A thick porridge of maize flour and pork blood cooked with offal, chourica and cured meats. The Minho's defining winter comfort dish, eaten on Sunday mornings at tascas across Braga.

Sarrabulho is one of the oldest surviving dishes of the Minho, documented in monastery records from the 17th century as a way to use the full pig after the November slaughter. The thick corn-flour base absorbs the blood from the fresh slaughter, producing a dark, iron-rich porridge. The dish is made at Bisaro-pig slaughter time (November to January) but is served year-round at Braga tascas. Cruz Sobral and Restaurante Tia Isabel are the two custodian addresses, both making it from scratch on Saturdays with fresh Bisaro blood from farms north of the city.

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Make it at home

Serves 62 hrAdvanced

Ingredients

  • 400g fine maize flour (broa flour)
  • 300ml fresh pork blood (from a butcher who slaughters; or canned pigs blood)
  • 300g pork shoulder, diced small
  • 200g chourica, sliced into coins
  • 150g presunto (smoked ham), diced
  • 100g pork liver, trimmed and finely diced
  • 2 onions, finely chopped
  • 6 garlic cloves, minced
  • 100ml olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
  • 1 tablespoon sweet paprika
  • 1 tablespoon wine vinegar
  • Salt and black pepper
  • 1.5 litres water or light pork stock

Method

  1. Brown the pork shoulder and liver in olive oil over high heat. Set aside.
  2. In the same pan, soften onions and garlic until golden. Add chourica and presunto; fry 3 minutes.
  3. Add cumin and paprika; stir 1 minute. Return the pork and liver to the pan.
  4. Pour in the stock and simmer covered for 45 minutes until the pork is tender.
  5. Whisk the maize flour into 500ml cold water until smooth. Pour into the simmering meat pan in a steady stream, stirring continuously.
  6. Stir the pork blood into the pan. Season with vinegar, salt and pepper.
  7. Continue stirring over low heat for 15 to 20 minutes until the porridge is thick, dark and glossy.
  8. Serve in deep bowls with crusty broa bread and a glass of vinho verde.

Editor tip. Stir without stopping once the maize flour goes in or it forms lumps. The dish should be dark brown when the blood is fully incorporated and cooked through.

Common allergens: Gluten, Egg.