Ojakhuri with pork is a popular Georgian dish of meat with potatoes, onion and spices, and it is the kind of meal to cook for the whole family. Ojakhuri means “family” in Georgian, so the dish is prepared in a generous amount and served as a substantial lunch to share with close ones. Ojakhuri with pork brings together browned meat, golden potatoes and softly fried vegetables in one pot, which makes it especially suitable when you want a filling hot dish for several people at once.
Pork neck gives Ojakhuri with pork its richness, and potatoes make Ojakhuri with pork hearty and satisfying. Onion, garlic and tomatoes build the aromatic base of Ojakhuri with pork, while khmeli-suneli, paprika, bay leaf, black pepper and salt give Ojakhuri with pork its characteristic warm and savoury flavour. Adjika, mixed with 100 ml water, adds moisture and a spicy accent, and the recipe notes that you can increase the amount a little if the adjika is not very hot and you prefer a spicier, more intense dish.
Browning each part separately is what makes Ojakhuri with pork come out right. Pork should be fried for about 10 minutes until browned, because that first colour adds depth to the finished dish. Onion, garlic and tomatoes should be fried together with the spices for a total of 10 minutes, just until softened and fragrant, and potatoes should cook for about 15 minutes until they develop a golden crust before the meat and vegetables go back into the pot.
Gentle final stewing is what brings Ojakhuri with pork together. After the browned pork and fried vegetables are returned to the potatoes, the mixture should be stirred, covered and stewed for 20 to 30 minutes so the flavours combine and the pork finishes cooking in the seasoned juices. The optional final bake is a serving variation from the source recipe: Ojakhuri with pork can be baked at 180°C for 15 to 20 minutes in a traditional Georgian clay dish called a ketsi before it goes to the table.
The source recipe offers only one real adjustment, and that adjustment is the heat level of the adjika. If the adjika is mild and you like hotter, fuller flavours, you can add a little more adjika than the stated amount. The garnish can also be handled simply, because the herbs may be chopped before serving, and the finished dish may be decorated with herbs and red onion feathers for a fresher contrast to the rich pork and potatoes.
Serve Ojakhuri with pork hot, finished with cilantro and parsley. Ojakhuri with pork is intended as a main hot dish, and the fresh herbs added at the end lighten the richness of the pork neck and potatoes. If you want to present Ojakhuri with pork in a more traditional way, the optional bake in a clay dish gives Ojakhuri with pork a more festive table appearance while keeping the same cooking sequence and flavours.
Keep Ojakhuri with pork refrigerated and reheat it thoroughly before serving again. Ojakhuri with pork can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat Ojakhuri with pork in a covered pan over low heat or in the oven until piping hot, because slow reheating helps the potatoes and pork warm through without drying out too quickly.
Yes, Ojakhuri with pork can be made spicier by increasing the adjika a little. The source recipe specifically notes that if the adjika is not very hot and you prefer a hotter, richer dish, you can use a bit more.
The potatoes are ready for the final stewing when they have cooked for about 15 minutes and formed a golden crust. The potatoes do not need to be fully finished at that stage because the potatoes continue cooking for 20 to 30 minutes after the pork and vegetables are added back.
No, Ojakhuri with pork does not have to be baked in the oven because the main cooking finishes on the stove under a lid. The oven step is only an optional serving method, and Ojakhuri with pork can be baked at 180°C for 15 to 20 minutes in a traditional Georgian clay dish if you want that presentation.
Ojakhuri with pork keeps in the refrigerator for up to 3 days in an airtight container. Reheat Ojakhuri with pork thoroughly in a covered pan or in the oven before serving again.
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