The ultimate Haitian griot pork sandwich

Today, I am proudly serving you my homemade griot fried pork sandwich. I won’t deny it. I am definitely bragging about this sandwich. It is perfection. Yes, I did just use the word perfect. That’s how I feel about this creation of mine 😀

I have been making this sandwich for the past two years. Its simplicity amazes me every single time. Though it only includes three toppings, this sandwich is deliciously crunchy and well-balanced in flavors. It will hit your taste buds with wave upon wave of spicy, crispy and salty goodness. I am not sure why it took me this long to share it with you. But all that matters is that, today, it has finally found its way on the blog.

This griot fried pork sandwich is deliciously crunchy and well-balanced in flavors. | tchakayiti.com

Without further ado, allow me to introduce you to the three toppings you will need in order to replicate this griot fried pork sandwich at home:

    1. Spicy griot (fried pork) meat:

      This Haitian fried pork is a local favorite. It’s probably one of the first Haitian dishes most Haitians will serve you. See, griot is a popular street food. One that makes our pride. There’s a griot market boasting piled up meats from several vendors just down the road from my house. This sighting is quite usual in Haiti. It is present in many other locations throughout the country, the most popular ones being Kenscoff, Fermathe and Montrouis. Street vendors line up one next to the other to sell their griot. It even begs the question of who you should buy from. Truth is, most of these griot batches look the same. The vendor you ultimately chose to buy from is a personal choice, often triggered by habit or friend recommendations.

      The griot recipe I am sharing with you for this sandwich might be slightly different from these merchants’ recipe. See, in my family, we like to keep our griot simple. We don’t overcrowd it with seasoning. Our version, as you will soon discover, makes for a tasty griot that maintains all its flavors and juices.

    1. Purple cabbage pikliz:

      As you’ve discovered on the blog before, our pikliz is traditionally prepared with green cabbage. My use of the purple variety is a personal choice. I love the color it brings to the table. It brightens up the sandwich and in return your palate 😉

    2. Fried grated plantain:These fried grated plantain add the perfect crunch to any sandwich. | tchakayiti.com add the perfect crunch to an

      Bananes pesees are undeniably the one side our local griot can’t do without. It should thus be no surprised that I would serve plantains alongside my sandwich.  The only thing is, I did not want to have them on the side. I wanted them to be an integral part of my sandwich. The only way I could accomplish that was to cut my plantains in small bites. That is why I decided to grate them before frying. This method creates bite-sized plantains that make for perfectly crunchy sandwich bites.

There you have it. the three toppings that make the success of this griot fried pork sandwich. They’re the only layers you will need in order to master it. I guarantee you will love it. It will most definitely brighten your office lunch or table.

The ultimate Haitian griot pork sandwich

I like this sandwich in a baguette as much as I like it in pita pockets. But I bet it would be even better with some ciabatta. The choice is ultimately yours. A friend suggested I serve it alongside the thickened meat juice. I don’t think it’s necessary as the sandwich is usually moist enough. But I’m leaving the steps below just in case you want to add some creaminess.
Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 45 minutes
Servings 6 sandwiches

Ingredients
  

For the sandwich

  • 1-2 Baguettes
  • Butter

For the pikliz

  • ½ shredded purple cabbage
  • ½ grated carrot
  • ½ bell pepper sliced
  • ½ onion sliced
  • 1 piment bouc chopped
  • 1 sour orange juice about 2 tbsp
  • 1 lime juice
  • Salt & Pepper to taste

For the griot

  • 2 lbs griot meat pork shoulder
  • ½ cup sour orange juice
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 1 Piment bouc
  • 1 bunch fresh thyme
  • Oil for frying
  • 1-2 cups of water

For the grated plantains

  • 3-4 Green plantains
  • Powdered garlic to taste
  • Salt to taste
  • Oil for frying

Meat juice glaze (optional):

  • Meat cooking liquid
  • 1-2 tbsp cornstarch

Instructions
 

For the pikliz

  • Combine all the vegetables
  • Add the lime and sour orange juices
  • Season with salt and pepper
  • Let marinate while you prepare the meat

For the griot

  • In a pressure cooker, add the pork meat chunks, sour orange juice, thyme, salt, pepper, piment bouc and 1tbsp of oil. Cover with water
  • Cook for about 30 minutes or until tender
  • Once fully strain the liquid. Preserve
  • In a pot, heat about 2 tbsp of oil
  • Add the cooked meat and fry until golden on all sides without letting it crunch too much
  • Shred the meat and set aside

For the plantain

  • Wash and peel the plantain
  • Grate the plantains
  • Season with salt and garlic
  • Heat a generous amount of oil in a pan
  • Drop the grated plantain in the sizzling oil a little bit at a time. Don’t overcrowd the pot or else they will all stick together and won’t crisp up
  • Once your plantains are golden and crispy, take them out of the oil
  • Let cool
  • Separate the chunks, if needed

For the optional meat juice glaze

  • In a pot, add the cornstarch
  • Mix in the meat cooking liquid a few spoons at a time to completely dissolve the cornstarch
  • Simmer on low until the liquid thickens
  • Serve as an optional sauce for the sandwich

For the sandwich

  • Cut the baguettes into about 3 sandwiches each
  • Butter the outer bread
  • Slightly toast it in the oven until the butter has fully melted
  • Stuff with the pork meat and slaw
  • Top with the fried grated plantains
  • Enjoy
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3 Comments

  • martine

    5 stars
    J’aime l’idee de raper le plantain! J’ai toujours eu envie de l’essayer et je le ferai apres avoir vu les photos. Quel est ce drapeau bleu blan rouge sur votre page? En tous cas, merci. Les photos sont sublimes et je pense que nous partageons toutes les deux la meme passion. Bonne continuation et merci pour les astuces. Le sandwich de griot, quel delice et peu connu meme des plus gourmands. Ca m’etonne car c’est vachement bon.

  • tina

    5 stars
    No sandwich in the world tastes better than the griot sandwich. The secret is in the sauce. When the griot 10 to 15 minutes from being ready to fry in its own oil, you remove as much liquid . You add shallots, pepper, lemon and some herbs That is what you add to the sandwich when ready to serve as well as pikliz! To die for

  • Missmo

    Je dirai juste que j’en ai l’eau à la bouche. Encore une excellente idée ma chère.

  • Barbara

    Je vais l’essayer!!

    • annick

      donnez m’en des nouvelles 🙂

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