Bifana

Bifanas (Portuguese Garlic Pork Sandwiches)

A classic Portuguese街头 (street) staple: thinly sliced pork shoulder marinated and simmered in a punchy garlic-and-wine sauce, then stuffed into a soft roll with mustard or piri-piri.

Prep

20 min

Cook

25 min

Total

45 min

Serves

4

Difficulty

Easy

Recipe ingredients

• •600 g (1 lb 5 oz) pork shoulder (boneless), cut into 3-4 mm thin slices across the grain
• •8 cloves garlic, finely minced or crushed
• •120 ml (½ cup) dry white wine, Vinho Verde or other crisp Portuguese white
• •60 ml (¼ cup) olive oil
• •1 tsp salt
• •1 tsp smoked paprika (pimentão), sweet or bittersweet, not hot
• •black pepper, ½, freshly ground
• •1 bay leaf bay leaf
• •1 tbsp pork lard or butter, for searing, optional but traditional
• •60 ml (¼ cup) water, to adjust sauce if it reduces too much
• •4 soft crusty rolls (4 rolls) paposse or Portuguese soft bread rolls, substitute with small ciabatta or bolillo-style rolls if unavailable
• •yellow mustard or Portuguese piri-piri sauce, to taste, for serving

Steps

1. 1 Place the thinly sliced pork in a non-reactive bowl. Add the minced garlic, white wine, olive oil, salt, paprika, pepper, and bay leaf. Mix well, cover, and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight (up to 24 hours).
2. 2 Remove the pork from the marinade (reserve the liquid) and pat the slices dry with paper towels so they brown rather than steam.
3. 3 Heat the lard or butter in a wide, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the pork slices in batches for about 1-2 minutes per side, until lightly golden. Transfer seared slices to a plate; do not crowd the pan.
4. 4 Pour the reserved marinade into the same skillet, scraping up the browned bits. Bring to a brisk simmer and let it reduce by about one-third, 2-3 minutes, to mellow the raw garlic and concentrate the flavor.
5. 5 Return all the pork slices and any accumulated juices to the pan. Add a splash of water if the sauce is too tight. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and gently simmer for 15-20 minutes, until the pork is fork-tender and the sauce has thickened to a glossy, spoonable consistency. The pork should reach an internal temperature of at least 71°C / 160°F for medium doneness (use an instant-read thermometer in the thickest slice to confirm).
6. 6 Split the rolls horizontally, lightly toast them if you like, and spread the inside with mustard or piri-piri. Pile the hot pork slices into each roll and spoon over a generous amount of the garlic-wine sauce. Serve immediately, with extra sauce on the side for dipping.