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
- 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.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Shake the excess marinade off the chops and pan-fry 3 to 4 minutes per side, until golden and cooked through.
- 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.
