Peruvian Ham Sandwich (Butifarra)
A crusty roll packed with tender home-style country ham and a tangle of lime-and-chili salsa criolla. Lima's favourite street sandwich, simple but unforgettable.
Servings
Ingredients
Nutrition
Per serving
Steps
Season the pork
Rub the pork all over with the garlic, cumin, pepper, oregano, vinegar and salt. Let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes so the flavours soak in, or cover and marinate in the fridge overnight for more flavour.
- 800 g pork leg
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp oregano
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
✅ Done when: the pork is evenly coated with the rub
Cook the ham
Put the seasoned pork in a large pot with the bay leaves, cover with the water (1 litre) and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer gently, covered, for about 1 1/2 hours, keeping the heat low so the meat stays moist.
- 800 g seasoned pork
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 litre water
✅ Done when: the pork is fork-tender and reaches 74°C / 165°F inside
Rest and slice
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Make the salsa criolla
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Warm the rolls
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Assemble the sandwiches
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Season the pork
Rub the pork all over with the garlic, cumin, pepper, oregano, vinegar and salt. Let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes so the flavours soak in, or cover and marinate in the fridge overnight for more flavour.
- 800 g pork leg
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp oregano
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
✅ Done when: the pork is evenly coated with the rub
Cook the ham
Put the seasoned pork in a large pot with the bay leaves, cover with the water (1 litre) and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer gently, covered, for about 1 1/2 hours, keeping the heat low so the meat stays moist.
- 800 g seasoned pork
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 litre water
✅ Done when: the pork is fork-tender and reaches 74°C / 165°F inside
Rest and slice
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Make the salsa criolla
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Warm the rolls
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Assemble the sandwiches
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The Story Behind the Dish
The butifarra takes its name from the Spanish and Catalan botifarra sausage, but the Peruvian version left the sausage behind. Instead, Lima's sandwich shops and street carts filled their rolls with jamón del país, pork leg slow-cooked with garlic, cumin and spices until tender enough to slice thin, a technique rooted in home cooking brought from the countryside into the city.
Paired with a crusty French-style roll and a bright, acidic salsa criolla, it became a staple of panaderías and sandwicherías across Lima, eaten standing up at a counter as a quick, satisfying bite at any hour.
⭐ Why It's Famous
It captures everything Peruvians love in a sandwich: tender slow-cooked meat, a crunchy fresh roll, and the sharp, citrusy crunch of salsa criolla cutting through the richness.
💡 Fun Fact
In Lima, a proper butifarra is judged by how well the onions in the salsa criolla are cut: thin, even and never bitter.
Lima
-12.05°S, -77.04°W
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