Francesinha (Porto Steak and Sausage Sandwich)
In short: A toasted sandwich of steak, ham and smoked sausage under melted cheese and a fried egg, drowned in a spiced beer and tomato sauce. It takes about 1 h 15 min in total and makes 4 servings.
- Prep
- 35 min
- Cook
- 40 min
- Total
- 1 h 15 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 1000 kcal
The francesinha is the great sandwich of Porto, eaten with a knife and fork and a cold lager. Steak, ham and smoked sausage sit between slices of bread, a blanket of cheese is melted over the top, and a fried egg crowns it. The hot, slightly spiced beer and tomato sauce poured over everything is what the dish is really about. It is a heavy meal, so plan to share the fries.
Instructions
- Make the sauce: cook the onion in the olive oil over medium heat for 8 minutes until soft, adding the garlic for the last minute. Stir in the tomato paste, paprika and bay leaf for 1 minute.
- Pour in the beer, passata, port, crumbled stock cube and hot sauce. Simmer for 20 minutes until reduced by about a third. Remove the bay leaf, blend until smooth and season to taste. Keep warm.
- Season the steaks with salt and pepper. Sear them in a hot oiled pan for 1 to 2 minutes per side until cooked through (pork should reach 63°C / 145°F), then rest on a plate. Brown the sausage halves for 2 minutes per side.
- Heat the oven to 220°C (425°F). Set 4 slices of bread on a tray. Top each with a slice of ham, a steak and two sausage halves, then a slice of cheese and a second slice of bread. Lay a second slice of cheese on top.
- Bake for 6 to 8 minutes until the cheese has melted and bubbles at the edges.
- Fry the eggs sunny-side up in a lightly oiled pan until the whites are set and the yolks are still runny.
- Move each sandwich to a deep plate, top with a fried egg and ladle over plenty of the hot sauce. Serve with fries, a knife and a fork.
Tips
- Every family tweaks the sauce. Add a splash more beer for a lighter sauce, or more hot sauce if you like heat.
- Make the sauce up to 3 days ahead and reheat it gently. It tastes rounder after a night in the fridge.
Questions and answers
Is a francesinha spicy?
Only mildly. The beer and tomato sauce has a gentle warmth from paprika and a little hot sauce, which you can reduce or leave out.
Can I make francesinha without beer?
Yes. Replace the beer with the same amount of beef stock and a splash of vinegar. The sauce will lose a little of its malty depth but still works.
What do you serve with francesinha?
Fries on the side are standard and a cold lager is the usual drink. The sandwich is filling, so most people skip dessert.
How long does it take to make Francesinha (Porto Steak and Sausage Sandwich)?
About 1 h 15 min in total: 35 min of preparation and 40 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Francesinha (Porto Steak and Sausage Sandwich)?
About 1000 kcal per serving, with 62 g of protein, 45 g of carbohydrates and 62 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 1000 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 62 g |
| Carbohydrates | 45 g |
| Fat | 62 g |
| Fiber | 3 g |
| Sugar | 7 g |
| Sodium | 2200 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
