Skip to main content

Prego Roll

4.4

(4)

Image may contain Burger and Food
Photo by Henry Hargreaves

Chef Julia had never heard of a Prego Roll before she met Dean. Even after he explained it, the sandwich sounded way too simple: garlic, butter, bread, and steak. Like peri peri, the Prego Roll is of Portuguese descent. On the streets of Lisbon and outside any nightclub or bar in Johannesburg, you’ll find vendors grilling steak and slathering garlic butter on a soft bun—heaven. The key to this mouth-watering street food is finding a soft, airy roll to absorb the steak juices. If there is a Portuguese market near you, you’re in luck! If not, look for a soft roll dusted with flour at your local bakery.

Recipe information

  • Total Time

    1 hour, 10 minutes

  • Yield

    4 sandwiches

Ingredients

For the garlic butter:

6 garlic cloves
1 tablespoon packed flat-leaf parsley leaves
Pinch of kosher salt
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

For the sandwich:

1 pound skirt steak, trimmed of excess fat
5 garlic cloves
8 to 10 parsley sprigs
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup olive oil
4 Portuguese rolls
1/2 cup garlic butter

Preparation

  1. For the garlic butter:

    Step 1

    Mince the garlic and finely chop the parsley leaves. Mix the garlic, parsley, and salt into the butter until very well combined. This will keep, refrigerated, for up to 2 weeks.

  2. For the sandwich:

    Step 2

    Cut the steak into 4 equal portions. Smash the garlic cloves using the side of your knife. Pick the parsley leaves and coarsely chop them; set aside. In a small bowl, mix the soy sauce, olive oil, and smashed garlic. Pour over the steak, cover, and marinate for 1 hour or up to 12 hours.

    Step 3

    In a very hot cast-iron skillet, sear each side of the steak, cooking to your preference. (Skirt steak cooks very quickly; for medium, cook for 2 to 3 minutes on each side.) Transfer to a plate when finished. While the meat is resting, wipe out the skillet and set it over low heat.

    Step 4

    Cut each roll in half and liberally butter each side with garlic butter. Toast the rolls, cut side down, until golden brown in color.

    Step 5

    On a cutting board slice the steaks across the grain (lengthwise) into 1-inch strips or pieces. Lay the meat on a roll and top with chopped parsley.

Image may contain: Human, Person, Advertisement, and Poster
Text excerpted from JACK'S WIFE FREDA © 2016 by Maya and Dean Jankelowitz. Recipes by Julia Jaksic. Reproduced by permission of Blue Rider Press, an imprint of Penguin Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Random House LLC. All rights reserved.

See Related Recipes and Cooking Tips

Read More
This comforting cheeseburger-inspired pasta from Kiano Moju is bolstered by berbere spice.
A pinch of sugar in the spice rub ensures picture-perfect grill marks with layers of flavor.
A quick-fix dinner thanks to store-bought tortellini and chicken broth.
A satisfying weeknight dinner from Tiffy Chen. Serve with rice or noodles.
Developed in the 1980s by a chef in Hong Kong, this sauce is all about umami.
In this wafu pasta recipe from author Sonoko Sakai, the only cooking involved is boiling spaghetti.
From author Sonoko Sakai, this Japanese omelet is distinguished by its fluffy layers, with a touch of sweetness from maple syrup.
On this melty toast, the burrata comes in at the end, but it’s most definitely the star.