The Bitoque

Portuguese steak & fries dish.

Bitoque is probably one of the strongest childhood food memories for Portuguese people, it’s basically the national steak‑and‑fries. Think a simple pan‑seared beef steak finished with its quick, lacquered pan sauce, crowned with a fried egg and served alongside crisp, salty fries. It’s unfussy, comforting and reliably delicious, the kind of dish families order for kids at a restaurant and somehow always makes an ordinary meal feel like a little celebration.

Traditionally, bitoque is steak, fries and an egg, often with rice and salad on the side but restaurant versions vary wildly. Are we being fully traditional? We’ll try, but honestly every bitoque I order is different: sometimes charred on the grill with no sauce, sometimes with pickles, sometimes not, sometimes it’s French fries, sometimes chips.. Here, we’re zeroing in on what matters most to me, the meat, the glossy pan sauce, the fries and that runny egg, simple, reliably satisfying, and utterly Portuguese.

Difficulty: Easy
Time prepping: 30m
Material needed: Mandolin (fries)

Serves 2:

• 1 nice piece of sirloin (about 200g), or 2 smaller ones

• 3 large size potatoes (about 700g)

• 500ml frying oil