Portuguese · Main · Easy
Bifana
Portugal's pork sandwich: thin pork steaks simmered in white wine, garlic, and piri piri, piled into a crusty roll to soak up the juices.
The whole recipe in 60 seconds
Bifana, in 5 ideas
- Slice the pork as thin as you can; it cooks fast and soaks up flavor
- The roll must be crusty enough to hold the juices without falling apart
- Do not skip the marinating time; it tenderizes and flavors the pork
- Spoon the juices over generously; a dry bifana is a sad bifana
- Mustard is the traditional condiment
What you need
Ingredients
- 1 and 1/2 lbs pork loin, sliced very thin
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon piri piri sauce or hot sauce
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 bay leaf
- 4 crusty Portuguese rolls
- Mustard for serving
How to make it
Directions
- Marinate the pork slices in the garlic, wine, piri piri, paprika, salt, and bay leaf for at least 2 hours.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over high heat and sear the pork in batches until browned.
- Return all the pork to the pan with the marinade and simmer 10 minutes until tender and the sauce reduces slightly.
- Split the rolls and toast them cut-side down in the pan juices.
- Pile the pork generously into the rolls, spooning over plenty of the garlicky juices.
- Serve with mustard and extra piri piri on the side.
Money saver. Pork loin is often on sale; slice it yourself for the thinnest cutlets at the lowest price.