Brazilian Dark Beer Pork Pie with Black Olives

Empadão traces its roots to the Iberian Peninsula, arriving in Brazil in the 16th century with Portuguese colonizers, evolving from medieval-style savory pies filled with meat, chicken, or seafood. While empada is the individual-sized version, empadão is larger, baked in a deep dish, with buttery crust and a generous filling, and has taken on regional variations across Brazil — like the famous Goiás-style empadão, filled with chicken, sausage, olives, and eggs. Our version honors that tradition with an original twist: pork braised in dark beer, adding depth and a subtle bitterness, balanced by the saltiness of black olives — a hearty, flavorful, and deeply comforting empadão.

Crust Ingredients

• 4 cups (500g) all-purpose flour
• ¾ cup (150g) pork lard (chilled)
• 7 tbsp (100g) butter (chilled)
• 1 scant tbsp salt
• ½ cup (approx. 100ml) of ice water (added little by little, just until the dough comes together).
  Reminder: Keep it ice-cold to make sure the lard and butter don’t melt while you mix!
  
  There’s a secret: use guarana instead of water; it gives a slightly sweet taste.

Ingredients filling

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• 2.2 lbs of pork (leg or loin), cut into cubes
• 1 can or bottle of dark beer (12 to 17 fl oz)
• 1 bell pepper (green, yellow, or red), sliced into strips
• 2 ripe tomatoes, diced
• 1 cup of sliced black
• 2 medium onions, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• Olive oil, salt, and black pepper to taste
• 1 egg yolk for brushing
  
  
  Filling Instructions

1. Season the pork with salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in a pressure cooker over high heat and brown the meat well on all sides. Remove and set aside.
2. In the same pot, reduce the heat and sauté the onion and garlic until lightly golden.
3. Return the pork to the pot. Add the bell pepper, tomatoes, and onion, and pour in the beer. Reserve the olives for later.
4. Scrape the bottom of the pot to loosen any browned bits. Add the broth—the liquid should cover about half of the meat.
   Close the lid and cook under pressure for 40 minutes. Allow the pressure to release naturally.

Read also: Porcini Mushroom Risotto & Beef Tenderloin Medallions.

5. Check the consistency; the pork should be tender enough to shred. Cook uncovered for 2 minutes if you prefer a thicker sauce.
   Turn off the heat once the sauce has thickened.
6. In a glass dish, shred the meat with a fork until it is completely and easily shredded. Finally, add the sliced ​​black olives.

All done! Let it cool before using it in a pie.

Pie Crust Instructions

• In a large bowl, mix the flour and salt.
• Add the well-chilled lard and butter. Using your fingertips, work the ingredients together until the mixture resembles coarse, moist crumbs.
• Mix just until the dough begins to bind and form a ball.
• If the dough seems too dry, add 1 tablespoon of ice-cold water at a time until the ideal consistency is reached. Do not knead the dough; simply press and compact it.
• Wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
• Roll out half of the dough to line the bottom and sides of the pie pan.
• Add the cooled filling. Use the remaining dough to cover the pie with a very thin layer and to decorate the top with strips of dough, as shown in the photo.
• Beat the egg yolk, brush it over the dough.