Portuguese barbecued pork (Febras assadas)

barbecued pork

Portuguese barbecued pork (Febras assadas) from Portugal. Times were inferred from the source steps.

Imported from TheMealDB. Times and card copy were filled in for this listing, not kitchen-tested. Native name preserved: barbecued pork.

0 people cooked this in the public kitchen yet. Kitchen-tested by I Want Some Food. Not a purchased rating.

Start cooking
Measurement system
Prep
10 min
Cook
13 min
Total
58 min
Difficulty
Medium
Spice
No chilli
Cost
Weeknight budget$8–16 USD · indicative, not a store price
Source photograph of Portuguese barbecued pork (Febras assadas). Not official I Want Some Food pixel artwork.

About

Portuguese barbecued pork (Febras assadas) is listed as pork from Portugal. The steps below are the imported TheMealDB method, not an editorial rewrite. Times shown were read from those steps.

Ingredients

Scaling multiplies the written quantities. Baking still prefers a scale.

Steps

  1. Step 1

    Cut the tenderloins into 5 equal-size pieces leaving the tail ends a little longer. Take a clear plastic bag and slip one of the pieces in. Bash it into an escalope the size of a side-plate with a rolling pin and repeat with the remaining pieces.

  2. Step 2

    Put the wine, paprika, some salt and pepper and the juice of ½ a lemon in a bowl and add the pork. Leave to marinate for 20-30 minutes, while you get your barbecue to the stage where the coals are glowing but there are no flames.

    30 min
  3. Step 3

    To make the chips, fill a basin with cool water and cut the potatoes into 3cm-thick chips. Soak them in the water for 5 minutes and then change the water. Leave for 5 more minutes. Drain and then pat dry on a towel or with kitchen paper.

    5 min
  4. Step 4

    Heat the oil in a deep fryer or a deep heavy-based pan with a lid to 130C and lower the chips into the oil (in batches). Blanch for 8-10 minutes. Remove from the oil and drain well. Place on a tray to cool. Reheat the oil to 180C (make sure it’s hot or your chips will be soggy) and lower the basket of chips into the oil (again, do this in batches). Leave to cook for 2 minutes and then give them a little shake. Cook for another minute or so until they are well coloured and crisp to the touch. Drain well for a few minutes, tip into a bowl and sprinkle with sea salt.

    12 min
  5. Step 5

    The pork will cook quickly so do it in 2 batches. Take the pieces out of the marinade, rub them with oil, and drop them onto the barbecue (you could also use a chargrill). Cook for 1 minute on each side – they may flare up as you do so. This should really be enough time as they will keep on cooking. Take them off the barbecue and pile onto a plate. Repeat with the remaining batch.

    1 min
  6. Step 6

    Serve by piling a plate with chips, drop the pork on top of each pile and pouring the juices from the plate over so the chips take up the flavours. Top with a spoon of mayonnaise and a wedge of lemon.

Adapt this recipe

The canonical recipe stays intact. Personal versions are labelled. Serving changes are maths, not AI.

Adaptations · 0 / 15 used. Resets 24 August.

Substitutions

  • pork mushroom

    Chopped mushrooms plus a splash of soy. Different dish, same comfort.

  • lemon lime

    Same acidity, different perfume. Taste before you repeat the squeeze.

  • potato (sweet potato or another starchy side) sweet potato or another starchy side

    Cook time changes. Sweet potato browns faster.

Tips

  • Times on this listing were inferred from the imported method, not kitchen-tested.

History & culture

Editorial cultural notes have not been written for this imported dish.

Editorial history has not been written for this imported dish.

Inspired by

Provenance: Imported. Initial recipe data sourced from TheMealDB and adapted/reviewed by I Want Some Food. Times on this listing were inferred from the imported method, not kitchen-tested.

Questions about this recipe

Answers taken from this dish's times, amounts, swaps and tips — not a chatbot.

How long does Portuguese barbecued pork (Febras assadas) take?

58 min all in — 10 min prep, 13 min cook, 35 min rest. That is the time on this recipe, not a guess.

How many does it serve?

The recipe is written for 4 servings. Scale the ingredient list on the page if you are cooking for a different number.

How hard is it?

Medium.

How spicy is it?

No chilli.

What allergens should I watch?

This recipe is labelled for Eggs. Labels are informational — check the packets in your kitchen. This is not medical advice.

Does it fit a diet?

The published recipe is labelled Gluten-free, Dairy-free, Nut-free.

What does it cost to cook?

Weeknight budget — about $8–16 USD, as a grocery budget for this recipe, not a restaurant price.

What equipment do I need?

Mixing bowl, Rolling pin.

How much salt do I put in?

This recipe does not list a salt amount. We will not invent one.

What can I use instead?

pork → mushroom. Chopped mushrooms plus a splash of soy. Different dish, same comfort. lemon → lime. Same acidity, different perfume. Taste before you repeat the squeeze. potato (sweet potato or another starchy side) → sweet potato or another starchy side. Cook time changes. Sweet potato browns faster.

Any tips from this recipe?

Times on this listing were inferred from the imported method, not kitchen-tested.

Can I prepare this ahead?

Heat the oil in a deep fryer or a deep heavy-based pan with a lid to 130C and lower the chips into the oil (in batches). Blanch for 8-10 minutes. Remove from the oil and drain well. Place on a tray to cool. Reheat the oil to 180C (make sure it’s hot or your chips will be soggy) and lower the basket of chips into the oil (again, do this in batches). Leave to cook for 2 minutes and then give them a little shake. Cook for another minute or so until they are well coloured and crisp to the touch. Drain well for a few minutes, tip into a bowl and sprinkle with sea salt.

Can I use an air fryer?

This method is not written for an air fryer. The core technique on the page still applies.

In this kitchen

Share card

Explore Portugal

Before you start cooking

Your pantry, saved recipes and meal plans are stored on this device so the site works — that part can't be switched off. Google Analytics counts page visits so we can see what people open. Separately, we can count anonymous feature usage in our own database. That part is your call, and it stays off unless you say yes.

What gets stored