From my home to yours: Recipe to make a Jibarito sandwich

• 1 green plantain
• ½ cup of canola oil
• 1 pound of skirt steak (thinly sliced)
• ½ onion
• 1 tsp. minced garlic
• ½ tsp. adobo
• ½ tsp. parsley
• ½ tsp garlic salt
• 4 cloves of garlic (cut into thin slices)
• 3 slices of tomato
• 1/2 a cup of lettuce
• 2 slices of American yellow cheese
• 1 tbsp. of mayo

Preparation time: 45 minutes (preparing items and cooking)

The Jibarito Sandwich originated in Chicago, IL at Borinquen Restaurant. Juan “Peter Figueroa” introduced the Jibarito in 1996, and it is now a part of restaurants across Chicago. You can go to any Puerto Rican restaurant, or even a Latin restaurant, and find Jibarito on their menu. This delicious plantain sandwich can be easily made at home. My favorite part of eating a Jibarito is the texture of the crunchy plantain, with a pinch of garlic taste, tender meat, and melted cheese all in one bite!

Jibarito Steak Sandwich:

Season the skirt steak with Adobo, parsley, and a bit of garlic salt (not too much garlic salt, because the meat will come out salty). I like to massage the seasoning onto the meat. Then, heat up a medium sized pan, and a large pan with canola oil. Cut 2 cloves of garlic into thin pieces, and let it cook in the medium sized pan where you will put the meat. Put the skirt steak to cook. The steak should cook for about 20 minutes, or until your liking. I like to throw in onions in the last 10 minutes of the skirt steak cooking. It adds more flavor to the meat, and I put the sautéed onions on my sandwich (it’s a win win situation).  

Then cut 2 more gloves of garlic in to small pieces, add to a small bowl, and pour 1 tsp. of canola oil, and stir. Save this for later.

Cut the tips of the plantain, and peel the skin off. Once this is done, cut the plantain in half (vertically). Then fry the 2 halves of the plantain in the large pan. Cook the plantains on high, and once you see them turn light brown take them out. While the fried plantains cool down (about 5 – 7 minutes), cut the next plantains, and put them to fry (depending on how many you are making).

Grab 2 cutting boards. Place one plantain slice on a cutting board, with the inside of the plantain facing up. Then grab the second cutting board, and carefully/slowly squish the plantain. After squishing the plantain it should look wide and long.  Once all the plantains have been fried and squished, put the squished plantains back in the pan to be fried a second time. I like my plantains crispy, or until they are brownish.

Now you are ready to build your sandwich!

Grab 2 plantains slices (just like bread), spread the mayo, add 1 slice of yellow cheese, 2 pieces of skirt steak (one on each side of plantain), add lettuce (I added spinach and kale instead), a few slices of tomato, sautéed onions, and half a slice of yellow cheese on top (can you tell I love cheese?), then put the other slice of plantains on top. My last topping is the chopped up garlic with oil. I spread that on the top “bun”. Cut the sandwich in half, and your sandwich is all done J

Improvise the sandwich to your liking, or substitute items. For example, instead of adding lettuce I added spinach/kale instead. You can also make the Jibarito with chicken. The options are endless!


Enjoy!