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1 lb
top sirloin steak, thinly pounded
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2 tbsp
lime juice
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2
garlic cloves, minced
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1 tsp
salt
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1/2 tsp
ground cumin
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2 tbsp
olive oil
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1
yellow onion, thinly sliced
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2 rolls
Cuban bread rolls, halved
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1
tomato, sliced
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1 cup
shoe-string potato sticks
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1
Combine 2 tbsp lime juice, 2 minced garlic cloves, 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp ground cumin in a bowl, then coat 1 lb thinly pounded top sirloin steak and marinate for 15 minutes.
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2
Heat half of the 2 tbsp olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.
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3
Add 1 thinly sliced yellow onion and cook until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes, then remove from skillet.
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4
Add remaining 2 tbsp olive oil to the skillet and sear 1 lb thinly pounded top sirloin steak for 1 to 2 minutes per side until browned and internal temperature reaches 145 F.
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5
Toast 2 rolls halved Cuban bread rolls cut-side down in the hot skillet until warm and lightly crisp.
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6
Assemble sandwiches by layering cooked top sirloin steak, sautéed yellow onion, 1 sliced tomato, and 1 cup shoe-string potato sticks inside the toasted Cuban bread rolls.
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About Pan con Bistec
Also called: Cuban steak sandwich, bistec sandwich, pan con bistec cubano
Pan con bistec is a Cuban steak sandwich: a thin steak marinated in lime, garlic and cumin, seared hard and fast, then layered into toasted Cuban bread with soft onions, tomato and shoestring potato sticks. The potato sticks are the part people remember. They add salt and crunch against the soft bread and juicy steak.
The steak is pounded thin before it is marinated, which is why the sear in this recipe takes only 1 to 2 minutes per side. A thin palomilla-style cut such as top sirloin cooks through before it toughens, and the lime in the marinade seasons the surface rather than cooking it, because it only sits for 15 minutes. It is sold at Cuban cafeterias and sandwich counters in Miami and elsewhere, usually pressed or toasted, and eaten as lunch. This version toasts the rolls cut-side down in the same skillet, so the bread picks up the steak and onion drippings.
Serving and keeping
Serve hot, right after assembly, while the potato sticks are still crisp. The cooked steak and onions keep 2 days in the fridge; reheat them briefly in a skillet and build the sandwich fresh.
Variations
Pressed
Assemble the sandwich, then press it in a sandwich press or under a heavy skillet for 2 to 3 minutes per side, the way many Cuban cafeterias serve it.
With cheese
Lay a slice of Swiss or white American cheese on the steak while it rests in the skillet so it melts before assembly.
With mojo onions
Add a splash of sour orange juice or extra lime to the onions in their last minute in the pan.
If it goes wrong
Steak is chewy
It was cut too thick or cooked too long. Pound it to about 1/4 inch and keep the sear to 1 to 2 minutes per side over medium-high heat.
Steak steams instead of browning
Pat it dry after the marinade and make sure the remaining olive oil is shimmering before the steak goes in. Cook one piece at a time if the skillet is small.
Bread goes soggy
Toast the rolls cut-side down until crisp, as in step 5, and add the tomato and potato sticks just before serving.
Substitutions
- top sirloin steak: thin-cut round steak (palomilla) or flank steak. Round is leaner and needs the full pounding; flank should be sliced across the grain after cooking.
- Cuban bread rolls: soft French or Italian hoagie rolls. Cuban bread is lighter with a thin crust; denser rolls make a heavier sandwich.
- lime juice: sour orange juice. Closer to a Cuban mojo marinade, slightly sweeter.
Questions
How much time should I plan for Pan con Bistec?
As written, 30 minutes: 20 of prep and 10 of cooking. The longest single stretch is the hands-off wait in step 1, 15 minutes.
What internal temperature should Pan con Bistec reach?
For Pan con Bistec, the target internal temperature is 145 F (about 65 C), given in step 4. A probe thermometer removes the guesswork.
How long should Pan con Bistec marinate?
Follow the time in step 1. Shorter still seasons the surface. Much longer is not better with acidic marinades, which turn the outside of meat or fish mushy.
Can I make Pan con Bistec gluten-free?
Yes. The gluten in Pan con Bistec is 2 rolls Cuban bread rolls, halved. Swap the bread or crumbs for a gluten-free loaf or gluten-free panko. Everything else proceeds as written.
How much protein is in Pan con Bistec?
One serving (the recipe makes 2) has 42 g of protein in about 580 calories, alongside 54 g carbohydrate and 22 g fat, plus 3 g fiber and 890 mg sodium. The figures are estimates computed from the ingredient list. More like it: the high-protein lunch collection.
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