History

The bifana grew up in Vendas Novas in the Alentejo in the early 20th century as roadside fuel for Lisbon-to-Madrid hauliers. It moved into the city after the 1960s as the canonical 2.50-euro working lunch, and O Trevo on Camoes has been most-cited since the 1990s.

Common allergens: Gluten

Make it at home

Yield Makes 4 sandwichesHands-on 15 minTotal 2 hr 30 minDifficulty Easy

Ingredients

  • 500g pork loin, sliced as thin as possible
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tsp sweet paprika
  • 1 tsp piri-piri or chilli flakes
  • 100ml dry white wine
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 4 papo seco rolls
  • Olive oil and Portuguese mustard to serve

Method

  1. Whisk garlic, paprika, chilli, white wine and bay leaves into a marinade.
  2. Submerge the pork slices, refrigerate 2 hours minimum, ideally overnight.
  3. Heat a heavy pan with a splash of olive oil until smoking.
  4. Drain the pork, sear in batches 90 seconds per side. Don't crowd the pan.
  5. Spoon a little of the marinade into the pan, let it bubble and reduce 30 seconds.
  6. Pile the seared pork into a halved papo seco. Spread mustard on the top half.

Tip from the editors. Slice the pork while still half-frozen for the thinnest cuts. Three minutes total cooking is the maximum, or it goes leathery.

This is the TableJourney editorial recipe, modelled on the canonical bistro / counter version. The first place to try the dish in its city of origin is below.

Where to eat bifana

Bifana in Lisbon

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