Name: Rotisserie Goan Pork Vindaloo
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 3 h
Total time: 3 h 20 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: Goan Indian
Ingredients: 2kg (4 lbs) pork shoulder, outer fat removed.; 2 - 3 tbsp coconut or rapeseed (canola) oil; 1 head of garlic – cloves cut into slivers; 1 tsp black mustard seeds; 20 fresh curry leaves; 3 onions – finely chopped; 3 tomatoes – finely chopped (about 400g); 1 tbsp chilli powder (more or less to taste); Juice of one lime or to taste; FOR THE VINDALOO MARINADE; 6 dried red chillies; 2 tbsp cumin seeds; 2 tbsp coriander seeds; 2 tsp black cardamom seeds; 1 1/2 teaspoon fenugreek seeds; 8 cloves; 1 inch cassia bark stick; 20 black peppercorns; 1 tsp turmeric; 8 green chillies – finely chopped; 125ml (1/2 cup) palm or red wine vinegar (plus more if needed); 2 tablespoons soft brown sugar (more or less to taste; 2 tbsp tamarind paste (or another two tablespoon of vinegar); 3 tbsp garlic and ginger paste

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You don’t need a rotisserie to make this delicious Goan pork vindaloo

This Goan pork vindaloo recipe is an updated version of what you might have found on this page previously. I like to go back and improve recipes and as this Goan pork vindaloo hadn’t been touched since I first published in back in 2013, I decided it was time to do so.

Cooking the marinated pork on a rotisserie gives the meat a delicious, smoky flavour with the perfect blend of vindaloo spices. If you don’t have a rotisserie, no problem! Just cut your pork shoulder into bite sized pieces before applying the marinade. Then cook it on skewers or on the cooking grate of your BBQ. If cooking over fire doesn’t excite you, you might want to try this simplified Goan pork vindaloo that can be cooked in one pan, indoors.

This Goan pork vindaloo goes so well with red matta rice or plain Basmati rice.

About this Goan pork vindaloo recipe

With most Goan pork vindaloo recipes, you marinate and then gently simmer pork in a spicy sauce until tender. This is another way of doing it which I saw prepared in Goa.

Placing the marinated pork shoulder on a rotisserie and letting it cook slowly for about 3 hours give the meat an amazing smoky flavour that is so good in the curry. In fact, you could just leave out the curry bit and serve the meat on it’s own. It’s so juicy and spicy, you might find it difficult to wait for the curry to be prepared.

Do you have to cook the pork on a rotisserie?

No! I like to cook mine on a rotisserie because I find it quite convenient. If you want the same smoky flavour, go ahead and cut your pork shoulder into bite sized pieces and then marinate it. You can then skewer it and cook the meat over the coals just like you would chicken tikka.

What are the origins of Goan pork vindaloo?

Vindaloo was inspired by a Portuguese dish called carne de vinha d’alhos (meat marinated in wine-vinegar and garlic). You might like to try the original Portuguese recipe too. You can find it here.

The Goans took the original dish and made it into the famous Goan pork vindaloo that is now world famous. Compare the Portuguese dish and this vindaloo and you will see that there are a lot more spices in vindaloo.

To make it the Goan way, you will be using chillies and chilli powder but not so much that the heat of the chillies overpowers all the other spices used.

How to cook the perfect Goan pork vindaloo?

As mentioned above, there are a couple of ways to do it. Most common is to stew the pork in the sauce ingredients. You cook the pork until it is melt in the mouth tender. Cooking the meat in this way also flavours the curry sauce.

With this version, I’m not sure which came first, you cook the meat over fire, once again until tender. As the meat cooks, it will char on the exterior which is a good sign its ready to start slicing off. The cooked pork can then be added to the sauce which then becomes even more tender and releases an amazing charred and smoky flavour.

Either way, you want to ensure that the pork is super tender.

How spicy should Goan pork vindaloo be?

That’s up to you but I can tell you from experience, the vindaloos in Goa are very spicy. Not as spicy as a British curry house style vindaloo but spicy all the same.

With this recipe, you can and should taste it and adjust the spicing to taste.

How long can you keep pork vindaloo in the fridge?

This curry will keep well in the fridge for 3 to 5 days. Of course this depends on how fresh your ingredients are when you make it. In fact, the your Goan pork vindaloo will actually get better sitting, covered tightly in the fridge as the flavours will develop.

Can you freeze pork vindaloo?

Yes! You can freeze this Goan pork vindaloo curry for up to 6 months. It will still taste amazing and some people think it actually tastes better after freezing.

How do you reheat Goan pork vindaloo?

You can just heat it up in your microwave. For best results, however, heat it up slowly in a saucepan. Let it come to a simmer and then simmer lightly over a low heat until you are ready to serve.

If reheating from frozen, allow the pork vindaloo to defrost completely before reheating.

Pro Tips for making Goan pork vindaloo

Marinate the pork: Marination is an important step in preparing Goan pork vindaloo. To achieve maximum flavour, marinate the pork in the marinade for 2 to 4 hours. This will give the pork a tangy, spicy and aromatic flavour, resulting in a rich and well-seasoned dish.
Balance the Spices: Goan pork Vindaloo is known for being spicy, but it’s important to balance the heat with other flavours. Be sure to taste the sauce as you cook and feel free to adjust the spicing to taste. If you don’t know your spice level, be sure to add the chilli powder in small amounts until you are happy with the spiciness.
Slow Cooking for Tender Meat: To achieve tender and succulent pork, you need to cook it gently and slowly. That’s one of the reasons I prefer using a rotisserie. After you cook the pork, let it simmer in the sauce slowly over a low heat for a while. This will help flavour the sauce to perfection.

Step by Step Photographs

Ingredients for rotisserie Goan pork vindaloo

Get all your ingredients together before starting.

Toasting the spices for the vindaloo marinade.

Toast the whole spices over a medium heat until warm to the touch and fragrant but not yet smoking.

Allow the spices to cool some and then grind into a fine paste in a spice grinder or pestle and mortar.

Add the remaining marinade ingredients to the ground spices and blend to a smooth paste.

Your finished marinade will look something like this.

Remove the outer fat on the pork and this slice it thinly. Rub the marinade right into the meat.

While the pork is marinating, start your sauce. Heat the oil over medium high heat and add the garlic slivers.

Fry the garlic flakes until crispy and light brown but not burnt. Be careful. Then transfer the garlic flakes to a paper towel to soak up any excess oil.

Infusing the flavours of mustard seeds and curry leaves into the oil.

Add the mustard seeds to the same oil. When they begin to crackle, stir in the curry leaves to infuse for about 30 seconds.

Adding and frying the onions in the pan.

Stir in the chopped onions and fry for about 7 minutes or until soft, translucent and golden brown.

Stir in the chopped tomatoes. Then add a little water to cover.

Simmer covered for about 15 minutes and continue simmering until you are happy with the sauce consistence. Set aside. This can all be done on your barbecue if more convenient.

Wipe off and retain as much marinade as possible. Cook the pork on a rotisserie for about 2 to 3 hours, slicing the meat off as it chars and cooks through.

Once all the meat is cooked, cut it into bite sized pieces if it isn’t already.

Add the pork and all the retained marinade to the curry and heat it up. You can continue simmering over a low heat for additional flavour.

Stir in the fried garlic and season with salt to taste to serve.

If you like this Goan belly pork vindaloo, you might also like to try some of these recipes…

Authentic pork vindaloo
BIR curry house style vindaloo sauce
BIR style lamb vindaloo

Yield: 6 - 8