Pan con chicharrón
Pan con chicharrón is a classic Peruvian breakfast, eaten in Lima especially at weekends: a crusty roll filled with pork belly simmered and then fried in its own fat, slices of fried sweet potato and salsa criolla of red onion and lime. The pork first cooks in water with garlic until the water is gone, and only then fries — so it stays tender inside and turns crisp outside. The sour salsa is essential; it cuts through the fat.
Your own work in that: 10 min.
- Preparation 15 min
- Simmering the pork 75 min
- Frying 25 min
- Salsa and assembly 10 min
Step by step
0 / 8 doneCut the pork
Cut the pork belly into 4 cm cubes. Rub with crushed garlic, cumin and 1½ teaspoons of the salt.
Ingredients: 500 g boneless pork belly, skin on · 4 cloves garlic · 1 tsp ground cumin · 2 tsp salt (1½ tsp for the pork, the rest for the salsa and sweet potatoes) · 600 ml water
Simmer the pork
Lay the pork in a wide pan in one layer, cover with the water and bring to the boil. Cook uncovered over medium heat for 60–70 minutes, until the water has evaporated and the meat is tender — a knife should slide in easily. If the water is gone before the pork is tender, add 150 ml of hot water and keep cooking.
Ingredients: 500 g boneless pork belly, skin on · 4 cloves garlic · 1 tsp ground cumin · 2 tsp salt (1½ tsp for the pork, the rest for the salsa and sweet potatoes) · 600 ml water
The water goes; rendered fat remains.Fry the pork
Once the water is gone, the pork starts frying in its own fat. Fry 10–12 minutes, turning, until golden and crisp all over. Careful — the fat can spit.
Ingredients: 500 g boneless pork belly, skin on · 4 cloves garlic · 1 tsp ground cumin · 2 tsp salt (1½ tsp for the pork, the rest for the salsa and sweet potatoes) · 600 ml water
In its own fat until golden.Make salsa criolla
Slice the onion very thinly, rinse in cold water and drain. Toss with the lime juice, sliced chilli, coriander and a pinch of salt. Leave 10 minutes. You can make it earlier, while the pork simmers.
Ingredients: 1 pcs red onion · 2 pcs limes · 1 pcs yellow or red chilli · 2 tbsp coriander · 4 pcs crusty rolls
Sour salsa cuts through the pork fat.Fry the sweet potato
Peel the sweet potatoes and cut into 5 mm slices. Heat the oil in a pan and fry in batches for 3–4 minutes per side, until tender and browned. Drain on paper and salt. Keep the pork covered meanwhile so it stays warm.
Ingredients: 300 g sweet potatoes · 200 ml oil for frying
Warm the rolls
Split the rolls and warm them for 3–4 minutes in an oven heated to 200°C so they are crisp.
Ingredients: 1 pcs red onion · 2 pcs limes · 1 pcs yellow or red chilli · 2 tbsp coriander · 4 pcs crusty rolls
Assemble
On the bottom half of each roll lay slices of sweet potato, then the pork cut into thick slices (about 75 g per roll), then plenty of salsa criolla.
Ingredients: 1 pcs red onion · 2 pcs limes · 1 pcs yellow or red chilli · 2 tbsp coriander · 4 pcs crusty rolls
Serve
Cover with the top half and serve at once, with the rest of the salsa on the side.
Ingredients: 1 pcs red onion · 2 pcs limes · 1 pcs yellow or red chilli · 2 tbsp coriander · 4 pcs crusty rolls
Before you start
In the oven
After simmering, the pork can be roasted at 220°C for 20 minutes, turning halfway, instead of fried. Less spitting, a similar result.
Less fatty
Use diced pork shoulder instead of belly — cook it the same way, adding 2 tablespoons of lard at the end for frying. The sandwich then comes to about 600 kcal.
Storage
Cooked and fried pork keeps 3 days in the fridge — refresh 8 minutes at 200°C. Eat the salsa criolla the same day, as the onion softens.
