How to Make Bife à Portuguesa

Bife à Portuguesa
with triple cooked molho de ajo potatoes and red wine sauce

Ingredients:

• 2.5-3lb Single Bone Rib Roast or Bone-in Ribeye Steak
• ½ cup red wine
• ½ cup red wine vinegar
• ¼ cup of sugar
• 3 toasted bay leaves, divided
• 1 tablespoon toasted black peppercorns
• ½ cup minced garlic
• ¾ cup olive oil
• 1 minced red chili
• ¼ cup lemon juice
• 2lb Yukon gold potatoes, cut into wedges
• 3 whole cloves of garlic 
• Kosher salt
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• Cheesecloth or mesh spice bag

Preparation:

Add the red wine, red wine vinegar, and sugar to a pot. Bring to a boil and drop to simmer. Add the peppercorns and 2 bay leaves to a sachet made from cheesecloth or a mesh spice bag and add to the reducing red wine mixture. Reduce by half, stirring occasionally, set aside, and remove the sachet.

Heat a small sauce pot over medium heat and add the minced garlic, olive oil, and minced chili. Cook together until the garlic becomes tender and very fragrant but not browned, 5-7 minutes. Remove from heat, let cool, then stir in lemon juice.

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. In a large pot, add the potatoes, whole cloves of garlic, 1 bay leaf, and a handful of salt, and cover with water. Bring to a boil, then drop to a simmer and cook until tender, 20-25 minutes.

Drain the potatoes and dry on a baking sheet lined with paper towels. Add the potatoes to a large mixing bowl with lid (or use a plate) and shake to break the potato surface a little bit. Toss the potatoes in a few spoonfuls of molho de ajo and roast on a baking sheet at 400 degrees F for 25-30 minutes until golden brown. Remove from the oven and season with salt to taste.

Season your steak with salt and pepper. Heat a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Cook the steaks for 3-4 minutes on the first side. Flip, then add butter, garlic, and thyme to the pan. Baste the steaks with melted butter until you have reached an internal temperature of 125 degrees F. Rest for 10-15 minutes, then slice.

In another pan fry 2 sunny side eggs. Serve potato wedges on bottom, drizzle with molho de ajo, top with sliced steak, then the fried eggs and drizzle red wine sauce on and around the steak and eggs.

Add the red wine, red wine vinegar, and sugar to a pot. Bring to a boil and drop to simmer. Add the peppercorns and bay leaves to a sachet made from cheesecloth or a mesh spice bag and add to the reducing red wine mixture. Reduce by half, set aside, and remove the sachet.

Add the minced garlic, olive oil, and minced chili in a small sauce pot and heat over medium heat until garlic becomes tender and very fragrant but not browned. Remove from heat and add lemon juice to the mixture when cooled.

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. In a large pot, add the potatoes, whole cloves of garlic, 1 toasted fresh bay leaf, and a handful of salt, and cover with water. Bring to a boil and drop to a simmer until tender, 20-25 minutes.

Drain and dry the potatoes on a baking sheet lined with paper towels. Add the potatoes to the mixing bowl with lid (or use a plate) and shake to break the potato surface a little bit. Toss the potatoes in a few spoonfuls of molho de ajo and roast on a baking sheet at 400 degrees F for 25-30 minutes until golden brown. Remove from the oven and season with salt to taste.

Season your steak with salt and pepper. Sear in a skillet over medium heat 3-4 minutes per sides adding 2 tablespoons of butter, a crushed clove of garlic, and a few thyme sprigs to the pan after you flip to the second side. Basting the steak with melted butter until you have reached an internal temperature of 125. Rest for 10-15 minutes before slicing.

In another pan fry 2 sunny side eggs. Serve potato wedges on bottom drizzle with molho de ajo, top with sliced steak, with fried eggs and drizzle red wine sauce on and around the steak and eggs.