Sweet Paprika: Adds a mild, smoky flavor to the marinade.
- Crushed Dried Chile Pepper: Provides the heat for a little kick in the dish.
- Coarse Kosher Salt: For seasoning the meat and marinade.
- Red Wine: The base of the marinade and braising liquid, which imparts a rich depth of flavor.
- Olive Oil: Used in the marinade for richness.
- Onion: Finely chopped, divided; forms part of the base for the braise and adds sweetness.
- Fresh Mint Leaves: Optional, but they add a light, aromatic flavor to the dish.
- Salt Pork or Bacon: Coarsely chopped; adds savory, fatty richness to the braise.
How to Make Chanfana (Portuguese Braised Goat)
The day before cooking, place the goat (or lamb) meat in a non-reactive bowl. Season the meat generously with garlic, bay leaf, parsley, paprika, chili pepper, and salt. Pour the red wine over the meat until it’s covered, then drizzle olive oil on top. Turn the meat occasionally and allow it to marinate for a few hours or overnight, allowing the flavors to meld.
On the day of cooking, if you’re using a clay pot, avoid preheating the oven. Clay pots should always be placed in a cold oven to prevent cracking. In a regular roasting pan, preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). In the base of your pot or pan, lay down half of the chopped onion. Place the marinated meat and its juices on top and scatter the remaining onions and mint leaves over the meat. Add the chopped salt pork or bacon last. Cover tightly with foil and place in the oven.
After 2½ hours of cooking, remove the foil and continue to cook the meat uncovered for an additional 20-30 minutes, or until the meat is fork-tender and falling off the bone. Be sure to spoon some of the braising liquid over the meat every so often. The meat will darken and develop a delicious crust when exposed to the oven’s heat. Once done, serve hot with boiled potatoes and crusty bread to soak up the delicious juices.
Portuguese Chanfana
Note on Clay Pots
If you’re using a new clay pot, it’s essential to prep it beforehand. Fill the pot with water and add cabbage or collard leaves and onion peelings. Place the pot on a flameproof diffuser and bring it to a simmer for about 2 hours. Afterward, drain the pot and soak it in water for 24 hours before using it for cooking.
You can also make this recipe in a dutch oven, which is much more common in modern kitchens, at least in the US.
Serving Chanfana
Chanfana is best enjoyed immediately, with sides like boiled potatoes and crusty bread to soak up the flavorful sauce. If you have leftovers, the dish tastes even better the next day, as the flavors continue to develop.
Reprinted with permission from Authentic Portuguese Cooking by Ana Patuleia Ortins. Page Street Publishing Co. 2018. Photo Credit: Ted Axelrod.
Portuguese Chanfana (Braised Goat or Lamb)
Equipment
- 1 4- or 5-quart/3.6- or 4.5-L unglazed clay pot (see headnote), presoaked for several hours in water (see Note) Or a dutch oven
Ingredients
- 5 lbs goat or lamb leg meat or shoulder and ribs, cut into 2½- to 3-inch/6.4- to 7.5-cm chunks
- 3 to 5 cloves garlic whole
- 1 large bay leaf broken in half
- ½ cup fresh parsley coarsely chopped
- 2 tsp sweet paprika
- ½ teaspoon crushed dried chile pepper
- 1 Tbsp salt
- 3 cups red wine
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 large onion finely chopped, divided
- 2 fresh mint leaves optional
- 4 ounces salt pork coarsely chopped, or 3 slices bacon
Instructions
THE DAY BEFORE
- Place the meat in a nonreactive bowl. Season the meat all over with the garlic, bay leaf, parsley, paprika, chile pepper and salt. Turn the meat to coat evenly with the seasoning. Pour the wine over the meat, enough to come level with the top of the meat. Drizzle the olive oil over the top. Marinate, turning occasionally, for a couple of hours to overnight. The longer the marinating time, the more winey the flavor will be.
THE NEXT DAY
- If you are using a clay pot, do not preheat the oven. Clay pots go in a cold oven or they may crack. Otherwise, with a regular roasting pan, preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C, or gas mark 4.
- Make a bed of half the onion in the bottom of the pot or pan. Transfer the meat and marinade on top, scattering the remaining onions and mint leaves over, followed lastly by the salt pork or bacon. Cover tightly with foil and place in the oven.
- After 2½ hours, remove the cover or foil, and continue cooking, uncovered, for another 20 to 30 minutes, until the meat is falling-off-the-bone fork-tender. Occasionally, spoon some of the broth over the meat. The top of the meat will darken after the cover is removed. Serve with boiled potatoes and crusty bread to sop up the juice
Notes
Nutrition
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