On Saturday, September 13, Spanish streamer Ibai Llanos announced the winner of his viral Breakfast World Cup: Pan con Chicharrón. This recognition only confirms the quality, variety, and taste of a cuisine that has won over palates around the world: Peruvian food. In response, the government has created the National Day of Pan con Chicharrón, to be celebrated on the second Sunday of September.
Peru’s Ministry of Agrarian Development and Irrigation (Midagri) has officially established the “National Day of Pan con Chicharrón de Cerdo Peruano,” to be observed every second Sunday of September. The measure, published in the official newspaper El Peruano, was approved just days after the dish won the Breakfast World Cup, a contest with votes from countries across all five continents to choose the world’s most beloved typical breakfast.
The regulation sets out nationwide information campaigns, partnerships with beekeepers’ associations, coordination with regional governments, and food festivals across all regions of Peru. The aim is to increase pork consumption in the national diet and, at the same time, raise the international profile of traditional Peruvian dishes like pan con chicharrón.
In addition, Ibai Llanos announced that he will travel to Peru following the victory to present the award to the relevant authorities. This recognition further strengthens the standing Peruvian cuisine has built over the years, placing it alongside major culinary traditions such as French, Italian, Mexican, Chinese, and Japanese cuisine.
Pan con Chicharrón Recipe
To simmer the pork belly
- 1 kg. pork belly
- 3 L. water
- 1 tbsp. salt
- 1 tbsp. sugar
- 2 tsp. turmeric (palillo)
- 1 tsp. whole black peppercorns
- 1 tsp. ground black pepper
To fry/brown
- 1 L. oil
To serve
- 3 sweet potatoes
- French rolls
Directions
Place the pork belly in a bowl. Add the salt, sugar, turmeric, and ground black pepper, and let it marinate.
Fill a pot with water and add 1 tsp of whole black pepper. Add the pork and simmer for about 40 minutes.
Remove the cooked pork pieces from the pot. Heat the oil in a skillet, then fry the pork (chicharrón) and the sweet potato slices.
Once fried, transfer the chicharrón to a tray and slice it.
Split the rolls and fill them with sweet potato (camote), chicharrón, and salsa criolla (Peruvian onion relish) to taste. Enjoy!
