Bifana Portuguese Pork Cutlets Recipes

BIFANA (PORTUGUESE PORK CUTLETS)

Steps:

• 1. Place pork cutlets in a large heavy plastic ziptop bag and place in a large bowl.
• 2. In a mixing bowl, combine one cup of the wine, vinegar, garlic, bay leaves, 1 tbsp pimento paste (1/2 tbsp if using hot), 1/4 tsp paprika and piri-piri sauce. Pour this mixture over pork, making sure all meat is covered and seal bag.
• 3. Refrigerate for severl hours or overnight, turning bag frequently.
• 4. Bring meat to room temperature before cooking; to cook, heat skillet over med-high heat and melt lard, cook pork in batches. When pork is sauteed, drain off the fat and add remaining wine (1/4 cup), remaining pimento paste (1 tbsp, 1/2 tbsp if using hot), remaining paprika (1/4 tsp) to the skillet, as well as salt and pepper to taste.
• 5. Bring to a boil, stirring and scrapping up any brown bits. Return pork to the skillet, reduce heat to low and cook for a couple minutes.
• 6. Serve pork on fresh Portuguese buns (Papo Secos) topped with sauteed onions and about a tsp of cooking sauce.

BIFANA (PORTUGUESE PORK CUTLETS)

Steps:

• Rinse the pork cutlets and then pat dry with paper towels.
• Place pork in a large heavy plastic bag (like a freezer ziploc bag) and place in a large bowl.
• In a mixing bowl, combine one cup of the wine, the vinegar, garlic, bay leaf, 1/2 tsp of the pimento paste, 1/4 tsp of the paprika, peppercorns, cloves and piri-piri sauce.
• Pour this over pork, make sure all meat is coated, and seal the bag.
• Refrigerate for several hours or overnight, turning bag over in bowl frequently.
• Bring meat to room temperature before cooking.
• To cook, remove pork from marinade and lightly pat pork dry with paper towels.
• Heat a skillet over medium-high heat and melt lard, then cook pork in batches in hot lard; if your pork is thin it will likely only take a minute per side, at the most.
• When all the pork has been sauteed, drain off the fat and add the remaining wine (1/4 cup), remaining pimento paste (1/4 tsp), remaining paprika (1/4 tsp) to the skillet, as well as salt and pepper to taste.
• Bring this to a boil, stirring the pan to get up any brown bits.
• Return all the pork to the skillet, reduce heat to low, and cook for about another minute.

PORTUGUESE STYLE PORK CUTLETS

Steps:

• Combine all ingredients except pork and cooking oil and pour over pork in a non-reactive container. Let marinate for between 6 and 48 hours (refrigerate for longer than 6 hours).
• Heat frying pan over medium heat and add just enough oil to cover the bottom. Cook pork cutlets two or three at a time until done. Keep finished cutlets warm in a low oven while cooking the others.
• When all the meat is cooked, drain off excess oil and pour the excess marinade into the pan. Cook over medium high heat for about 10 minutes, or until the sauce is thick like gravy.
• Serve the pork cutlets with marinade on top. Rice and/or fried potatoes are essential with this, as is a green salad.