Portuguese pork chops

These are pork chops done the bifana way: marinated in white wine, garlic, paprika and lemon — the same soulful marinade behind Lisbon’s famous bifana sandwich — then pan-fried hot and fast until golden with a whisper of crust.

Strictly speaking, the tasca bifana is a paper-thin cutlet destined for a papo seco (that roll recipe is on the site, and the sandwich is strongly encouraged); this chop version brings the same flavors to a knife-and-fork dinner.

The marinade needs at least 2 hours and prefers overnight; the cooking takes 8 minutes. Serve with fries, rice or salad — or split a roll and go full tasca.

Portuguese Pork Chops Recipe

Prep time: 10 minutes (plus 2+ hours marinating) · Cook time: 10 minutes · Total: about 2½ hours · Servings: 4 · Calories: ~166 per serving

Ingredients

• 4 boneless pork chops, thinly sliced
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

Instructions

1. Whisk the wine, garlic, paprika, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Add the chops and bay leaf, coat well, cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours — overnight is better.
2. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
3. Shake the excess marinade off the chops and pan-fry 3 to 4 minutes per side, until golden and cooked through.
4. Transfer to a serving dish, scatter with parsley, and serve hot.

Recipe Notes

• Thin chops are the point — they drink the marinade and cook before they can dry.
• Reduce the leftover marinade in the hot pan (boiling it thoroughly) for a quick sauce.
• Massa de pimentão instead of paprika pushes it toward the Alentejo, deliciously.