The name a lo pobre, poor man's style, is affectionate and a little ironic: the supposed poverty lay in piling a plain steak with cheap, filling extras like fries, onions and eggs, which in fact turns it into a lavish heap. The dish traces back to the cattle country of Chile's central Maule region, where hard rural labor called for big, calorie-dense meals, and was popularized in Santiago restaurants around the turn of the twentieth century, going on to become a staple of casual eateries nationwide.
The knife releases beef juices that mingle with bursting egg yolk and sweet onions, while crisp fries scoop up every drop. It is rich, savory and unapologetically filling.
A hard sear develops a flavorful crust on the beef via the Maillard reaction, and the runny yolk plus slow onions form a built-in sauce that enriches each bite.
Variations
with pork or chicken instead of beef, topped with a single egg, served over rice, with hot dog or sausage added
On the Palate
Where Lomo a lo Pobre sits in the Chilean flavor cloud
Ingredients
Serves 2How it's made
8 steps · 15 min
- 110 min
Cut potatoes into fries and fry in hot oil until crisp and golden, then keep warm.
- 28 min
Slice onions and cook slowly in oil until very soft and lightly caramelized.
Watch outCook the onions slow and low until soft and lightly caramelized — rushing them over high heat burns the edges before they turn sweet.
- 32 min
Season the beef steaks generously with salt and pepper.
- 46 min
Sear the steaks in a very hot pan with a little oil to your preferred doneness.
Watch outGet the pan properly hot before the steak goes in — a screaming-hot surface gives the deep brown crust; a lukewarm pan just steams the meat grey.
- 54 min
Rest the steaks briefly while you fry the eggs sunny-side up.
Watch outFry the eggs just until the whites set but the yolks stay runny — the loose yolk is the built-in sauce for the whole plate.
- 61 min
Plate each steak and pile the caramelized onions on top.
- 71 min
Lay the fried eggs over the onions and arrange the fries alongside.
- 81 min
Serve immediately while the yolks are still runny.
