A Francesinha

January 19, 2017 3:34 AM

When picturing a francesinha, imagine a croque monsieur — the delicious baked or grilled French ham and cheese sandwich — that got extremely angry, hulked out into a muscle-bound edible behemoth and was then doused by the attendant cook with a zesty beer-and-tomato sauce to prevent any further, monsterlike growth.

Portugal's Glorious Calorie Bomb of a Sandwich
Porto’s francesinha sandwich is a gut buster
Francesinha (Portuguese Sandwich)
Vegan francesinha (English)
Vegan francesinha (Portuguese)
Xef cooking Vegetarian Francesinha and Caipirinha (ft Restepa) [NSFW - language]
Related: People Try Portuguese Food For The First Time [BuzzFeed]

posted by chavenet (38 comments total)

OH. MY. GOD.

My heart may stop just looking at the pictures.
posted by GenjiandProust at 4:06 AM on January 19, 2017 [1 favorite]

I served it traditionally with chips rather than salad – no point introducing vitamins into this feast unnecessarily!
posted by GenjiandProust at 4:09 AM on January 19, 2017 [2 favorites]

the francesinha
meat and cheese
is destin'd for
my belly plz

if it will not
my hungr sate
i hav a plan

i lik the plate
posted by Faint of Butt at 4:20 AM on January 19, 2017 [70 favorites]

Have had a few the couple times I've been to Porto. They are excellent, and not as horrific of bodily effect as some internet writers would have you believe, I swear.
posted by ominous_paws at 4:30 AM on January 19, 2017 [3 favorites]

Looks wonderful.
posted by octothorpe at 4:33 AM on January 19, 2017

My mother-in-law took us to Portugal (her father was a Lisboeta) a while back, but her tastes run toward fine dining* so I didn't see this on any menus. Next time we're there (she's already planning a return trip with her new granddaughter), I might have to sneak off and try one of these.

*I did manage to have some migas at an Alentejo restaurant that had as much lard as I will ever need to eat in my life, and I'm not anti-lard by any means.
posted by Bulgaroktonos at 5:08 AM on January 19, 2017 [1 favorite]

Give it me.

Give it me NOW.
posted by bitter-girl.com at 5:50 AM on January 19, 2017 [3 favorites]

Don't like it. More of a tripas and rojões guy myself.

I do like the sauce, however.
posted by lmfsilva at 6:06 AM on January 19, 2017 [1 favorite]

I once heard it said that Portugal's only significant exports are cork and wine. Now it's cork, wine, and this sandwich.
posted by tobascodagama at 6:11 AM on January 19, 2017 [1 favorite]

Looks like a Portuguese horseshoe, i.e., yes, please.
posted by DrAstroZoom at 6:31 AM on January 19, 2017 [1 favorite]

Had one when I visited Porto last year. They are indeed delicious, but, anticipating what a calorie bomb they can be, I didn't eat the entire day before trying one (not really a healthy way to plan your caloric intake, I realize, but let me live)...and I still couldn't finish.
posted by imnotasquirrel at 6:47 AM on January 19, 2017

No inclination to ever try this, I must say.

My in-laws are Lisbon-ites anyways and so sort of sniff their nose at this northern portugal stuff. Aside from Barrosa meat and Douro wine of course.
posted by vacapinta at 6:50 AM on January 19, 2017

Had one at Vinhais after walking from Zamora on my way to Santiago. Could not finish it. Next day was planning to make the Spanish border, but collapsed half way in Edral with tummy trouble.

It seemed like a good idea at the time.
posted by garbanzilla at 7:10 AM on January 19, 2017

Showed this to a meat-eating friend who likened it to "if a cubano and a lasagna had a baby." Tonight I think I will suffer delicious nightmares.
posted by Mooseli at 7:17 AM on January 19, 2017 [2 favorites]

Oh, god. I'm going to Portugal in March.

I'm going to die, aren't I?
posted by The Gaffer at 7:25 AM on January 19, 2017 [3 favorites]

I would never eat this in public but I would eat this at home, sauce dripping from my nose, chin and fingers, with the utmost pleasure.
posted by h00py at 7:35 AM on January 19, 2017 [1 favorite]

in my heart, I have a soft spot for these

it's right below the stent
posted by lalochezia at 7:36 AM on January 19, 2017 [18 favorites]

if a cubano and a lasagna had a baby

I have found my everest
posted by ominous_paws at 7:38 AM on January 19, 2017 [6 favorites]

We are going to Porto in September 2017.
Gostariamos de comer a Francesinha.
posted by davebarnes at 7:40 AM on January 19, 2017

I have just started my workout regimen diet, which involves frequent small meals in well regulated quantities and what I am saying more or less is that I wish to perform an unnatural act with this sandwich.
posted by louche mustachio at 7:56 AM on January 19, 2017 [3 favorites]

I would eat this in a park, I would eat this after dark.
posted by h00py at 8:14 AM on January 19, 2017 [6 favorites]

I was just reading about this sandwich in some other context and yearrrrrrrrrning over it. Yearning, I tell you!
posted by praemunire at 8:16 AM on January 19, 2017

Oh Jesus Christ. First MeTa discussion introduces me to the Cubano and now this? Are you all trying to kill me?

(How many coronary arteries does one really need anyway?)
posted by Quindar Beep at 8:21 AM on January 19, 2017

Is this why the movie is called that?
posted by skwt at 8:24 AM on January 19, 2017

This sandwich looks delicious! But I always wonder with something like this; is it really necessary to mix ham, linguiça, fresh sausage, and steak? Can you taste all four meats? Wouldn't it be just as good but without the ham?
posted by Nelson at 9:03 AM on January 19, 2017

This is not a foodstuff I've heard of before.

An emergency google tells me that I could be here in 48 minutes.
And maybe I will be....
posted by Just this guy, y'know at 9:06 AM on January 19, 2017 [1 favorite]

"if a cubano and a lasagna had a baby."

My first reaction was that a stoner who likes burritos mojado and croque monsieur came up with this.
posted by BrotherCaine at 10:02 AM on January 19, 2017 [2 favorites]

I never thought of making a marinara with beer, and now that so appeals to me, I think a thick sweet ale of some kind, with red pepper sauce, ohhh and capers, lemon, ummmm, maybe some plum in there. I didn't see a recipe for the sauce. The Cubano has been a fave of mine for a while. I think you could make that sandwich in a pie pan, for family meals. Imagine a Saturday winter breakfast with eggs on top, leftover roast. Yeah.
posted by Oyéah at 10:49 AM on January 19, 2017 [3 favorites]

I would eat this at home, sauce dripping from my nose, chin and fingers, with the utmost pleasure.

... and with a napkin over your head, to hide your shame from God.
posted by DevilsAdvocate at 11:21 AM on January 19, 2017 [13 favorites]

I didn't see a recipe for the sauce.

Since the rest of the recipe is pretty forwards (layer bread, sliced ham, beef, linguiça, cheese), the sauce is almost a trade secret for the restaurants that do it well (and, well, I've heard my share of bad blood over restaurants trying to copy recipes from each other). It's essentially a refogado with tomato pulp, hot piri piri sauce and beer added. Then there's the variations that have other spirits in (wine, whiskey, brandy), instant seafood soup, Worcestershire sauce, corn starch for thickness, and whatever. Everyone has their own recipe, and there's no such thing as a definitive version, but there's plenty of people waiting to say a version is wrong.

If anyone wants to get a reference point, there's a couple brands of bottled sauce, and Portuguese supermarkets might carry it. I once bought one to eat with fries, with no regrets.
posted by lmfsilva at 12:01 PM on January 19, 2017 [2 favorites]

Having just discovered the Gatsby I see another weekend culinary adventure on the horizon.
posted by Dr. Twist at 1:01 PM on January 19, 2017 [1 favorite]

If this was a less cultured forum, I would make all sort of sexual jokes as well as rampant masturbation references, all centered around this sandwich.
posted by Samizdata at 1:44 PM on January 19, 2017

An emergency google tells me that I could be here in 48 minutes.

Holy cow, that's within striking distance for lunch for me. Hoo boy.
posted by ominous_paws at 1:54 PM on January 19, 2017 [1 favorite]

Wow. That is a sandwich that I would like. If anyone knows if its available in DC, please share that info ASAP.

I may have to go have a Chivito to tide me over.
posted by jindc at 2:37 PM on January 19, 2017 [2 favorites]

... and with a napkin over your head, to hide your shame from God.

please, it's a mantilla woven from shredded cheese
posted by poffin boffin at 6:29 PM on January 19, 2017 [4 favorites]

Watching that soul cooking video, I was wondering where the last 5 cheese slices would go when assembling the thing.

Well, of course they go on top for baking. Of course.
posted by FarOutFreak at 8:46 PM on January 19, 2017

This is the sort of sandwich you get naked to eat
posted by invitapriore at 11:55 PM on January 19, 2017 [2 favorites]

Previously on "London Francesinha Saga":

An emergency google tells me that I could be here in 48 minutes.

Holy cow, that's within striking distance for lunch for me. Hoo boy.


I tried to book a table there next month, they closed down in September! :(
There are rumours of a place called Porto Restaurant in Brixton, but I can't confirm that...
posted by Just this guy, y'know at 2:44 AM on January 25, 2017 [1 favorite]