Dominican roast pork sandwich, or Sandwich de pierna, is a treat that cannot be missed at the end-of-the-year celebrations. However, you can also find it year-round in the ubiquitous nighttime street food stands, food carts, and Dominican sandwich restaurants or barras.
By - Reviewed: . Original: Sep 30, 2023
Why we ❤️ it
You can almost feel the holiday breeze… Sandwich de pierna combines simple ingredients and transforms them into a spectacular snack. The key is to start with a great tender Puerco asado (pork roast), well-seasoned and juicy, and combine it with good bread. The rest of the ingredients will depend on individual tastes.
In Santo Domingo, you can get roast pork sandwich all year round in small street stands and "barras"; each has its own recipe and cater to fans of its style and combination of ingredients. In any case, the result is a juicy, flavorful sandwich everyone loves.
Variations
Sandwich de pierna can be made in Pan de agua (Dominican bread roll with a similar texture to baguettes) or Pan sobao (pan sobado, a soft bread roll), but the one made in the Christmas season is usually made with Telera, a softer bread, which, when toasted, becomes crispy.
The pork can be sliced or shredded like pulled pork.
Chimi de pierna?
Some call this pork roast sandwich chimi de pierna; however, they are different sandwiches.
The famous Dominican Chimi burger is made with a patty made from ground beef (and sometimes also ground pork). It is almost always grilled on charcoal and combined with a simple cabbage slaw seasoned with a Pink mayo ketchup sauce.
Sandwich de pierna does not contain cabbage, and instead of a patty, it calls for pulled pork roast.
Sandwich de pierna.
Serving suggestions
Sandwich de pierna is a hearty meal in itself, but it is common to find it served with French fries or Yaroa (a poutine-like dish). It is also served with a batida (fruit smoothie), a fruit juice, or a fría (cold beer).
Batida de lechoza and Morir soñando are also solid drink choices.
Top tips
- If you can't buy them locally, you can find recipes for Teleras, Pan de agua and Pan sobao (coming soon!) in our recipe collection. You can also substitute Pan sobao for a hamburger bun, and Pan de agua for a small baguette roll, depending on your preferred bread.
- Use the cheese you prefer, ideally one that melts well, like cheddar, gouda, or mozzarella. Cheddar and gouda are the most popular in the Dominican Republic, but some vendors combine different types of cheese, like cheddar cheese and mozzarella.
- If you want to do it and you do not have leftover Christmas pork roast, you can use pork shoulder (pernil), pork loin, or any leftover pork roast. We can find ready-to-serve pork roast in the Dominican Republic at supermarkets and food stands.
- A few stands add thinly sliced red onions to Sandwich de pierna, but many don't.
About this recipe
This recipe has been tested by Tía Clara.
A pork roast sandwich is a staple the day after Christmas Eve or New Year's, when nobody wants to cook, but we all want to extend the festivities and continue eating tasty good food.
Everyone makes it according to what they have available at home and their own preferences; I like it with Telera bread, pickles, and cheddar cheese.
What's your favorite, Sandwich de pierna or Dominican chimichurri burger? Let us know in the comments.
Video
Recipe
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Sandwich de Pierna [Video+Recipe] Roast Pork Sandwich
Ingredients
- 8 slices telera bread, or four pan de agua rolls (see notes above)
- ½ pound cooked pork roast, shredded
- 8 slices cheddar cheese
- 2 tomatoes, sliced
- 16 slices pickle, optional
- salted butter, to taste
- Mustard, to taste (optional)
- Ketchup, to taste
Instructions
1. Prepare
Preheat a panini press or skillet over medium high heat.Unless you are using Telera slices, slice the bread rolls.
2. Assemble
- Butter just one side of four slices of bread. Spread the other four slices of bread with mustard to taste and reserve.Place a slice of cheddar cheese on each buttered slice. Arrange four pickles on it. Top with a quarter of the pulled pork and top it with ketchup. Place tomato slices on top and cover with another slice of cheese. Cover them with the side of the bread with mustard.
Grill
- Toast the sandwich in the panini press or in the pan, press, and grill on each side until golden brown and the cheese melts.Remove and serve right away.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is calculated automatically based on ingredients listed. Please consult your doctor if you need precise nutrition information.
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More pork recipes
Pork is one of our favorite meats, and we have many popular pork recipes in our blog. First, Lechón asado, the star of our Christmas recipes. We also love Chicharrones - flavorful pork crackling, Cocido de patica - a rich, tasty pig trotters stew, Cerdo guisado, a popular braised pork dish.
Salami recipes, chuleta (pork chop) recipes, and longaniza (pork sausage) recipes are also some our favorites.
FAQs
Pierna is the hind pork leg (pernil is pork shoulder). It is typically roasted over an open pit, or - at home - in the oven.
For a pulled pork sandwich, pick a cheese that melts easily, like Cheddar, Gouda, or Mozzarella.
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