Name: Pan con Bistec with American Cheese
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 60 min
Yield: 4 sandwiches
Cuisine: Cuban
Ingredients: 2 lb beef steak, very thin, palomilla, milanesa, or similar; 3 lime limes, juice of 3, zest of 1; 1 half lime, charred, for juice; 6 cloves garlic, 3 cloves raw and finely grated, 3 cloves garlic confit; 2 tsp kosher salt; 1 tsp freshly cracked black pepper; 3/4 tsp ground cumin; 1/2 tsp dried oregano; 1/4 tsp ground coriander; 3/4 tsp smoked paprika; 3/4 tsp soy sauce or Worcestershire; 1 1/2 tbsp neutral oil; 1 tbsp olive oil; 1 loaf Cuban bread, cut into 4 sections; 3/4 large sweet onion, thinly sliced; 6 slices American cheese; 2 cups iceberg lettuce, shredded; 1 large tomato, sliced; 1 cup crispy potato sticks; 3/4 cup mayonnaise; 1/2 lime lime, zest only; 3/4 tsp fresh lime juice; 2 tsp fresh cilantro, finely chopped; 1 pinch kosher salt; 2 tbsp reduced beef stock

Steps

Char the lime: Cut a lime in half and sear cut side down in a hot dry skillet until deeply browned. Let cool slightly and squeeze. This gives sweetness and reduces sharp acidity. 5 min
Make garlic confit: Gently cook garlic in olive oil over very low heat until soft and lightly golden. Mash into a paste. Reserve oil. 10 min
Marinate the steak: Combine fresh lime juice, charred lime juice, lime zest, raw garlic, garlic confit, kosher salt, black pepper, ground cumin, dried oregano, ground coriander, smoked paprika, soy sauce or Worcestershire, neutral oil, and reserved garlic oil. Coat beef steak evenly and marinate 45 to 90 minutes. Thin steak does not benefit from longer.
Make aioli: Mix mayonnaise, lime zest, fresh lime juice, fresh cilantro, and kosher salt. Chill. 5 min
Cook onions: Cook sweet onion over medium heat with a pinch of kosher salt until soft and lightly caramelized. You want sweetness to balance the citrus. 15 min
Hard sear steak: Raise heat to medium-high or high. Cook beef steak quickly in batches in a single layer, about 60 to 90 seconds per side. Return sweet onion to pan. If using reduced beef stock, add now and toss just until glossy. 10 min
Melt cheese: Lay American cheese over steak mixture. Cover briefly to melt. 2 min
Prepare Cuban bread: Cut the full loaf into 4 equal sections. Slice each section lengthwise. Lightly toast cut sides in a dry skillet or with a very small amount of butter. You want crisp exterior and soft interior, not a hard crust. 5 min
Assemble: Spread lime and herb aioli on both sides of Cuban bread. Pile beef steak and sweet onion generously. Add iceberg lettuce, tomato, and a heavy handful of crispy potato sticks. Close, press gently, and serve immediately. 5 min

Chef's notes

Steak must register an internal temp of 145°F for food safety, but at palomilla thickness it will hit that well before 90 seconds per side -- pull it the moment both sides lose their raw color or it will toughen fast; carryover heat finishes the job. Prep in this order: char the lime and start the garlic confit first, then build the marinade while the confit cools, so everything is ready before the steak goes in. The most common mistake is over-marinating: the citrus acid begins to denature the thin steak past 90 minutes, giving it a mealy, ceviche-like texture instead of a tender sear. If Cuban bread is unavailable, a soft hoagie or Portuguese roll is the closest substitute -- avoid ciabatta or sourdough, whose hard crust fights the soft steak filling. The aioli and caramelized onions can both be made up to 2 days ahead and refrigerated; sear the steak to order and assemble just before serving so the Cuban bread stays crisp and the potato sticks stay crunchy.

Source: Gaither

Pan con Bistec with American Cheese

Ingredients

Steak and Marinade

Sandwich Components

Lime and Herb Aioli

Optional Depth Enhancer

Nutrition per serving, estimated

Cost estimated, main ingredients · US average

Steps

Chef's notes

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