Prego no Pão
(PREH-goo no pow)
The Weeknight Tasca: Quick Bites & Sandwiches
Three minutes. Walk into any tile-lined tasca in Portugal, and you'll be handed a cold beer and a Prego no Pão. Diaspora folklore claims the sandwich was named for literally hammering garlic into cheap beef. Nonsense. The real secret lies entirely in what happens after the garlic hisses inside a cast-iron skillet. By searing a thin steak blisteringly fast, then emulsifying the drippings with white wine, butter, and mustard, you create a glossy sauce. You press a toasted papo-seco roll directly into that hot skillet to soak up every last drop of flavor. Slather the top bun with cheap yellow mustard and eat it standing up.
Before you start
Temper the beef.
Remove the steaks from the fridge 15 minutes before cooking.
Score the fat cap.
If the steaks have a thick band of fat on the edge, make small slits with a knife to prevent them from curling up like a bowl in the hot pan.
Ingredients
- thin-cut sirloin or top round steaks2 med
- crusty French or ciabatta rolls2 med
- olive oil2 tbsp
- unsalted butter2 tbsp
- garlic cloves4 large
- dry white wine1/4 cup
- yellow or Dijon mustard1 tsp
- coarse sea salt1 tsp
- black pepper1/2 tsp
Method
- 01
Season the steaks.
Generously season both sides of the beef with coarse salt and freshly cracked black pepper right before they hit the pan.
- 02
Sear the beef hard and fast.
Place a large stainless steel or cast iron skillet over medium-high heat and add the olive oil. Once it shimmers and nearly smokes, add the steaks. Sear for exactly 1 to 1 1/2 minutes per side to build a brown crust without overcooking the center. Transfer to a resting plate.
- 03
Bloom the garlic.
Reduce the heat to medium, toss the smashed garlic cloves directly into the beef drippings, and let them sizzle for 30 seconds.
- 04
Deglaze the pan.
Pour in the white wine, using a wooden spoon to scrape up all the caramelized fond from the bottom of the skillet. Let it bubble and reduce by half, about 1 minute.
- 05
Emulsify the tasca sauce.
Add the butter and mustard to the bubbling wine. Stir vigorously and constantly. This continuous motion forces the butter fat and wine to bind into a thick, glossy sauce rather than a broken, greasy mess.
- 06
Bathe the steaks.
Return the steaks and any accumulated resting juices to the pan. Turn them once to coat perfectly in the sauce, then transfer back to the plate and kill the heat.
- 07
Toast the bread in the drippings.
Place the rolls cut-side down directly into the warm, residual pan sauce. Press them gently so they act like sponges, soaking up the garlic and beef flavor while getting a lightly toasted edge.
- 08
Assemble the sandwich.
Place the sauce-soaked steak on the bottom roll, top with the smashed garlic cloves from the pan, and cap it off. Serve immediately.
Notes
Skip the long marinades.
Many Americanized recipes soak the beef in wine and vinegar for hours. Authentic tasca cooks advise against this, as the acid cooks the thin meat and makes it gray and tough. Let the exterior pan sauce do the heavy lifting.
Customize with respect.
Adding a slice of cured ham (presunto) or a fried egg on top of the steak before closing the bun is a highly respected, traditional variation. Keep cheese far away from this sandwich, as it ruins the delicate balance of the garlic and wine.