Destination
Rio de Janeiro
The story
The sanduíche de pernil (pork sandwich) at São Paulo's Mercado Municipal is the other legendary Mercadão order (the first being the mortadela). Slow-roasted seasoned pork loin, shredded or thickly sliced, layered with slabs of chargrilled pineapple, a smear of mustard, a slick of mayo, all pressed into a soft, warm French-style roll. The pineapple is the twist: sweet and acidic, cutting through the richness of the pork exactly the way it needs to be cut.
Method
In a small bowl, whisk together the garlic, lime juice, olive oil, salt, paprika, cumin, oregano and pepper. Place the pork in a roasting tin, rub the marinade all over, scatter with the sliced onion, cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours, ideally overnight.
Take the pork out of the fridge 45 minutes before roasting. Preheat the oven to 160°C (320°F).
Pour a splash of water (about 200ml) into the tin around the pork. Cover with foil and roast for 2.5 to 3 hours, basting once every hour, until the meat is fall-apart tender and pulls easily with a fork.
Remove the foil, turn the oven up to 220°C (425°F) and roast another 20 to 25 minutes until the outside is deep golden and crisp in places.
Rest the pork 15 minutes, then shred with two forks, or slice thickly. Toss the shredded meat back into the roasting juices to soak.
Heat a heavy pan (or grill) over high heat until smoking. Brush the pineapple slices lightly with oil, sprinkle with sea salt. Grill 2 to 3 minutes per side until deep char marks appear.
Split each roll horizontally, leaving a hinge. Warm briefly. Spread one side with mustard, the other with mayo. Layer in a heap of pork, one or two pineapple slices and a few coriander or parsley leaves if using. Close and press gently.
Serve immediately, ideally with a cold beer and a napkin. This is a two-handed sandwich.
Tips
- Marinate overnight if you can. Four hours is the minimum; twelve is much better. The lime juice tenderises and the spices penetrate deep into the meat.
- Slow roast at 160°C, don't rush it. Cranking the oven up to speed things up gives you dry pork. Low and slow for 2.5 hours plus a short blast at the end is the professional method.
- Char the pineapple hard. A pale grilled slice is a wet decoration; a deeply charred slice with black grill marks adds smoke and complexity. Get the pan smoking hot first.
- Toss the shredded pork back in the pan juices. This is what keeps it moist and adds the deep, funky roast flavour to every bite.
- Warm the bread. A cold roll dulls the whole thing. 30 seconds in a hot oven or a quick press on a dry pan is enough.
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