Drunkard's Meze (Bekri Meze)
Tender chunks of pork simmered slowly in a spicy red wine and tomato sauce until the meat falls apart and the sauce turns deep and glossy. A classic taverna meze made for mopping up with bread between sips of ouzo.
Servings
Ingredients
Nutrition
Per serving
Steps
Brown the pork
Pat the pork chunks dry with paper towels (dry meat browns, wet meat steams). Heat the olive oil in a wide, heavy pot over medium-high heat and brown the pork in two or three batches, without crowding the pot, until deeply golden on all sides. Set the browned pork aside on a plate.
- 900 g pork shoulder
- 60 ml olive oil
✅ Done when: each piece has a deep golden-brown crust, not grey
Soften onion and chilli
Lower the heat to medium and add the onion, garlic and chilli to the same pot, using the fat left behind. Cook, stirring and scraping up the browned bits from the bottom, until the onion is soft and translucent.
- 1 large onion
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1–2 fresh red chillies
✅ Done when: onion is soft and golden, no raw crunch left
Deglaze with wine
This step is part of Foodie Premium. Subscribe to unlock the full method, cooking mode and every recipe in the library.
Add tomato and spices
This step is part of Foodie Premium. Subscribe to unlock the full method, cooking mode and every recipe in the library.
Thicken the sauce
This step is part of Foodie Premium. Subscribe to unlock the full method, cooking mode and every recipe in the library.
Serve warm
This step is part of Foodie Premium. Subscribe to unlock the full method, cooking mode and every recipe in the library.
Brown the pork
Pat the pork chunks dry with paper towels (dry meat browns, wet meat steams). Heat the olive oil in a wide, heavy pot over medium-high heat and brown the pork in two or three batches, without crowding the pot, until deeply golden on all sides. Set the browned pork aside on a plate.
- 900 g pork shoulder
- 60 ml olive oil
✅ Done when: each piece has a deep golden-brown crust, not grey
Soften onion and chilli
Lower the heat to medium and add the onion, garlic and chilli to the same pot, using the fat left behind. Cook, stirring and scraping up the browned bits from the bottom, until the onion is soft and translucent.
- 1 large onion
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1–2 fresh red chillies
✅ Done when: onion is soft and golden, no raw crunch left
Deglaze with wine
This step is part of Foodie Premium. Subscribe to unlock the full method, cooking mode and every recipe in the library.
Add tomato and spices
This step is part of Foodie Premium. Subscribe to unlock the full method, cooking mode and every recipe in the library.
Thicken the sauce
This step is part of Foodie Premium. Subscribe to unlock the full method, cooking mode and every recipe in the library.
Serve warm
This step is part of Foodie Premium. Subscribe to unlock the full method, cooking mode and every recipe in the library.
The Story Behind the Dish
Bekri meze belongs to the world of mezedes, the small savoury plates built to be eaten slowly alongside glasses of ouzo or wine. Pork simmered in a generous amount of wine until it turns tender and the sauce reduces to something thick and deeply flavoured was, and still is, a natural fit for an evening of unhurried eating and drinking.
The dish's name, which translates to something like "drunkard's meze," nods playfully to the amount of wine poured into the pot and to its role as the perfect bite to keep the ouzo company. It remains a staple on taverna menus, especially in colder months.
⭐ Why It's Famous
It's loved for its rich, spicy, wine-dark sauce and fall-apart tender pork, making it one of the most satisfying meat mezedes in Greek taverna cooking.
💡 Fun Fact
The word "meze" is thought to come from Persian and Turkish words for taste or snack, a reminder of how much Greek, Turkish and wider eastern Mediterranean food cultures share.
Greece, especially taverna kitchens across the mainland and islands
37.98°N, 23.73°E
Related recipes
Comments (0)
No comments yet. Be the first to share your thoughts!