Bifana

Name: Bifana
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Portuguese
Ingredients: 1 lb boneless pork loin, sliced thin; 4 cloves garlic, minced; 2 tsp sweet paprika; 1/2 cup dry white wine; 2 bay leaves; 2 tbsp olive oil; 1 tsp kosher salt; 1/2 tsp ground black pepper; 4 rolls crusty rolls, split; 2 tbsp hot mustard

Thin pork cutlets marinated in garlic, sweet paprika, and white wine, pan-seared and served in a crusty roll, the most common snack in Portuguese cafes. Plan ahead: marinate the pork overnight.

30 minEasyServes 4600 cal/serving

PortugueseLunchStovetopStandardNut-FreeShellfish-Free

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Ingredients

1 lb boneless pork loin, sliced thin
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp sweet paprika
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 bay leaves
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
4 rolls crusty rolls, split
2 tbsp hot mustard

Instructions

1

Pound 1 lb sliced thin boneless pork loin to 1/4 inch thick between sheets of plastic wrap. Mix it with 4 cloves minced garlic, 2 tsp sweet paprika, 1/2 cup dry white wine, 2 bay leaves, half of 1 tsp kosher salt, 1/2 tsp ground black pepper, and 2 tbsp olive oil. Cover and marinate 2 hours or overnight in the refrigerator.
2

Season the pork with the remaining 1 tsp kosher salt before cooking. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the pork 2 to 3 minutes per side, until it reaches 145°F inside and the edges brown. Remove the bay leaves.
3

Toast 4 rolls split crusty rolls cut side down in the skillet for 1 minute.
4

Pile the pork into each roll, add 2 tbsp hot mustard, and spoon over a little of the pan juices. Serve hot.

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Questions

What is Bifana?

Thin pork cutlets marinated in garlic, sweet paprika, and white wine, pan-seared and served in a crusty roll, the most common snack in Portuguese cafes. Plan ahead: marinate the pork overnight. This reference files it under Portuguese lunch: made on the stovetop, rated easy and about 30 minutes start to finish.

What internal temperature should Bifana reach?

For Bifana, the target internal temperature is 145 F (about 65 C), given in step 2. A probe thermometer removes the guesswork.

How long should Bifana marinate?

Step 1 reads: "Cover and marinate 2 hours or overnight in the refrigerator." Follow the time in step 1. Shorter still seasons the surface. Much longer is not better with acidic marinades, which turn the outside of meat or fish mushy.

What can I use instead of white wine in Bifana?

The entry for Bifana calls for 1/2 cup dry white wine. In its place: Use chicken or vegetable stock with a teaspoon of white wine vinegar or lemon juice per half cup for the acidity.

Which part of Bifana can be done ahead?

Everything up to step 1. Step 1 is a built-in pause of overnight, or about 8 hours: "Cover and marinate 2 hours or overnight in the refrigerator." Do everything up to that point ahead of time and pick up at step 2 when you are ready to finish.

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