Pan con Chicharrón (Peruvian Pork and Sweet Potato Sandwich)
Crisp-edged slices of slow-cooked pork belly and fried sweet potato tucked into a crusty roll with tangy salsa criolla. Lima's legendary weekend breakfast sandwich.
Servings
Ingredients
Nutrition
Per serving
Steps
Season the pork
Rub the pork belly slices all over with 1 1/2 teaspoons of the salt, the crushed garlic and the cumin.
- 1 kg pork belly
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 tsp ground cumin
Simmer until the fat renders
Put the seasoned pork in a wide heavy pan (about 28-30 cm / 11-12 in) with the water. Simmer uncovered over medium heat for 60-70 minutes, turning occasionally, until the water evaporates and the pork starts frying in its own fat.
- 1 kg seasoned pork from step 1
- 750 ml water
✅ Done when: the water has evaporated and the pork begins frying in its own fat
Brown the pork
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Fry the sweet potato
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Make the salsa criolla
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Assemble
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Season the pork
Rub the pork belly slices all over with 1 1/2 teaspoons of the salt, the crushed garlic and the cumin.
- 1 kg pork belly
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 tsp ground cumin
Simmer until the fat renders
Put the seasoned pork in a wide heavy pan (about 28-30 cm / 11-12 in) with the water. Simmer uncovered over medium heat for 60-70 minutes, turning occasionally, until the water evaporates and the pork starts frying in its own fat.
- 1 kg seasoned pork from step 1
- 750 ml water
✅ Done when: the water has evaporated and the pork begins frying in its own fat
Brown the pork
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Fry the sweet potato
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Make the salsa criolla
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Assemble
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The Story Behind the Dish
Chicharrón in Peru means pork cooked slowly in water until it fries in its own fat, a method brought by the Spanish. Tucked into bread with sweet potato and salsa criolla, it became the most famous breakfast sandwich in Lima.
Every weekend, sangucherías and markets across the city sell thousands of them from early morning.
⭐ Why It's Famous
Crispy, juicy pork, sweet potato and sharp onion on soft bread: a perfect balance in every bite.
💡 Fun Fact
In Peru the word 'sánguche' (from sandwich) has its own culture: Lima has sandwich shops over 100 years old.
Lima
-12.05°S, -77.04°W
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