Jibarito
Photo: Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 2.0

History

The jibarito was invented in 1996 by Juan 'Pete' Figueroa at Borinquen Restaurant in Humboldt Park, the Puerto Rican spine of Chicago. Figueroa adapted a recipe described in the San Juan newspaper El Vocero, swapping bread for twice-fried, flattened green plantain. The sandwich spread fast through the Paseo Boricua corridor on Division Street, then onto Latin-American menus across the city. Borinquen closed in 2018; Borinquen Lounge on California Avenue carries the family recipe, and a dozen other Humboldt Park kitchens serve their own. The seasoning (a Puerto Rican mojo of garlic, oregano, olive oil and lime) is what separates a good jibarito from a passable one.

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Common allergens: Dairy

Make it at home

Yield 2Hands-on 35 minTotal 45 minDifficulty Intermediate

Ingredients

  • 2 large green plantains
  • Neutral oil for frying (1 litre)
  • 400g flank or skirt steak, thinly sliced against the grain
  • 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon fine salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 slices white American cheese
  • Iceberg lettuce, shredded
  • Tomato, sliced
  • 4 tablespoons mayonnaise
  • 1 garlic clove, grated, mixed into the mayo

Method

  1. Peel the plantains (score the skin lengthways, pry off). Cut each lengthways into two long planks 1.5cm thick.
  2. Heat the frying oil to 165C (325F). Fry the plantain planks 4 to 5 minutes until soft but pale. Lift out, drain on kitchen paper.
  3. Lay two planks between sheets of parchment and flatten with a heavy pan into thin 18cm rectangles. Repeat with the rest.
  4. Bring the oil to 185C (365F). Fry the flattened planks 2 minutes per side until crisp and gold. Drain on paper, salt immediately.
  5. Toss the steak with the chopped garlic, oregano, salt, pepper and olive oil. Sear in a hot dry pan 90 seconds, stirring once, until just done.
  6. Build: garlic-mayo on a plantain plank, then cheese, lettuce, tomato, steak, second plank on top. Cut in half, eat immediately.

Tip from the editors. Fry the plantains twice. One go yields a soft plantain pancake, not a jibarito.

Where to eat jibarito

Jibarito in Chicago

Papa's Cache Sabroso ★ 4.2

$ Caribbean

Papa's Cache Sabroso is the Humboldt Park Puerto Rican kitchen on Division Street that locals send first-time jibarito eaters to: BYOB, green chilli sauce.

TryJibarito, lechon, pollo a la brasa

TipOrder the jibarito de bistec with the homemade green chilli sauce on the side; ask for extra garlic. Cash and card both fine, but bring your own beer.

Directions

La Bomba ★ 4.1

$ Caribbean

La Bomba is the Humboldt Park-to-Logan Square Puerto Rican counter on Armitage, jibaritos and a deep seafood list of camarones al ajillo, closed Tuesdays.

TryJibarito, mofongo, Puerto Rican seafood

TipSteak jibarito first visit, camarones al ajillo over rice the second. Closed Tuesdays; weekend lunches are the calm window.

Directions

Borinquen Lounge ★ 4.3

$ Caribbean

Borinquen Lounge in Chicago is the North Center Puerto Rican kitchen on Western Avenue from the family that invented the jibarito in Humboldt Park.

TryJibarito, mofongo

TipOrder the steak jibarito with garlic-mayo. The mofongo is the second visit; the jibarito is the first.

Directions

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