Name: Ojakhuri: Georgian Pork and Potatoes
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 53 min
Cuisine: Georgian
Ingredients: 500 g boneless pork shoulder, trimmed of excess hard fat and cut into 2.5 cm cubes; 750 g waxy or all-purpose potatoes, scrubbed or peeled and cut into 3 cm wedges; 250 g yellow onion, peeled and cut into 1 cm wedges; 3 garlic cloves (9 g), finely chopped; 45 ml neutral sunflower oil, divided; 4 g fine salt, divided; adjust to taste; 1 g freshly ground black pepper; 2 g ground coriander; 15 g fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems, roughly chopped, for finishing

Wide Ojakhuri hero: the clay dish of pork and potatoes sits on the right, with clear wooden tabletop on the left.

Yield4 main-course portions

Preparation20 minutes

Cooking30 minutes

Passive time3 minutes

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The dish

About Ojakhuri: Georgian Pork and Potatoes

ოჯახური · 4 main-course portions · Moderate · 53 minutes

Ojakhuri means “family-style” or “family meal” in Georgian. It is a hearty home-style dish built around fried meat, potatoes and onions. Pork is a common version, though household recipes and restaurant menus may use other meats or vary the seasoning. This recipe keeps the focus on pork and potatoes and does not assign the dish to one exclusive region.

The components are cooked in sequence in one wide skillet. Brown the pork without crowding so it sears rather than steams. Set it aside while the potato wedges fry in the same pan; add more oil only as needed. Cook the onions after the potatoes, then return everything to the pan briefly. If the skillet is small, work in batches and keep the browned ingredients warm while you finish the rest.

A heavy skillet gives the potatoes enough contact with the hot surface to develop a golden crust. Waxy or all-purpose potatoes hold their shape better than very floury varieties. The pork should be cut into even 2.5 cm pieces and checked with a food thermometer; a browned exterior alone does not confirm that the center is safely cooked. Serve the dish hot from the pan or on a warmed ketsi. Fresh cilantro is included as the measured finish; tkemali or ajika may be served separately if desired.

Cook the dish

Ingredients

ოჯახური · 4 main-course portions · Moderate · 53 minutes

Pork and potatoes

500 gboneless pork shoulder, trimmed of excess hard fat and cut into 2.5 cm cubes
750 gwaxy or all-purpose potatoes, scrubbed or peeled and cut into 3 cm wedges
250 gyellow onion, peeled and cut into 1 cm wedges
3garlic cloves (9 g), finely chopped
45 mlneutral sunflower oil, divided
4 gfine salt, divided; adjust to taste
1 gfreshly ground black pepper
2 gground coriander
15 gfresh cilantro leaves and tender stems, roughly chopped, for finishing

Method

Season and brown the pork. Pat the pork dry and season with 2 g salt and the black pepper. Heat 20 ml oil in a wide heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add the pork in a single layer, working in batches if needed. Brown on several sides, about 8–10 minutes total. Check the largest pieces with a food thermometer: whole-muscle pork should reach at least 63 °C, followed by a 3-minute rest. Continue cooking if needed. Transfer the pork to a plate and retain any juices.
Fry the potatoes. Add 15 ml oil to the same skillet and arrange the potato wedges in a single layer. Fry over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until golden and almost tender, about 15–18 minutes. Work in batches if the pan is crowded. Season with 1 g salt and the ground coriander, then transfer to a plate.
Soften the onion. If the pan is dry, add the remaining 10 ml oil. Add the onion and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until softened and lightly browned, 5–7 minutes. Add the garlic for the final minute.
Bring the components together. Return the pork and its resting juices to the pan with the potatoes. Add the remaining 1 g salt and toss gently so the wedges keep their shape. Cook for 2–3 minutes, until the potatoes are tender and the pork is hot throughout.
Finish the dish. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Scatter the chopped cilantro over the pork and potatoes.
Serve hot. Transfer to a warmed platter or ketsi, or serve directly from the skillet. Offer tkemali or ajika separately if desired; neither is included in the measured ingredients or nutrition estimate.

Excerpt

Crisp-edged pork and golden potato wedges are cooked in batches, brought together with tender onion and garlic, then finished with fresh cilantro.

Practical guidance

Dry the pork well before it hits the pan and avoid crowding; moisture and a crowded skillet prevent browning. If you only have a smaller pan, fry the meat and potatoes in batches. Let the potatoes sit undisturbed for a few minutes at a time so a crust can form before turning them. Choose potatoes that hold their shape. Use a thermometer to confirm the pork reaches 63 °C, then let it rest for 3 minutes; the browned surface is not a safety check. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours in a covered container at 4 °C or below for 3–4 days. Reheat until the center reaches 74 °C; the potatoes will soften after storage.

Nutrition per serving

Nutrition per portion

Energy: approximately 550 kcal
Carbohydrates: 40 g
Protein: 28 g
Fat: 31 g
Fibre: 5 g
Sodium: approximately 500 mg
Basis: approximate generic USDA FoodData Central profiles for pork shoulder, potatoes, onion, garlic, sunflower oil, coriander and 4 g salt, divided among four portions. Pork fat and oil absorbed vary; values are rounded.

Allergens and food safety

The listed ingredients contain no major allergens. Check packaged spice and oil labels for cross-contact statements if cooking for someone with an allergy. Keep raw pork and its utensils separate from ready-to-eat cilantro and serving dishes. Cook whole-muscle pork to at least 63 °C as measured with a food thermometer, then rest it for 3 minutes. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours at 4 °C or below for 3–4 days; reheat to 74 °C.

To serve

Serve hot from the pan or a warmed ketsi, with tkemali or ajika offered separately if wanted.
A simple tomato-and-cucumber salad or Georgian bread can accompany the meal; these are optional and are not part of the recipe or nutrition estimate.

About Ojakhuri: Georgian Pork and Potatoes

Ingredients

Pork and potatoes

Method

Excerpt

Practical guidance

Nutrition per portion

Allergens and food safety

To serve

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