Croatian Pork and Sausage Pan (Kotlovina)
Kotlovina Say it: kot-LOH-vee-nah
Kotlovina is a hearty Croatian pan dish from the Samobor and Zagreb area, made with pork chops and smoked sausage braised in a wide, shallow pan. Onions, bell peppers, garlic, paprika, and white wine build a smoky, savory sauce with a gentle sweetness from the peppers. It is a communal, cold-weather meal, often cooked outdoors and served straight from the pan with bread and potatoes. The meat stays tender, the sausage crisp at the edges, and the sauce rich enough to spoon over everything.
Croatian Pork and Sausage Pan (Kotlovina)
Kotlovina
Pronounced kot-LOH-vee-nah
- Serves
- 4
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 55 min
- Total
- 1 hr 15 min
- Level
- Easy
Also nut-free and egg-free.
Allergens: contains gluten. Check labels on packaged ingredients.
Ingredients
Amounts are scaled. Cooking times and pan sizes stay the same.
For the pan
To finish
Method
Pat the pork chops dry and season both sides with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper. Heat the lard in a wide shallow pan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat and brown the chops in one layer, 3-4 minutes per side, until deeply golden; transfer to a plate.
Add the sausage to the same pan and brown for 3-4 minutes, stirring, until the edges crisp and the fat renders. Transfer with a slotted spoon.
Reduce the heat to medium. Add the onions and peppers with a pinch of salt and cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring, until softened and the onions turn golden at the edges. Add the garlic, sweet paprika, hot paprika, tomato paste, and marjoram; stir for 1 minute until fragrant and brick-red, taking care not to scorch the paprika.
Pour in the wine and scrape up the browned bits from the pan. Simmer for 2 minutes, then add the water, bay leaves, remaining salt, and pepper. Return the pork and sausage, along with any juices, to the pan and bring to a gentle simmer.
Cover and cook gently for 30 minutes, then uncover and cook for 15-20 minutes more, turning the meat once, until the pork is tender and the sauce has thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon. If the sauce looks too thin, simmer a little longer; if it is too thick, add a splash of water.
Remove the bay leaves, taste, and adjust the salt and pepper. Scatter over the parsley and serve straight from the pan.
Regional variants
Some cooks add sliced potatoes during the last 20 minutes, or stir in a spoonful of ajvar for extra pepper sweetness. Smoked bacon can replace part of the sausage.
Cook's notes
- Use a wide pan so the meat browns rather than steams; a Dutch oven works, but keep the heat moderate.
- If the sausage is very salty, reduce the added salt and taste before serving.
- Let the paprika bloom in the fat for only a minute; burnt paprika turns bitter.
Serve with
Boiled or roasted potatoes, crusty bread, and pickled peppers or gherkins; a glass of dry white wine.
Make ahead and storage
Cool and refrigerate up to 3 days; reheat gently on the stove with a splash of water. It tastes even better the next day.
