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Raxo
Raxo: Galician tavern dish of garlicky marinated pork loin cubes fried and served with chips
Order a ración of raxo in a tavern in Santiago or A Coruña and it comes sizzling on a metal plate: little cubes of pork loin marinated with garlic, paprika and oregano, fried until browned, with chips and sometimes Padrón peppers alongside. This contains pork. Unlike zorza, which is chopped like chorizo filling, raxo keeps its meat in neat cubes and is gentler on the paprika. Marinate the pork in the fridge, covered. A common mistake is crowding the pan, which stews the meat instead of browning it, so fry in two batches. Chef's tip: let the cubes sit for a minute without stirring when they first hit the pan, so they form a golden crust.
- Total time
- 50 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the pork
For the chips
To serve
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Mix 1 ¾ lb pork loin with 4 cloves garlic, 1 tsp sweet paprika, 1 tsp dried oregano, 1 tsp salt and 2 tbsp olive oil. Cover and marinate in the fridge for 2–12 hours.
5 minStep 2: Rinse the chips and dry them well. Heat 2 cups olive or sunflower oil for frying to 325°F and fry the 1 ¾ lb potatoes in batches for 6–7 minutes until soft but pale; lift out.
15 minStep 3: Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large frying pan over a high heat. Add half the pork and leave for 1 minute, then fry, turning, for 5–6 minutes until browned on all sides and no longer pink in the middle (160°F). Repeat with the rest.
12 minStep 4: Raise the frying oil to 375°F and fry the chips again for 2–3 minutes until crisp. Drain and season with ½ tsp salt.
5 minStep 5: Serve the pork with its pan juices over the chips, scattered with parsley, and fried Padrón peppers alongside if you like.
2 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 620 kcal
- Protein
- 46 g
- Carbs
- 38 g
- Fat
- 30 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does raxo take?
- About 50 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 30 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
- What can I use instead of sweet paprika?
- Smoked paprika, half the amount.
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