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Bocadillo de Frankfurt

The Catalan sausage sandwich that chose crusty baguettes over soft buns.

Flag of SpainOrigin: Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
Bocadillo de Frankfurt illustrated hot dog icon

Origin region: Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain

The anatomy

Vessel
Pan de Viena
Sausage
Beechwood-smoked pork frankfurt in sheep casing
Region
Catalonia
Ingredients

The Bocadillo de Frankfurt is Catalonia's response to the soft-bun American hotdog. It places a griddled, beechwood-smoked pork sausage inside a light, crusty white roll called Pan de Viena, which is toasted directly in the rendered fats on a flat-top plancha. This yields a crisp, firm sandwich with a loud snap when bitten. The preparation is canonical across specialized neighborhood bars in Barcelona and Terrassa, where people eat them standing up at metallic counters. Heat a heavy flat-top griddle or cast-iron plancha to medium-high heat. Lightly coat the surface with a tiny amount of oil or pork fat. Place the Frankfurt sausage on the hot plancha and roll it frequently until the casing browns and plumps. Slice the Pan de Viena lengthwise, leaving one edge connected, and place it face-down on the griddle next to the sausage to toast and absorb the juices. Slide the grilled sausage into the toasted roll. Drizzle with yellow mustard, spicy ketchup, and a splash of savory Viandox sauce. Wrap the bottom half tightly in a paper napkin and serve hot.

Method

  1. 1Heat a heavy flat-top griddle or cast-iron plancha to medium-high heat and coat with a tiny amount of oil or pork fat.
  2. 2Place the whole Frankfurt sausage on the hot plancha and roll it frequently so the casing browns evenly and plumps.
  3. 3Slice the crusty Pan de Viena lengthwise, keeping one edge connected to form a hinge.
  4. 4Place the open roll face-down on the hot griddle directly next to the sausage to toast the inner crumb and absorb the fats.
  5. 5If using cheese, drape a slice of Emmental directly over the sausage on the griddle to melt.
  6. 6Lift the toasted roll off the griddle and slide the grilled sausage directly into the bread.
  7. 7Drizzle the sausage with yellow mustard, spicy ketchup, and a splash of Viandox.
  8. 8Tuck in sliced pickled gherkins and spoon warm caramelized onions or crispy fried onions over the top if desired.
  9. 9Close the sandwich, press gently, wrap the bottom half tightly in a paper napkin, and serve immediately.

Sources

Controversies

La Guerra del Frankfurt: A legal and corporate supply-chain war between Casa Valles and Zander Foods.

Our take: A corporate dispute over sausage supply lines which ended in a bankruptcy and a 1.6 million euro lawsuit. We do not care about the boardroom politics, as long as the sheep-casing sausages keep snapping on the plancha.

The Cradle of the Frankfurt: Terrassa versus Barcelona regional rivalry.

Our take: Terrassa claims the title because Isidre Valles opened the first dedicated bar there in 1963. Barcelona gets the tourist traffic, but Terrassa has the historical receipt. We side with Terrassa on the history, but we eat wherever the plancha is hottest.

The Identity War: Catalan Frankfurt versus American Hot Dog.

Our take: Do not call this a hotdog in Barcelona. The local resistance to the US Navy's soft buns was a victory for texture. A crusty baguette wins over sweet, squishy bread every day.