EAT IN ASIA / Destinations / Other destinations / Europe / Montenegro
Montenegrin rustic style pork
Traveling around Montenegro is amazing. Their culture, friendliness, hospitality and customs make you feel like at home. Traditional recipes, both local and religious believes and happiness despite difficult times are worth appreciating and following. Every time you meet these people, you feel as if you have known them for a long time. You will not be excluded from their everyday activities, from their happiness and sad moments. As soon as you meet them, you will be part of them. You will share with them all their life. Their sad and happy times, their meals and work.
Montenegrin cuisine
Montenegrin cuisine is relatively conservative regarding served meals, their way of preparation and tastes. Of course, you will be able to buy international dishes like pizza, burgers, spaghetti, different pasta etc., but the longest list in restaurants’ menus will be this traditional one. Pork, beef, and lamb will almost always exist in the carte. Add to that different fish types and seafood, especially in touristic, coastal regions.
Traditions reflected in the Montenegrin gastronomy
The most traditional regions are these located in mountains. These regions are more harsh, more difficult to live in and to feed cattle. That is why traditional methods are so praised and cultivated till now. While for local people it is from one side following traditions and trying to live in the harmony with nature and environment, for all new commers and tourists, that is a magical world. The world, where life runs slower, where no one is in a hurry, where everything is prepared and done with love, passion, and patience.
This is also reflected in the gastronomy. Montenegrin recipes are time consuming and the longer time the cooking process takes, the better the meal is. It is especially visible in meat meals, where the meat is getting softer and softer during the long, but slow cooking process. Apart from that, local ingredients, spices and herbs make these meats extremely aromatic and full of flavors. Moreover, meals are usually prepared and served in traditional dishes and pots. Clay bowls, wooden boards and ceramic pots are very popular in all regions. Not only the serving way is really nice, but as the whole cooking process is handled very often also in these traditional utensils, the meat texture is different from the one prepared quickly in a modern casserole.
Rustic style pork in a clay pot
How does a traditional Montenegrin rustic style pork taste like?
A good example of a rustic style meat is pork served in a clay pot. The meat is cut into smaller parts and cooked with potatoes. It is well seasoned and with herbal notes. If I had to compare this rustic style pork to any well-known dish, I would say it is something like a Hungarian goulash. Of course, the seasoning method, the cooking process and the sauce are completely different but there are some common aspects too.
How is Montenegrin rustic style pork prepared?
Coming back to these common parts with a Hungarian goulash. As we said, there is a couple of them. The first of them is the meat that is in chunks. The second one is, the sauce that is richly covering the meat. The third one is the sauce that has a nice red color derived from peppers and tomatoes. Finally, as it is in case of a goulash, rustic pork in Montenegro is also served with potatoes and bread. The sauce is also heavy and the whole meal is relatively spicy, however not too much.
So, if you are looking for a light meal, this one will definitively not be like that. Traditional cuisine composes of meat, potatoes, meat fat, cheese, sour cream, and bread. Vegetables are not so common, and the most popular are tomatoes, cabbage, and onion. Apart from that, all kinds of pickles and sour cabbage. Of course, the rustic style of serving meat, means that it would be a hearty meal. It will surely not let you be hungry.
The sauce is heavy. Consists of a lot of natural, meat fat. Moreover, while the meal includes cubed potatoes in the casserole too, the whole composition becomes even more heavy. Add to that the traditional Montenegrin bread and optionally sour cream, and believe me, the meal will stay in your stomach for a long time. Finally, if you decide to enjoy the meal till the end, finish the sauce with bread.
What alcohol serve with a traditional Montenegrin rustic style pork?
Given the fact that this rustic style meat is quite fatty, the best option is to have it with a shot of a Montenegrin homemade brandy or rakija (if you have ever had a chance to try any rakija in Croatia, Serbia or Romania, you know it is really good). The best choice would be to have a plum one, that is the most traditional and loved in Montenegro. Optionally have a glass of a red, dry local wine.
