Classic Christmas recipe, tender is a piece of cooked and smoked pork leg, which can be glazed with caramelized syrup
As Christmas approaches, it’s common for ingredients for traditional holiday dishes to start appearing in markets across the country.
Many of them, in fact, appear only on this date, since they are not usually part of Brazilian meals during the rest of the year. This is the case of the tender, typical Christmas recipe, which begins to appear in supermarket refrigerators around November and, by February, has disappeared from these establishments.
Christmas tender, also known as “tender ball”, is one of the most popular Christmas dinner dishes. Known for its versatility, the meat goes well with citrus fruits, such as pineapple and orange, with sweet and sour sauce and also transformed into side dishes, such as farofa de tender or salpicão de tender.
We have put together some delicious Christmas recipes to prepare during your dinner and surprise everyone! Look now!
What is the announcement made up of?
The tender is nothing more than a cut of the pig: the shank.
Considered one of the noblest parts of the pig, the shank is removed from the back and is used to prepare, among many recipes, ham.
There are two types of tender meat: ball tender meat, the most common on Christmas tables, which is boned ham, cooked, smoked and then processed, resembling ham; and smoked, processed ham, which usually comes on the bone.
Regardless of the type chosen, tender meat is one of the most appreciated and anticipated dishes of Christmas lunch. There are therefore different recipes and ways to prepare it for dinner: everything depends on the creativity of those in charge of the kitchen.
7 tender Christmas recipes
Tender is a versatile meat. Like most pork, it works well if prepared with fruit or sweet and sour sauces, goes well with carbohydrates, such as potatoes and rice, and is also excellent for preparing side dishes, such as farofa.
Look at the tender Christmas recipes, from the most traditional to the most surprising, to cook for your dinner!
Traditional Christmas offer
Don’t want to mess around with a classic on Christmas Eve? Then bet on the traditional Christmas Tender!
Here the tender is covered in an orange and honey sauce, which makes it slightly sweet and sour and guarantees a crunchy and delicious crust. Furthermore, one of the preparation phases is to insert the segments into the meat, giving the dish that cinematic appearance.
The traditional Christmas tender goes well with rice, potatoes, farofa, sausage, mayonnaise and even the next day, when your leftovers can become the filling for the snack!
Tender with pineapple
Pork and pineapple are one of the best flavor combinations out there. And you can take advantage of it at Christmas by preparing the tender dish with fruit!
Simple to make and very juicy, the tender pineapple contains, in addition to the ingredients that give the dish its name, mustard and a sugar syrup which serves to enhance the flavor of the fruit.
Tip: The acid in pineapple is perfect for tenderizing meat and will make the meat even softer than it already is.
Tender with passion fruit syrup
The sour passion fruit is the surprising touch of this tender recipe, as simple to prepare as it is delicious to eat.
But the trick is that other fruits are included in the recipe to enhance the flavor of the passion fruit: the tender is bathed in butter, ensuring the shine of the flesh, and in a juice of passion fruit, pineapple and mango before being cooked.
As an accompaniment, the traditional rice takes on a special touch with bacon and broccoli, making it tender with the passion fruit syrup, as well as being tasty and very colourful.
Tender with cachaça and apricot jam
Do you want to dare at Christmas dinner? This dish is perfect to surprise everyone!
The tender dish with cachaça and apricot jam is started the evening before dinner, as it must remain in a marinade of cachaça, onion and spices all night.
Subsequently the tender is brushed with apricot jam and baked for 30 minutes, i.e. its final preparation is as quick as that of the traditional race. To serve, roasted sweet potatoes and more apricot jam provide the flavor of the dish.
Try champagne sauce with fruit
Do you want to transform the fillet into an elegant dish? How about serving it with champagne?
In this recipe for deglazing champagne sauce with fruit, the drink is part of the sauce, along with figs, peach, pineapple, cherry and cinnamon, which serves as a flavor enhancer.
The result is a different and delicious dish that will surprise everyone at Christmas dinner!
Christmas tender with caramelized apple
The apple is a very versatile fruit and is known for being an ideal accompaniment to pork, such as ribs and, why not, tender meats?
In this recipe for Christmas tenders with caramelized apples, the apples are prepared separately in a syrup of water and sugar until soft and then served together with the meat. Delicious and sweet, they harmonize very well with the tender, as well as forming a visually beautiful dish for the pleasure of those who are dining.
Try the mango salsa with sparkling wine
Do you want to be even bolder? Serve tender with mango sauce with sparkling wine for dinner!
Uncommon, this dish will conquer the palates and eyes of those who will be part of your dinner. The surprise is that the sauce is creamy, contrary to what you might expect. This is because one of the ingredients of the dish is mayonnaise, which is part of the preparation of the sauce together with the mango and sparkling wine.
Don’t hesitate to innovate your dinner with this recipe!
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Source: Terra
Rose James is a Gossipify movie and series reviewer known for her in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the latest releases. With a background in film studies, she provides engaging and informative reviews, and keeps readers up to date with industry trends and emerging talents.
