Pork Loin Steaks with Red Pepper Sauce
Why this recipe works
- Pan-built flavour: Searing the pork first leaves savoury browned bits in the pan, which are lifted into the pepper sauce with vinegar.
- Sweetness balanced by vinegar: Red peppers and onion bring natural sweetness, while sherry vinegar sharpens the sauce and keeps it from tasting flat.
- Silky sauce: Blending the softened vegetables creates a smooth, spoonable sauce without needing cream or stock.
- Weeknight-friendly: Thin pork steaks cook quickly, so the whole dish comes together in about 30 minutes.
Get the most out of this recipe
Ingredient notes
- Choose ripe red peppers: Fully red peppers give the sauce its sweetness and colour; underripe peppers can taste sharper and less rounded.
- Adjust the vinegar at the end: Sherry vinegar should lift the sauce rather than dominate it, so taste after blending and add a little more only if needed.
- Slice the vegetables evenly: Evenly sliced onion and pepper soften at the same rate, helping the sauce blend smoothly.
Texture tips
- For a smoother sauce: Blend until fully smooth, then let the sauce settle briefly before spooning it over the pork.
- Keep the pork tender: Return the pork to a gentle simmer rather than a hard boil, turning it once so it finishes cooking without drying out.
- For a thicker coating: Let the blended sauce simmer briefly before adding the pork back, so it reduces enough to coat the back of a spoon.
Make-ahead tips
- Make the sauce ahead: The red pepper sauce can be cooked and blended in advance, then gently reheated before the pork is added.
- Reheat gently: Warm leftovers over a low heat with a splash of water, turning the pork until piping hot.
- Best served freshly cooked: The sauce keeps well, but the pork has the best texture when seared and finished shortly before serving.
Serving ideas
- Serve with something to catch the sauce: Mashed potatoes, rice or crusty bread work well with the smooth red pepper sauce.
- Add a simple green side: Steamed green beans, wilted spinach or a crisp salad balance the richness of the pork.
- Finish simply: A little chopped parsley or extra black pepper adds freshness without overpowering the sauce.
Equipment you'll need
Ingredients
Instructions
- Slice the pork into 2 steaks, about 2 cm thick. Season all over with the salt and pepper.
- Heat 1 tbsp of the olive oil in a frying pan over a medium-high heat. Sear the pork for 2 to 3 minutes per side until well browned, then transfer to a plate.
- Reduce the heat to medium and add the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil. Slice the onion, slice the red peppers, and cook them in the pan for 8 to 10 minutes until softened and lightly golden at the edges.
- Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. Stir in the sherry vinegar and let it bubble for 30 seconds, scraping up any browned bits from the pan.
- Tip the pepper mixture into a blender and blend until very smooth. Return the sauce to the pan and bring to a gentle simmer over a low heat.
- Nestle the pork back into the sauce along with any resting juices. Cook gently for 3 to 5 minutes, turning once, until the pork is just cooked through and the sauce coats the back of a spoon.
Recipe notes
Tips
- For the smoothest sauce, blend for a full minute, then let it sit for 30 seconds so any bubbles settle before serving.
- Keep the sauce at a gentle simmer once blended; a hard boil can dull the pepper flavour and make the pork dry.
Substitutions
- Replace Sherry vinegar with White wine vinegar for a similar sharpness.
- Replace Olive oil with Light olive oil for a milder, less fruity finish.
Storage
- Refrigerate up to 2 days
- Cool, then refrigerate in a sealed container. Reheat gently in a frying pan over a low heat with a splash of water, turning the pork until piping hot.
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Recipe overview
- Servings: 2 servings
- Total time: 30min (25min active)
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cuisine: Spanish
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