The Chilean diplomático is a hearty sandwich of thinly sliced pork loin cooked with onion, oregano, salt, and pepper, topped with melted chanco cheese, and served in warm pan frica. It takes 4 hours of preparation, mostly chilling the meat for easy slicing, plus 30 minutes of cooking and serves 2 people.
Just as churrasco has the Barros Luco and ham has the Barros Jarpa, pork loin with melted cheese has the diplomático.
How to Make a Chilean Diplomático?
The pork loin is chilled so it can be cut into very thin slices, cooked quickly with onion, portioned on the griddle, covered with cheese until melted, and piled into toasted bread.
Nutritional Information
Each diplomático contains approximately 750 kcal, 45 g of carbohydrates, 40 g of fat, 45 g of protein, 2 g of fiber, 8 g of sugars, 100 mg of cholesterol, and 900 mg of sodium. These values are estimates and may vary depending on ingredients and portion sizes.
Homemade Chilean Sándwich Diplomático Recipe
Preparation: 4 hours
Cooking: 30 minutes
Servings: 2 people
Ingredients
- 500 g (1.1 lb) of pork loin
- 6 slices of chanco or mantecoso cheese
- 2 pan frica buns
- 1 teaspoon of oregano
- 1/2 large onion
- Sunflower oil
- Fine salt
- Black pepper
Instructions
- Refrigerate the pork loin for about 4 hours, then cut it into thin slices and set aside. In a medium pot, heat a tablespoon of oil and sauté the onion sliced into strips for a few minutes, seasoning with oregano, salt, and pepper.
- Add the pork to the onions and cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes, separating the slices with a fork so they do not stick. Warm the pan frica on a griddle, in a toaster, or in the oven.
- Transfer the meat to a griddle or skillet, divide it into two portions, top each with 3 slices of cheese, and cover until melted. Place the pork and melted cheese on the bottom half of each bun and close with the top half.
Additional Tips
Slice very thin
Chilling the loin makes it easy to cut thin slices that stay tender and juicy.
Cook with moisture
Cooking the pork with onion, or a splash of stock, keeps it soft.
Add vegetables
Lettuce, tomato, or extra onion give the sandwich a fresh twist.
| Original ingredient | Substitute | Ratio | Flavor note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chanco cheese | Gouda or mantecoso | 1:1 | Similar melt |
| Pork loin | Pork tenderloin | 1:1 | Leaner |
| Pan frica | Marraqueta | 1:1 | Crustier |
| Onion | Omit | Classic plain version |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. How do I keep the pork tender and juicy?
Cut it very thin and cook it over medium heat with onion or a little stock.
2. Which cheese is best?
Chanco is traditional, but gouda or mantecoso work too.
3. Does it always have onion?
It is a common addition, but there are versions with only pork and cheese.
4. What should I serve it with?
Fries, or a Chilean tomato and onion salad to balance its richness.
What Is a Diplomático?
The diplomático, or lomito diplomático, is a Chilean sandwich of thinly sliced pork loin and melted cheese, part of the family of classic Chilean hot sandwiches.
Chilean Sandwich Culture
Chile has a strong sandwich tradition, with fillings named after the combination, such as the Barros Luco with beef and cheese or the Barros Jarpa with ham and cheese.
Did You Know?
In Chile, pork is commonly called chancho, especially in the south, and the word appears in many dish names, from chancho en piedra to chancho borracho.
How to adapt this recipe to a vegan or vegetarian version?
How to adapt this recipe to a gluten-free version?
How to adapt this recipe to a keto (ketogenic) version?
Recommended
- Homemade Italian Pork Loin Sandwich
- Chilean Rumano Completo
- Chilean Pan Frica Burger Bun
- Chilean Homemade Burgers
