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PortugueseAuthentic Cuisine

Prego no Pão

Serves 4 to 6 Entree meat

Prego no Pão

Prego no Pão is a cherished staple of Lisboa's cervejarias, where the aroma of sizzling steaks and garlic fills the air. This version captures the spirit of home cooking, bringing the lively streets of Lisbon to your kitchen. No precise measurements or elaborate presentations here — just the essence of a Portuguese family gathering, where amounts are guided by instinct and taste.

Each bite offers tender beef infused with garlic and the subtle depth of dry white wine, sandwiched between crusty papo secos. The butter adds richness, while mustard provides a gentle kick. Seasoned with sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper, it's a simple pleasure that speaks volumes with every mouthful.

Ingredients

  • 4thin beef sirloin steaks
  • 6 clovesgarlic — crushed with the flat of a knife
  • 2bay leaves
  • 120 mldry white wine
  • 4papo secos — split
  • 40 gbutter
  • 1 tbspmustard
  • to tastefine sea salt and black pepper

Method

  1. Begin by preparing the marinade for the steaks. Peel and finely slice 6 cloves of garlic. In a shallow dish, combine the sliced garlic with 120 ml dry white wine and 2 bay leaves. Season the 4 thin beef sirloin steaks with fine sea salt and black pepper to taste, then place them in the marinade, ensuring they are well-coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight, to allow the flavors to penetrate the meat thoroughly.
  2. When ready to cook, remove the steaks from the marinade and pat them dry with paper towels. Reserve the marinade for later use. Heat a large frying pan over medium-high heat and add enough olive oil to coat the bottom. Once the oil is shimmering, add the steaks in batches to avoid overcrowding. Cook each steak for about 1-2 minutes per side until they are browned and develop a crust. Remove the steaks from the pan and set aside.
  3. In the same pan, reduce the heat to medium and add 40 g of butter. Once the butter has melted, add the reserved garlic slices from the marinade. Cook the garlic gently until it becomes soft and fragrant, being careful not to let it burn.
  4. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in 1 tablespoon of mustard, mixing it well with the garlic and butter. Return the pan to the heat and pour in the reserved marinade, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. This will deglaze the pan and add depth to the sauce.
  5. Return the steaks to the pan, nestling them into the sauce. Lower the heat to a gentle simmer and cover the pan. Allow the steaks to braise for about 10 minutes, turning them halfway through, until they are tender and the sauce has thickened slightly.
  6. While the steaks are braising, prepare the papo secos by slicing them open without cutting all the way through. Toast them lightly if desired.
  7. Once the steaks are tender, taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning with more salt and pepper if needed. Remove the bay leaves from the sauce.
  8. To assemble the Prego no Pão, place each steak inside a papo seco, spooning some of the sauce over the meat. Serve immediately, allowing the bread to soak up the flavorful juices.
Cover of Authentic Portuguese Cuisine
From the cookbook

Authentic Portuguese Cuisine

This recipe is from Authentic Portuguese Cuisine by Yassine Sbiti — the Portuguese volume in the ComidaTime International Cuisines series.

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