Jibarito is a Puerto Rican style sandwich, made with flattened, fried green plantains instead of bread. This Jibarito sandwich recipe is packed with flatiron steak, bacon jam, and spicy hot sauce!
Jibarito (hee-bah-ree-to) with Flatiron Steak, Bacon Jam and Spicy Hot Sauce Sandwich-RECIPE #2
The Submission Window is now OPEN for the Saucy Mama’s 2016 Recipe Contest. Hosted by Barhyte foods a PREFERRED QUALIFYING EVENT for the World Food Championships.
Pendleton, Ore. (March 3, 2016)- Barhyte Specialty Foods is excited to announce the creation of “Team Saucy Mama”, which will be competing at the 2016 World Food Championships (WFC) in November in Orange Beach, Alabama. The team is made up of some of the most extraordinary home cooks in the US, and each one is striving to compete in the Final Table at WFC, where one person is crowned World Food Champion and receives a $100,000 grand prize.
Saucy Mama has offered three competitor spots on the team. Two of these spots are already claimed, as last year’s WFC Saucy Mama competitors earned their way to the Top 10 round and were prequalified to compete again this year.
Only one spot remains on Team Saucy Mama with 25 of the Sauciest home-cooks are vying for coveted LAST SPOT!
Thank you TEAM SAUCY MAMA for choosing me I as one of the top 25 to compete for the LAST SPOT!!!
So what does the Saucy Mama Recipe Contest champion win?
- A World Food Championship Golden Ticket
- WFC registration and entry fees paid for 2016 WFC
- $1000 Travel Stipend: for WFC expenses (Nov. 8-15)
- $200 Spending Cash: to have FUN in Orange Beach Alabama
Most importantly…a First Place win with Team Saucy Mama offers home-cooks like myself, the ability to vie for cash prize(s) to offset the cost associated with Food Sport. Thank goodness for Sponsors that offer WFC Preferred Qualifier Contests!!
In addition to competing for a place on Team Saucy Mama, Team Just A Pinch has invited me to return to represent them at the 2016 Bacon World Food Championships, in Orange Beach, AL. They have offered to pay my entry fees as a result of my 4th place win in last years competition ($300.00). Thank you Just A Pinch!!
Since I’m competing in the Bacon Category again this November, you’ll notice a BACON recipe theme throughout all of my WFC Contest recipe submissions.
Jibarito Flatiron Steak Spicy Sauce
My SECOND recipe submission for the coveted LAST SPOT on Team Saucy Mama…
Jibarito (hee-bah-ree-to) with Flatiron Steak, Bacon Jam and Spicy Hot Sauce Sandwich
Category: BACON or STEAK
The jibarito (pronounced hee-bah-ree-to), is a Puerto Rican style sandwich made with flattened, fried green plantains instead of bread. Traditionally served with garlic-flavored mayonnaise, and a filling that typically includes meat, cheese, lettuce and tomato. The original jibarito had steak filling, and that remains the usual variety, but other ingredients, such as chicken and pork, are common. (SOURCE: Wikipedia)
Making Plantains for Jibarito Sandwich
My version of the Jibarito utilizes three (3) Saucy Mama products that make this bread-less sandwich, a mouthful of amazing!
- Saucy Mama Backyard Brat mustard adds delicious grainy kick to the delectable bacon jam.
- Orange Habanero Wing Sauce is combined with
- Lime Chipotle Marinade to act not only as the Flatiron Steak marinade, but to build a super flavorful spicy hot sauce for the final touch!
This Jibarito is the BEST sandwich creation I’ve ever made or tasted!! I hope you like it as much as I do!!
History of the Jibarito
Chicago restaurateur Juan “Peter” Figueroa introduced the jibarito at Borinquen Restaurant, a Puerto Rican restaurant in the Humboldt Park neighborhood, in 1996, after reading about a Puerto Rican sandwich substituting plantains for bread. The name is a diminutive of Jíbaro and means “little yokel”.
The sandwich’s popularity soon spread to other Latin-American restaurants around Chicago, including Mexican, Cuban and Argentinian establishments, and jibaritos now can be found in some mainstream eateries as well.
Related sandwiches
Other Latin American sandwiches served on fried plantains predate the jibarito. They include a Colombian cuisine specialty called a patacones and a 1991 invention by Jorge Muñoz and Coquí Feliciano served at their restaurant, Plátano Loco, in Aguada, Puerto Rico. Source: Wikipedia
- 2 green plantains
- 1/4 cup coconut oil
- ¼ cup vegetable or peanut oil
- 1/2 pound of Flatiron Steak, marinated and Grilled (cut very thin sliced)
- 1/2 red onion
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. pepper
- 1/2 tsp garlic (or to taste)
- 1/2 avocado
- sliced tomato
- lettuce
- 1 bunch cilantro
- ¼ cup cotija cheese
- ¼ cup Saucy Mama Orange Habanero Wing Sauce
- ¼ cup Saucy Mama Lime Chipotle Marinade
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- Juice from 1 whole lime
- ¼ cup olive oil
- Salt and Pepper
- 1 tablespoon Chopped fresh cilantro
- 5 slices thick cut bacon (about ¼ pound)
- 1 medium white onion, sliced thinly
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 heaping tablespoon Saucy Mama Backyard Brat Mustard
- 2 tablespoon water
- ¼ cup hot water
- ¼ cup butter
- ¼ cup Saucy Mama Habanero Wing Sauce
- ¼ cup Saucy Mama Chipotle Marinade
- Reserved marinade (from what is left after marinating the steak
- MEAT
- Season Flatiron steak with marinade, for at least 15 minutes at room temperature. Can be marinated overnight. (While steak is marinating, make plantains) Remove meat from marinade and cook on hot grill until medium rare. Rest for 10-15 minutes before slicing very thinly.
- Be sure to reserve leftover marinade from meat for sauce!
- PLANTAINS
- Heat up the mixture of coconut and vegetable oil in a medium pan, temperature staying around 325 degrees. Peel your plantains by scoring each side lengthwise, to the flesh with a sharp knife. Plantains are very forgiving so don’t worry if you cut into the flesh. Cut them in half, and add them to the hot oil. (If making mini’s cut plantains in half again) Fry until they are golden yellow, about 2-4 minutes on each side. (greener plantains take a little longer to get soft but are better for the recipe) Using tongs, flip and move plantains around. Press the to see if it is soft enough to “smash”. If the plantain isn’t budging, leave in for a little longer. Remove from pan and drain on paper towel.
- Place plantains on a cutting board or flat surface. With a second cutting board, (I used a heavy cast iron skillet) push down on the plantains to flatten them. You can make them as thick or thin as you would like, but if you make them too thin… they may fall apart (1 /4 to 1/2 an inch thick) Once flattened, place plantains back into the hot oil to fry 2-4 minutes on each side. Once they start to brown, use tongs to remove plantains from the oil and place on paper towels to drain oil. For a super crispy plantain, cook longer.
- In a medium cast iron pan, cook 5 slices bacon till crisp. Remove bacon to plate and crumble or chop, reserve for later. Sauté sliced onions over medium heat in bacon fat until caramelized (about 10 minutes) add brown sugar, Saucy Mama Backyard Brat Mustard and cook for 5 minuets. Add 2 tablespoons hot water and return cooked bacon to pan. Cook additional 3-5 minutes until very thick. Remove bacon jam from pan and set aside until ready to use.
- Deglaze the pan with ¼ cup water, scrapping all the browned bits from the pan. Add leftover marinade, ¼ cup Orange Habanero Wing Sauce, ¼ cup Chipotle Lime Marinade, ¼ cup butter. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and cook for 3-5 minutes.
- MAKE THE JIBARITO
- Place the cooled plantains on a plate, spread each with bacon jam.
- Layer plantains with slices of thin cooked meat, onions, tomatoes, Avocado, cilantro and lettuce. Drizzle Spicy Hot Sauce over the top. Sprinkle crumbled Cotija cheese over each sandwich and top off with another slice of plantain to make sandwich.
Jibarito…need one NOW!!
You had me at plantains. 🙂 My mouth is watering!!
I love plantains too. They’re so nutritious and delicious when cooked to golden brown. This is my new favorite sandwich!! Thank you!