Pambazo (Mexican Chorizo and Potato Sandwich) Recipe

The primary time I attempted a pambazo years in the past was not love at first sight. I had ordered the beloved Mexican sandwich from Mi Rinconcito Oaxaqueño, my go-to food truck in San Jose, CA. I’d heard claims from fellow patrons that it was superior to their torta ahogada—a carnitas sandwich I cherished and ordered ceaselessly—so I made a decision to present it a strive. Because it was handed all the way down to me on a paper plate, my first thought was that the sandwich didn’t look that appetizing. The bread was charred, bordering on burnt truly, with a messy jumble of potatoes and chorizo weighing it down and crema oozing out the edges. I used to be beginning to remorse not ordering my most popular torta as an alternative. 

However after one chew, I understood what all of the fuss was about. The charred, salsa-griddled bread had a pleasing smoky bitterness, just like fire-roasted tomatoes, that was balanced by the refined sweetness of the crema. It was so satisfying to sink my tooth via the jumble of crisp chorizo and fluffy potatoes. 

Since my first pambazo, I’ve loved many variations at native meals vehicles and eating places, and have stepped into my very own kitchen to create my most popular model of this sandwich. In my preliminary makes an attempt to develop my very own pambazo recipe at house, I ate loads of burnt bread and stained fairly just a few kitchen towels pink with salsa. However over time and with follow, I’ve landed on a go-to pambazo recipe that’s impressed by that first pambazo expertise, however with just a few private preferences and streamlined processes included.

What Is a Pambazo?

It may be onerous to outline a pambazo as a result of there are such a lot of varieties. All through Mexico, pambazos could be served with a spread of meat, vegetable, and cheese fillings. There’s even a competition to rejoice the various forms of pambazos in Mexico. On the Festival del Pambazo in Xalapa, Veracruz, The bread is dyed vibrant colours with pure meals dye and stuffed with all the things from pomegranate seeds to agave worms.

Other than the vary in fillings, what defines a pambazo is the dipping and charring of the bread. A pambazo with out being dipped right into a salsa and griddled would merely be a torta. And whereas there are various variations of the sandwich, probably the most distinguished iteration comes from Mexico Metropolis, the place they’re served on pambazo bread—the overall time period for the person rolls used for the sandwich—dunked in salsa and griddled, then loaded with crispy chorizo and chunks of potato. That is prone to sound probably the most acquainted, because it’s the model of pambazo typical all through the U.S., and is what this recipe is predicated on.

 There are a number of parts to this model of pambazo—the chorizo and potato filling, the lettuce, the salsa-dipped and griddled bread—that lend themselves to large-batch superior prep after which fast meeting for a excessive quantity of individuals whereas working within the limiting situations of a meals truck or meals cart. The problem is easy methods to get this assembly-line of parts organized for an at-home preparation. However with a strong recreation plan, every element of the recipe could be prepped up and assembled effectively so that when you’re able to eat, all it’s important to do is fry the chorizo-potato combination, griddle the bread, assemble, and revel in whereas sizzling and crispy.

The Chorizo and Potato Filling

This filling for a pambazo is a primary instance of ugly-delicous meals, that includes a messy however undeniably flavorful mash of well-spiced chorizo and hearty potatoes. The chorizo is rendered slowly to launch its fats and turn out to be crisp, then faraway from the skillet and put aside. Parboiled potatoes then go into the skillet with the rendered fats and are cooked till fluffy inside and crisp and golden outdoors. Parboiling the potatoes earlier than crisping is an important step to make sure that splendid twin texture within the potatoes.

It is likely to be tempting to blast the warmth whereas cooking the chorizo and the potatoes, however it’s value taking your time to slowly render the fats from the chorizo with out threat of scorching, after which cooking the potatoes over a medium warmth to present them time to soak up the flavour of the rendered fats. 

It’s additionally necessary to decide on the fitting kind of chorizo: Pambazos are made with uncooked, free Mexican chorizo, which is completely different from the Spanish cured selection. Moreover, I like to recommend steering away from the Mexican chorizo bought in plastic tubes on the grocery store. This model is a sticky paste that may be troublesome to crisp. You’ll get the very best model of this sandwich if you happen to take the time to purchase chorizo from a carniceria or purchase recent floor pork and season your individual.

A Semi-Selfmade Sauce: Tips on how to Make the Salsa

Usually, pambazos are dunked in a uncooked tomato–primarily based guajillo salsa. A basic guajillo salsa entails letting guajillos sit in boiling water for 20 minutes to melt; briefly cooking down diced tomatoes; and mixing all of it along with garlic and onions. However I discovered that beginning with a canned Mexican sizzling tomato sauce delivered a sturdy taste and shaved about half-hour off the cooking time. 

I boosted the canned sauce’s taste with a chile-, onion-, and garlic-infused oil that’s fast and straightforward to make. The canned Mexican tomato sauce is viscous sufficient to cling to the rolls when dipped and has built-in spices and seasonings, which save on work. The addition of the infused oil supplies fats to the salsa that helps promote browning with the dipped bread when charred. The salsa could be held within the fridge for a pair days and gently reheated on the range earlier than serving.

The Coleslaw

Whereas pambazos are usually topped with lettuce, for my house recipe I go for a tangy coleslaw with a extra substantial crunch than plain lettuce. I discovered the widespread topping of shredded iceberg turned soggy and drab, however a easy cabbage primarily based slaw retained its crunch and was a pleasant counter to the wealthy and fatty chorizo and potato combination.

The coleslaw is an easy combination of shredded inexperienced cabbage, recent chiles, onions, and cilantro that’s tossed and sure along with jocoque—a fermented Mexican dairy product that has the feel of crema, however with a tang nearer to yogurt. If you cannot discover jocoque, any Mexican crema will work instead. 

Serrano chiles convey a welcome recent warmth that’s missing within the salsa, whereas the mix of scallions, cilantro, and cabbage is barely pungent and candy. The result’s a refreshing slaw that’s tangy and tart. The slaw balances the wealthy and hearty chorizo and potato filling, so you should definitely add a beneficiant quantity.

The Most well-liked Bread for a Pambazo

In Mexico, all pambazos are made on what’s generally known as pambazo bread. The bread can differ in dimension and form all through Mexico, however it at all times has a delicate exterior crust that’s excellent for toasting, dipped in a chile and tomato salsa, and griddling. 

The identify pambazo comes from the bread itself. The phrase “pan bajo” means low class bread and dates again to colonial instances, when Mexico was nonetheless beneath Spanish occupation. As early because the 1500’s flour was divided for manufacturing functions by high quality. Extra refined, white flour went to bakeries that served the upper courses, whereas much less refined and older wheat flour went to bakeries generally known as pampacerias to supply “pan bajo”, or “low class bread”. This model of bread was formed and baked into particular person rolls with a delicate crust.

When making a pambazo within the U.S., out of all of the breads obtainable in a panaderia, telera is the best alternative for a pambazo. It is an oval flatbread, so it makes nice contact with the griddle whereas searing. Its spongy dense exterior soaks up the salsa, too whereas nonetheless holding up as soon as griddled and stuffed. However even nonetheless, the feel of telera can differ from bakery to bakery; too delicate and the bread will collapse beneath the load of the fillings and the moisture from the sauce. I keep away from this variable of bread high quality by evenly toasting the bread in a low oven. Plus drying out the bread barely permits the bread to soak up extra of the salsa when dipped earlier than charring it can retain extra construction when stuffed and loved.

A great indicator for when the bread is correctly dried out earlier than dipping is to present the bread a delicate poke: In case your finger leaves an indent, it is nonetheless too delicate and must be toasted a little bit extra.

Bringing It All Collectively: How To Assemble a Pambazo

As soon as able to assemble, be certain your skillet is preheated over excessive warmth. Then, dunk and griddle solely the outside of the bread. This prevents the sandwich from getting excessively soggy. Maintain sliding the bread over the heated floor whereas making use of mild stress to make sure it sears evenly throughout. You’re trying to get a wholesome char on the bread, so just a few seemingly “burnt” spots are okay. The bread’s exterior ought to flip toasty and crisp, with a fragile layer that shatters with every chew. 

To assemble, lay just a few skinny slabs of queso fresco on the bottom of the sandwich. Then, layer the chorizo-potato combination and slaw within the sandwich—it is messy so it is okay if some spills out. Add the highest slice of bread and gently push all the way down to hold it in place. Positive, you may depend on a knife and fork to keep away from staining your fingers with salsa whereas having fun with this pambazo, however I counsel reveling in its messy glory. Simply you should definitely have loads of napkins available.