Rancho Português attracts crowds with its Bairrada piglet recipe in SP

One of the symbols of Portuguese gastronomy, Leitão à Bairrada emerged in the 17th century, when pig farming became a surplus in the Portuguese region, from Coimbra to the coast. The oldest record is a preparation made in a convent in 1743, found in a notebook of recipes at the Monastery of Lorvão.

The cooking step by step remains almost unchanged until today, and the Rancho Português restaurant brought this tradition to São Paulo. Since 2013, when the house was inaugurated on Avenida dos Bandeirantes, the dish has been served strictly following centuries of preparation — and this, of course, is the local finding. “The pig is an exclusive creation. It weighs from seven to eight kilos and is roasted for two and a half hours”, reveals the general manager, Valdeci Castro.

The meat is seasoned with a marinade of salt, pepper, lard, garlic and white wine. “We inject this sauce into the meat, sew the piglet and put it in the oven. This makes the skin crunchy, but it keeps everything juicy inside.” At the table, the pig is cut into cubes and served with a green leafy salad with grated onions, carrots and red cabbage, as well as chips and orange slices. The entire portion, which serves up to ten people, costs R$1,070. There are options for two people (R$225) and single (R$112).

The menu also features 40 other Portuguese recipes, including 15 cod variations. To finish off the meal, the waiters bring customers a huge tray with the complete selection of desserts from the house. It’s hard to choose: there’s bacon from heaven, pastel de santa clara, cream from heaven, toast (all for R$25), in addition to pastel de nata (R$11).

The spacious and noisy hall holds up to 270 people and also includes an emporium and cellar space – around 800 Portuguese wine labels from all regions of the country are available. The decor has an Iberian inspiration, with typical tiles and stained glass.