
Pan con Bistec (Sanguich de Miami-inspired Cuban Steak Sandwich)
User Reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Excellent
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Prep Time
15 mins
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Cook Time
15 mins
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Total Time
55 mins
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Servings
4 sandwich halves (makes 2 full-sized sandwiches)
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Calories
547 kcal
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Course
Main Course, Lunch
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Cuisine
Cuban

Pan con Bistec (Sanguich de Miami-inspired Cuban Steak Sandwich)
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A Cuban classic, Pan con Bistec is a beloved steak sandwich hailing from the Pearl of the Antilles. This version is inspired by the one at Sanguich de Miami, which adds an irresistible mojo rojo spread, gooey Swiss cheese, and finally presses and toasts the sandwich much like a Cubano. If you love Cubano sandwiches, try this Cuban steak sandwich recipe!
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Ingredients
Mojo Rojo:
- 1 red bell pepper
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon crushed chili flakes
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
Pan con Bistec:
- 1 loaf of Cuban bread or soft French bread (or 2 French sandwich rolls)
- 320 grams (11 ¼ ounces / 8 slices) thinly sliced/shaved deli roast beef (best quality you can find)
- 150 grams (5 ¼ ounces) sliced Swiss cheese
- 1 tablespoon melted butter or lard
- 60 grams (2 ounces) potato sticks
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Instructions
Mojo Rojo:
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Place the pepper on a foil-lined baking sheet and roast for about 30 to 35 minutes, flipping over occasionally until the skin is charred and blistered and the pepper is soft. Remove from the oven and either place in a plastic bag or cover with plastic wrap to help soften the skin. Once the pepper has cooled a bit, carefully peel off the skin, then remove the seeds and the stem and discard.
- Transfer the flesh of the roasted red pepper to the jar of a blender. Add all of the ingredients except for the oil and blend until fairly smooth. Then, with the blender running, through the feed in the lid slowly drizzle in the oil and continue to blend until smooth. Stop the blender, then taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
- Scrape into a bowl and set aside until ready to assemble sandwiches. If you don’t plan to make the sandwiches right away, you can cover and refrigerate the mojo. It will thicken more once it’s chilled. Makes about ½ cup.
Pan con Bistec:
- Cut the bread into two approximately 9-to-10-inch lengths (you can first trim off the ends if you’d like) and then cut each piece in half lengthwise all the way through to open it up for sandwich assembly.
- Spread both sides of each pair of bread halves with mojo rojo, then pile half the shaved roasted beef on the bottom half of each sandwich, topped with half the sliced Swiss cheese over each bottom. Place the top half of the bread mojo-side down to close the sandwiches. Press it down gently with your hands to squish it down a little.
- Brush melted butter over the top of the bread and then place in a flat sandwich press or panini press with ridges (not authentic but it will do the trick). You can cook both sandwiches simultaneously if they both fit, or cook them in batches. Lower the lid and let it toast and heat through until the bread is crispy and lightly browned, the cheese is melted, and the beef has heated through, about 5 min or longer as needed. The cheese may take longer to melt all the way through if the bread is fairly thick. Alternatively you can press it on a lightly buttered nonstick pan heated over medium heat with a weight placed on top and then flipped over halfway through.
- Remove the sandwich from the press, open it up in the middle and stuff with half the potato straws. Close it back up, give it another press with your hands, and then cut it in half diagonally with a serrated knife to serve. Repeat with the second sandwich as needed.
Notes
- Bread: Depending on where you live, it can be challenging to find Cuban bread. French bread or even long, soft rolls could work in this recipe. Cuban bread is typically long and flatter than French bread, but you’ll still get pretty close. I used a loaf of French bread with a pretty soft crust (not a typical crusty baguette) and it worked great!
- Steak: Traditional pan con bistec recipes use raw thinly sliced steak which is typically marinated and then fried or sauteed in a pan before assembling. Sanguich de Miami, however, makes their own sous vide beef which is thinly sliced and then piled into sandwiches. A good quality thinly sliced deli roast beef is an acceptable stand-in and the easiest way for a home cook to get a super thin slice/shave without having a meat slicer at home. It looks and tastes pretty close. Make sure to get the best quality store-bought roast beef you can for the best results.
- Swiss Cheese: This is not one of the typical additions, however, I wouldn’t want my sandwich any other way. It borrows the Swiss cheese component from a classic Cubano and I fully support that. If you don’t like cheese, just skip it!
- Potato Sticks: Although they make their own house-made fried shoestring potatoes for stuffing into their sandwich, store-bought crispy potato sticks will work great. It’s what a lot of folks use in their traditional pan con bistec sandwiches to add a crunchy texture and saltiness. Find them in the potato chip/snack aisle of your supermarket, usually either in small bags or cans. Use lightly crushed potato chips if you absolutely can’t find the sticks.
- Red Bell Pepper: I roast my own pepper because it's super easy to do, but if you have a jar of roasted red peppers you could use some of that. You'll need to just estimate approximately how many of the red pepper pieces in the jar would equal about one whole pepper.
- Mojo Rojo: You can make the mojo rojo several days in advance and store in a covered container in the refrigerator. This will make it quick and easy to assemble and cook a sandwich or a couple of sandwiches whenever you are ready.
- Serving Size: These sandwiches are quite large. They may not seem so substantial to the naked eye, but they are very filling and satisfying. This is why I generally recommend one half a sandwich per serving assuming your sandwiches are the same size as mine.
Nutrition Information
Show Details
Serving
0.5sandwich
Calories
547kcal
(27%)
Carbohydrates
22g
(7%)
Protein
31g
(62%)
Fat
37g
(57%)
Saturated Fat
12g
(60%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
5g
Monounsaturated Fat
19g
Cholesterol
85mg
(28%)
Sodium
897mg
(37%)
Potassium
317mg
(9%)
Fiber
2g
(8%)
Sugar
2g
(4%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 4sandwich halves (makes 2 full-sized sandwiches)
Amount Per Serving
Calories 547 kcal
% Daily Value*
Serving | 0.5sandwich | |
Calories | 547kcal | 27% |
Carbohydrates | 22g | 7% |
Protein | 31g | 62% |
Fat | 37g | 57% |
Saturated Fat | 12g | 60% |
Polyunsaturated Fat | 5g | 29% |
Monounsaturated Fat | 19g | 95% |
Cholesterol | 85mg | 28% |
Sodium | 897mg | 37% |
Potassium | 317mg | 7% |
Fiber | 2g | 8% |
Sugar | 2g | 4% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Genuine Reviews
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5.0
3 reviews
Excellent
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