Bocadillo de Lomo

Bocadillo de Lomo (Spanish Pork Loin Sandwich)

A crusty barra filled with a thick, paprika-and-garlic marinated pork loin seared hot so the crust browns and the centre stays juicy. This is the everyday bar lunch of Andalusia, Extremadura and Castilla y León.

Prep

40 min

Cook

14 min

Total

54 min

Serves

4

Difficulty

Easy

Recipe ingredients

• •600 g (1 lb 5 oz) pork loin (whole piece), one centre-cut loin, about 4 cm / 1½ in thick at the centre
• •4 cloves garlic, crushed to a paste with salt
• •8 g (1 tbsp) smoked paprika (pimentón de la Vera), smoked, not sweet Hungarian if you want authenticity
• •4 g (1 tbsp) dried oregano
• •10 g (2 tsp) fine sea salt
• •2 g (1 tsp) freshly ground black pepper
• •60 ml (¼ cup) extra-virgin olive oil, divided: 30 ml for the marinade, 30 ml for cooking
• •4 whole Spanish barras, long, narrow baguette-style rolls with thin crust; a short baguette is the closest substitute
• •2 whole ripe tomatoes, very ripe, grated or rubbed pulp only, no skin or seeds
• •60 g (2 oz) baby lettuce or arugula (rocket)
• •1 optional Italian or padron peppers, fried, for lomo con pimientos
• •120 g (4 oz) manchego cheese, thinly sliced, optional, for lomo con queso

Steps

1. 1 Trim the pork loin of any silver skin and excess fat, keeping it as one piece. Slice it across into four equal medallions about 3 cm / 1¼ in thick; do not pound them flat.
2. 2 Make a marinade: mash the garlic with the salt to a smooth paste, then stir in the smoked paprika, oregano, pepper and 30 ml / 2 tbsp olive oil to form a loose paste.
3. 3 Rub the paste all over the pork medallions, place them in a non-reactive dish, cover and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes and up to 4 hours. Bring to room temperature 20 minutes before cooking.
4. 4 Prepare the bread: halve each barra lengthwise. Rub the cut faces generously with the grated tomato pulp (discard skin and seeds), then drizzle with a little olive oil and a pinch of salt. Let sit while the pork cooks so the crumb soaks up the juice.
5. 5 Heat a heavy cast-iron skillet or griddle over high heat until very hot. Add 15 ml / 1 tbsp olive oil and, working in batches, sear the pork medallions for about 3 to 3½ minutes per side, pressing lightly so the crust browns evenly. Whole-muscle pork is safe at 63°C / 145°F followed by a rest, so cook to at least 63°C / 145°F - the safe minimum for whole cuts - and confirm with a probe thermometer in the thickest part of the thickest medallion before pulling anything off the heat; a faint blush of pink at the very centre at this temperature is normal and safe. If you prefer no pink at all, cook to 71°C / 160°F.
6. 6 Transfer the pork to a board, tent loosely with foil and rest for at least 3 minutes (4 to 5 minutes is ideal), so each medallion stays past 63°C / 145°F through the rest and the juices settle. Slice each medallion into thick strips across the grain.
7. 7 If using pimientos: while the pork rests, fry whole Italian or padron peppers in a little olive oil over high heat until blackened and softened, then salt lightly.
8. 8 Assemble each bocadillo: layer lettuce or arugula on the bottom half of the bread, pile on the sliced pork, tuck in fried peppers and manchego if using, and close with the top. Press gently and serve immediately while the meat is hot and the bread still crisp at the edges.