A recipe for Kurzemes Strogonovs (Latvian Pork Stroganoff)! Thinly sliced strips of pork are simmered in a slightly thickened sour cream sauce with bacon, onion, and pickled cucumber.
Kurzemes Strogonovs is a lighter-colored, creamy pork stroganoff from Latvia. It is named after the western region of Kurzeme (Courland). The pork is thinly sliced and cooks very quickly, making it the perfect choice for a weeknight comfort food- especially as the weather gets colder.
Diced bacon is cooked in a large pan until the fat has rendered and it starts to turn golden. Stir in the pork and fry just until lightly golden on all sides. At this point, I usually set aside the meat while I sauté the vegetables to keep it from overcooking.
After cooking the onions in the leftover bacon grease until softened, I coat them in a spoonful of flour to help thicken the beef stock a little. As the stock comes to a boil, add the meat back to the pan and allow the mixture to simmer until the pork is cooked through.
Stir in the thinly sliced pickled cucumbers and sour cream to taste and simmer for another minute or two to heat the mixture thoroughly and allow the flavors to blend. Adjust the salt and pepper to taste and serve the Kurzemes Strogonovs immediately.
I paired the Kurzeme Stroganoff with mashed potatoes, but other options include fried or boiled potatoes. A beet salad would also be delicious. I especially enjoyed these Creamy Garlic Mashed Potatoes from Peter’s Food Adventures.
Adjust the salt, pepper, and sour cream to taste. Some recipes added the sliced pickled cucumbers last with the sour cream (I did this too), while others sautéed them with the onions before adding the stock.
Looking for more recipes with pork?
Try my
Kurzemes Strogonovs (Latvian Pork Stroganoff) Recipe
Adapted from Nami-Nami
Kurzemes Strogonovs (Latvian Pork Stroganoff)
Ingredients
- 2 ounces (57 grams) smoked bacon diced
- 1 pound (450 grams) pork loin cut into thin strips
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 large onion chopped
- 1 tablespoon (9 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups (355 milliliters) beef stock hot
- 3 ounces (85 grams) pickled cucumber thinly sliced
- 1/2-1 cup (110-220 grams) sour cream
- Freshly chopped parsley for garnish
- Fried or mashed potatoes for serving
Instructions
- Place a large pan over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, until the fat has rendered and the meat is golden.
- Add the thinly sliced pork, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally until lightly golden on all sides. Transfer the meat to a plate and set aside.
- Place the pan back over medium heat with about 1 tablespoon of the bacon grease.
- Add the chopped onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened. Coat in the flour and continue to cook for another minute.
- Pour in the beef stock and once it starts to boil, add the set-aside pork and bacon. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer until the pork is cooked through and the sauce is slightly thickened, about 8 minutes.
- Stir in the thinly sliced cucumbers and sour cream. Continue to simmer for another minute before removing from heat.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve immediately with fried or mashed potatoes.
Luci @ made by luci
Ooh I used to love strogonov – there’s something so rich and comforting about it, at any time of year.
Veena
I must admit I have never had pork stroganoff… I’ve made beef many times. This sounds so amazing. I must try. Thanks
Catherine
This looks so comforting and delicious…now I’m hungry!
Lizzie
This looks so comforting and tasty – i’d never have guessed it would be so easy to make.
Luci's Morsels
This looks like a super comforting meal! And I think I need to try more dishes from Latvia – a cuisine I’m largely unfamiliar with!
Bindia | Indisk Mad
This is one of the must try recipe right now for me, going to add it into my list.
Anjali
This looks so comforting, rich and delicious!! I can’t wait to to make this for my whole family!
Jen
Great way to change up stroganoff. I love the classic beef version but this is even better.
Jo
This is such a beautiful recipe! I have everything on hand in my kitchen to make it. And it turns out great!
Heather Johnson
this was so tasty! i never would think to add the cucumbers to a hot dish! so good…
Emily
I grew up eating beef stroganoff and this was my first time making pork stroganoff and I’m a huge fan! And so was my family
Melanie L.
I made this tonight, and both my 11 year old and myself loved it! I did add a bit of roux to thicken the sauce just a tad, but other than that, I followed the recipe exactly. I used half sour pickles, sweet onions, pork stew meat I had in the freezer, and some uncured smoked bacon. Turned out great!
The reason I tried this recipe is because it is a Latvian dish, and my grandmother immigrated to the US from Latvia during World War II. Trying out this recipe was especially fun because it’s a dish from my heritage. <3
Tara
So so happy to hear Melanie! Thank you so much for sharing!