In Lisbon, the bifana is king. Anthony Bourdain raved about it, and Lisboetas wouldn't think of eating anything else as a tasty midnight snack. It might sound humble, but this simple sandwich of thinly-sliced marinated pork packs plenty of flavor, and is one of my all-time favorite sandwiches.
Looking for tasty sandwiches to try? You'll love these recipes for serranito bocadillo and this fried calamari sandwich.
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Introduction
Every local has their favorite bifana in Lisbon. The city is full of old-school tascas, no-frills local bars serving up a range of Portuguese classics. Plenty of them are famous for their bifanas, and every local granny has their own signature recipe!
Now, locals would say that you can only get a good bifana in Lisbon. But if you're at home and want to recreate some Portuguese home-cooking, this simple bifana recipe is for you! Like plenty of Potuguese classics, the bifana is easy to prepare and tastier than you'd think given its short ingredients list. Just remember that you'll need to marinate the pork overnight before cooking!
Ingredients
Wondering what ingredients you need to whip up a mouthwatering Portuguese bifana from scratch? Grab these key ingredients, and you'll be off to a great start!
- Pork Loin: Use a skinless, boneless pork loin that's been cut into 3mm strips to make the meat easier to eat.
- Piri-Piri: This Portuguese chili sauce is made from grilled red pepper and chilies for lots of spicy, smoky flavors. Make your own or substitute with a tangy hot sauce if you can't find piri-piri.
- Smoked Paprika: Traditional Spanish smoked paprika isn't super spicy, but adds a great depth of flavor to complement the heat from the piri-piri sauce.
- Soft White Bread Rolls: Choose any good, soft bread roll that has a nice crust but is still easy to eat in a sandwich. I've used Kaiser rolls with great success!
See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Portuguese Bifana
If you’d like to see the full ingredients and instructions, scroll to the bottom of the post for the printable recipe card.
- Mix up the marinade by combining the garlic, salt, paprika, piri-piri sauce, vinegar, white wine, and bay leaf in a large lidded bowl. (image 1)
- Add the sliced pork and marinate overnight in the fridge. Drain the pork and set it aside. (image 2)
- Fry the pork in a skillet greased with olive oil over medium heat. Cook it in batches until lightly browned. (image 3)
- To make the pan sauce, deglaze the pan with 1 cup (236 ml) of white wine, then add the paprika and piri-piri. (image 4)
- Bring it to a boil, then reduce the liquid until it has a sauce-like consistency. Add the pork and cook for 1 minute, stirring to coat it in the sauce. (image 5)
- Take the pan off the heat and serve on the rolls with sweet mustard and extra piri-piri sauce. (image 6)
Recipe FAQs
Bifana is made from tender slices of pork marinated overnight, and then cooked in a smoky, spicy sauce and served in a sandwich on a white bread roll. Although this Portuguese sandwich is one of the top snacks in all of Portugal, it's especially popular in Lisbon.
Although these two sandwiches are both Portuguese, bifana and prego are very different dishes. Bifana is made from thinly sliced pork cooked in a smoky sauce, while prego is made from thinly sliced beef on a bun.
No one knows who was the first to make this iconic Portuguese sandwich, but it may have originated in the small town of Vendas Novas, which is located east of Lisbon. Regardless of its origins, it has become a beloved snack throughout the entire country, especially for late-night patrons of tascas.
Serve
The great thing about bifana? It tastes good anytime of day or night! This hearty sandwich would be nicely rounded out with fresh greens, like ensalada mixta, and a glass of wine or Portuguese liqueur.
Expert Tips
- Be sure to let the meat marinate overnight for the best flavor.
- If you don't have piri-piri sauce, you can substitute another tangy hot sauce like Tabasco (but piri-piri is best!).
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Lisbon-Style Bifana Recipe
Ingredients
- 14 ounces skinless pork loin sliced into 3mm strips
- 4 medium cloves garlic crushed
- 1 pinch salt
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 2 tablespoons piri-piri sauce with more for serving
- ¼ cup white wine vinegar
- 2 cups white wine
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 soft white breadrolls
- sweet mustard for serving
Instructions
- Mix the marinade ingredients (1 cup of white wine, piri-piri sauce, paprika, crushed garlic, salt, and bay leaf) in a large lidded container. Add the sliced pork, cover, and marinate overnight in the fridge.
- Drain the pork from the marinade, and place a skillet over medium heat. Add a little olive oil and wait until it's fragrant. Fry the pork in batches until lightly browned, and set aside. Add more oil between batches if the pork starts to stick.
- When the pork is cooked, deglaze the pan with the remaining cup of white wine. Add the remaining paprika and piri-piri and bring to the boil.
- Reduce the liquid to a sauce-like consistency, and then return the pork to the pan. Cook for one minute, making sure that the pork gets completely coated in the sauce.
- Take the pan off the heat and place the pork on a plate. Serve on the white bread rolls with the mustard and extra piri-piri sauce. Enjoy!
Notes
- Be sure to let the meat marinate overnight for the best flavor.
- If you don't have piri-piri sauce, you can substitute another tangy hot sauce like Tabasco, but piri-piri is best.
Nutrition
Photography by Giulia Verdinelli
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