by Ana Veiga
This recipe combines everything the Portuguese love: simplicity, flavourfulness, and plenty of sauce to mop up with a good slice of bread. No wonder it’s a classic dish! Well, at least in the local hearts. With a name that’s not particularly appealing, pica-pau often falls behind dishes that are much more famous. Keen eyed visitors will have noticed pica-pau scribbled on local chalkboards in the ever popular tascas and petisquieras though!
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Woodpecker Meat? About the Name Pica-Pau
You might have come across ‘pica-pau’ written on wooden boards outside a Portuguese restaurant before. If you know some of the Portuguese bird lexicon (or if you tried translating it), it might have shocked you the thought of ‘woodpeckers’ for lunch. Well, at this point, you probably are well aware that the Portuguese are very creative with the name of their food, and pica-pau has nothing to do with the meat used. It alludes to how we eat the dish, pecking the pieces of meat with a toothpick. Now we addressed any confusion the name might have created, it’s time to go over what’s special about this dish. Although very little is known about the origins of the dish, it’s linked with Charneca do Ribatejo, the geographical area between Ribatejo and Alentejo.
What Makes a Good Pica-Pau?
Pica-pau consists of cubes or strips of good cuts of beef fried in olive oil, the residue of the beef is then deglazed with white wine or beer. Pork meat can also be used. Like any good Portuguese dish, lots of garlic and bay leaves also play their part. The dish is garnished with pickled vegetables, and olives, and it’s usually served as an appetizer, alongside some bread. But it pairs very well with white rice or boiled potatoes, for a full meal.The secret for a good pica-pau is to use tender cuts of meat, like filet mignon or sirloin, since the beef is only pan-fried, any beef that might need longer to soften up, won’t work as quite as well.
Our Pica-Pau Recipe
This is one of the easiest recipes you will find in this website, with ingredients that you probably have at home, and it can be completed in less than 30 minutes.
Like we said earlier, it’s important to choose a good beef for this recipe, or you will end up with chewy bits of meat. The same applies to the wine, cook with something you would drink! Another tip is to have all the ingredients ready to go, so you don’t overcook your meat while fetching them. This is one of our favorite dishes at the moment, effortlessly delicious, and suitable for all levels of cooks. Perfect for days you don’t have too much time to spare, but still want something indulgent.
Ingredients:
- 500g beef loin – cut into medium cubes/strips
- 3tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- White Wine (1/3 Glass or 70ml)
- 3 garlic cloves – sliced
- 2 bay leaves
- ½ tsp piri-piri flakes
- 1tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 20g butter – cold
- Salt to taste
- Black pepper to taste
- 1 cup pickled vegetables – roughly chopped
Preparation:
- Start by removing your beef from the fridge at least 30 minutes prior to cooking. Season with salt and black pepper.
- Place a large frying pan over high heat. Once hot, add 2tbsp of olive oil and brown your beef for approximately 2 minutes on each side, or longer depending on the size of your cubes. It’s better to divide the beef in two batches so the meat is properly seared.
- Reduce the heat to medium, add the remaining olive oil, then the garlic and bay leaves. Fry it for another minute, until the garlic starts to gain some color.
- Add the white wine, stir very well, scraping the meat residue at the bottom. Let it simmer for another minute or two before adding the Dijon mustard, and Worcestershire sauce. Remove from the heat, add the butter, stirring well to emulsify.
- Season with salt and pepper, garnish with pickled veggies, and black olives.
Have you tried this recipe? Let us know in the comments. If you are looking for other quick and easy Portuguese recipes, perhaps you would like Bacalhau à Brás, and Ameijoas à Bulhão Pato.
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