Bifana Sandwich

Name: Bifana Sandwich
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 60 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Portuguese
Ingredients: 600g Pork Loin, thinly sliced into very thin cutlets; 6 cloves of Garlic, sliced; 250ml Dry White Wine; 1 tbsp White Wine Vinegar; 2 tbsp Lard, traditional; or use 1 tbsp lard + 1 tbsp olive oil; 1 tsp Sweet Paprika; 1/2 tsp Piri-Piri, Portuguese chili or hot paprika; 2 leaves of Bay Leaf; 1 tsp Salt, fine; 1/2 tsp Pepper (Black); 4 Papo-Seco Rolls; Some Yellow Mustard, to taste

A Bifana sandwich is a Portuguese classic—tender, garlicky pork marinated in wine and spices, pan-seared until juicy and tucked into a crisp papo-seco roll with a smear of mustard. Bright, slightly spicy, and full of savory pan sauce, it's the kind of sandwich you reach for again and again.

A Bifana sandwich is a Portuguese classic—tender, garlicky pork marinated in wine and spices, pan-seared until juicy and tucked in... Show more

Traditional Portuguese Recipe

Health Grade

B- · Healthy

Rating

4.4

Time

1 hr

Price

1,11 €

Calories

483 kcal

low calorie

easy

meal prep

one pot

Method

Slice the pork

Peel and slice the Garlic into thin pieces. Trim the Pork Loin into very thin cutlets if it isn’t already cut that way; if the slices are thick, place them between two sheets of parchment and gently pound them flatter so they cook quickly and stay tender.

Marinate the pork

In a bowl, combine the sliced Garlic, Dry White Wine, White Wine Vinegar, Sweet Paprika, Piri-Piri, Bay Leaf, Salt, and Pepper (Black). Add the pork and turn everything together until every cutlet is coated. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Cook the pork

Set a large skillet or shallow sauté pan over medium-high heat and melt the Lard until it shimmers. Add the pork in a loose layer and let it pick up a little color for 2 minutes, then pour in the marinade, bring it to a steady simmer, and cook for 8 minutes more, turning the cutlets once or twice, until the pork is just cooked through and the sauce has turned glossy and slightly reduced. Remove the bay leaves before assembling.

Assemble the sandwiches

Split the Papo-Seco Rolls open and spoon the hot pork and plenty of sauce into each one. Finish with Yellow Mustard to taste, then serve right away while the rolls are still soft and the filling is juicy.