Thinly sliced pork tenderloin, marinated in white wine, garlic and bay leaf and quickly fried, served in a crusty roll with a splash of the cooking juices. Portugal’s favourite quick bite, from market stall to every local café.
Bifana
Bifana
Method
01
Make the marinade
Mix the white wine, garlic, bay leaves, paprika and piri-piri sauce in a bowl or deep dish.
02
Marinate
Put the thin slices of pork tenderloin in the marinade, cover and marinate in the fridge for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight.
03
Drain the meat
Take the meat out of the marinade, pat lightly dry and keep the marinade.
04
Fry
Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over a high heat. Fry the slices of meat in batches for 1–2 minutes per side until cooked and lightly caramelised. Set aside.
05
Make the sauce
Pour the reserved marinade into the pan, bring to the boil and reduce for 3–4 minutes to a short sauce. Season with salt and pepper.
06
Combine
Return the meat to the pan and briefly warm through in the sauce.
07
Warm the rolls
Cut the rolls open and warm them briefly, or toast them lightly.
08
Serve
Fill the rolls with the meat and a splash of the sauce. Serve immediately, with extra piri-piri sauce on the side if you like.
Tips & notes
Fry the meat in batches over a high heat, not all at once in a full pan, otherwise the meat steams instead of caramelising and stays pale. Use genuine Portuguese papo-secos (small, crusty rolls) if you can find them; otherwise any small, firm roll works. Keeps for 2–3 days in a sealed container in the fridge.
Variations
- Add a slice of mild young cheese for a 'bifana com queijo'.
- Serve without bread, as a main course with chips and rice.
Contains:
Gluten
Sulphites
| Calories | 455 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 36 g |
| Carbohydrates | 28 g |
| Fat | 18 g |
| Fibre | 2 g |
Estimated values, calculated from standard nutritional values per ingredient.
