My Portuguese Sandwich Recipe: Bringing Lisbon’s Flavors to Your Kitchen
Lisbon 2024. I’ll never forget the first time I tried a Bifana, the traditional Portuguese sandwich. It was love at first bite—the tender, marinated pork, the slight crunch of the bread, and the burst of flavor from the garlic and paprika. I was hooked. Today, I’m sharing how to bring this mouthwatering experience to your own kitchen.
What is a bifana sandwich?
Bifana is a super simple rustic Portuguese sandwich made of thin sliced pork marinated in a flavorful mixture of wine, paprika, and garlic, then simmered to perfection and served in a Portuguese bun. While the exact origins of bifana are widely disputed among the Portuguese, there’s general agreement that it hails from Vendas Novas, a small town in the Alentejo region of south-central Portugal. Typically enjoyed as street food or in small cafes, Bifana is a staple of Portuguese cuisine.
👋 New Here? We’re Jeff and Sandra, American expats, living abroad, on a budget, one country at at time. Most days, we’re just doing what we’ve always done— making ourselves a home, working on projects, cooking, and running errands, wherever home might be at the moment. Sometimes that means checking out local activities and visiting museums and historical sites; other times, it means finding out which local restaurant has the best pizza or empanadas and which grocery store sells peanut butter.
This life isn’t always glamorous; but it’s ours—and we’re here to share with you what we learn.
Notes regarding this recipe
- This is not a “oh, let’s have bifana sandwiches for dinner tonight” type of sandwich. For the best bifana sandwich experience, the pork and sauce needs to simmer, and then rest overnight, much like beef stew – always best the second day!
- Allowing the pork to marinate overnight before cooking will take this sandwich to the next level!
- Don’t skimp on the garlic or sweet paprika, in quantity or quality – they are key to this dish. Use fresh sweet paprika, not the stuff hiding in the back of your cupboard. And for the love of all that is Portuguese…. do not use garlic powder!
- Instead of lard, you could use olive oil or that bacon grease you’ve been saving
- Add more white wine if the sauce reduces too much.
Authentic Portuguese Sandwich (Bifana) Recipe
(Thank you to our readers for the feedback! I’ve update the instructions to make them easier to understand.)
Portuguese Bifana Sandwich Ingredients:
Enough for 4 sandwiches plus enough leftovers for lunch
For the Pork:
- 1.5 lb bifana slices (see American substitutions below)
- 3 cloves of garlic, minced
- 2 bay leaves, broken in half
- 1 1/2 cup white wine (nothing fancy, just dry table wine)
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika (not smoked!)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons lard
- 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar (hold until just before serving)
For serving:
- 4 Portuguese rolls (papo-seco) or light and airy rolls with slightly crusty outside. But buy more for leftovers.
- Piri-piri sauce (Tabasco or La Cholula will do)
- Yellow mustard (optional, for serving)
American Substitutions:
- Bifana slices = Pork loin sliced super thin, just slightly less than 1/4″ should do the trick (In a pinch I’ll slice the pork loin as thinly as I safely can and then pound it down to the right thickness)
- Portuguese rolls = Soft Kaiser rolls or small French rolls work great – you want soft on the inside a little crunch on the outside
- Piri-piri sauce = Any hot sauce will do, but if you can find Portuguese hot sauce, even better!
Prep Notes:
Tips for getting the pork loin REALLY thin
Ask the butcher to thinly slice a pork loin. Trust me on this. It will save you time and your arms. If your butcher won’t slice the pork loin for you, here are some tips for slicing it thin at home:
- Partially freeze the pork loin for about 30 minutes to firm it up, making it easier to slice thinly.
- Use a sharp knife – a long, thin slicing knife works best, but a sharp chef’s knife will do.
- Cut against the grain of the meat for more tender slices.
- Aim for slices about 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick.
- If needed, place the slices between two sheets of plastic wrap and gently pound them with a meat mallet to achieve even thinner cuts.
Remember, consistent thickness is key for even cooking. Take your time and keep your fingers tucked away from the blade as you slice.
If using boneless pork chops, you might want to:
- Choose thinner cuts or pound them to ensure quick, even cooking.
- Trim any excess fat if the chops are particularly fatty.
- Adjust cooking time slightly, as pre-cut chops might cook faster than home-sliced pork loin.
Step 1. Marinate the Pork
In a bowl (or you could use a zip top bag), mix the garlic, bay leaves, white wine, paprika, salt, and pepper.
Add the pork slices to this marinade and let it soak up all that goodness for at least 2 hours for the best portuguese sandwich.
Step 2. Cooking Instructions
Remove the pork from the marinade (save that liquid!) and set the bay leaves aside.
Heat the lard in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the bay leaves and let it sizzle for a minute to infuse the oil. Remove bay leaves from the lard and discard the bay leaf – it’s done it’s job.
Sauté the super thin pork slices in batches and set aside. We’re talking 2-3 minutes per side, tops. Don’t over do it! You want it golden and that doesn’t take long at all.
Once all the pork is cooked and set aside, pour the reserved marinade back into the pan and let it come to a full boil for a few minutes. Reduce the heat and add the pork back to the pan and let simmer until ready to serve. Don’t let the sauce reduce too much (add more white wine if the pan starts to go dry.) You want the sauce to be the consistency somewhere between gravy and the traditional au ju sauce for french dip sandwiches. The long simmering process allows the flavors to meld beautifully, resulting in tender pork infused with a rich, garlicky paprika wine sauce.
Step 3. When is its ready to serve?
This is a subject of much debate, for a truly authentic bifana you need to let the cooked bifana (pork and reduced sauce) simmer for a while, then remove from heat, cool, preferably overnight, in the fridge and then heat again the next day and serve when ready.
OR
If you just can’t wait that long, because well your kitchen will be smelling amazing, you could serve as soon as the sauce is reduced
(Here’s my schedule for making these Portuguese Sandwiches: Morning: Prep and marinate the pork, After lunch: Cook the pork and set to simmer, After dinner; remove the pan from the stove and allow to cool for an hour, then refrigerate overnight. Next morning; set the pan back on the stove, add a little wine if need, heat to a slow boil then reduce heat and let simmer until it’s time for a late lunch or early dinner)
Serving the Bifana Sandwich
Just before serving add the white wine vinegar and let simmer for a moment. It “brightens” the sauce. (Do not panic if you added the white wine vinegar earlier, the sauce is very forgiving.)
Slice open your rolls and give them a quick toast if you like. Using tongs or a slotted spoon, pile the saucy pork onto the rolls. Spoon extra sauce over the meat or serve it on the side for dipping. Do not forget the sauce! Seriously. Don’t forget the sauce.
If you’re feeling adventurous, drizzle with the piri-piri or some yellow mustard.
Remember, bifana is all about simplicity and big flavors. Don’t overthink it – the beauty is in its rustic charm. And please, for the love of all things Portuguese, resist the urge to add cheese or lettuce. This sandwich is perfect just as it is!
Now, here’s the real secret to enjoying bifana like a local: eat it standing up, preferably at a tiny counter in a hole-in-the-wall joint, with a cold beer in your other hand. For non-alcoholic options, a crisp sweet lemonade works wonderfully. But hey, your kitchen counter works too!
Bifana Variations
- Slow cooker method: Put all the seasonings and the pork in a slow cooker and let simmer until ready, then serve like you would a pulled pork sandwich.
- For a vegetarian version of this Portuguese sandwich, try marinating and cooking portobello mushrooms for a veggie twist.
- While Portuguese rolls are traditional, any soft white roll will work.
- Substitute chicken for the pork
So there you have it, folks. Whip up a batch of these bad boys, close your eyes, and let the flavors transport you to the narrow, cobblestone streets of Lisbon. Bom apetite!
