A pressed ribeye steak sandwich built with bacon, Swiss Cheese, and four hours of patience.

A pressed ribeye steak sandwich built with bacon, Swiss, and four hours of patience.

There’s a certain kind of sandwich that doesn’t mess around, and the Man Pie is it. This isn’t your average lunch — it’s a hollowed-out loaf of crusty Italian bread packed with juicy ribeye steak, crispy bacon, melted Swiss, and a mushroom-onion mixture, all pressed for hours until every bite is dense, saucy, and unforgettable.

What sets the Man Pie apart is the technique. Cooking the steaks slightly rare lets them finish carrying over inside the warm bread, while a split-sauce approach — Worcestershire on one half, Dijon and horseradish on the other — gives each half of the sandwich its own personality. Layered with bacon and Swiss cheese, then weighted down for hours, this sandwich compresses into a rich, cohesive bite that holds together perfectly when sliced.

The overnight press is what turns a great sandwich into an ultimate one. As the bread soaks up the steak juices and sauces, the flavors meld into something far greater than the sum of its parts. Whether it’s for game day, a weekend cookout, or simply a well-earned reward, this recipe delivers a hearty, satisfying meal built for serious appetites.

What you’ll need

• 1 loaf hard-crusted Italian bread
• 3 ribeye steaks
• 500g mushrooms, sliced
• 1 onion, sliced
• Bacon (as much as desired)
• Swiss cheese, sliced
• Worcestershire sauce
• Dijon mustard
• Horseradish sauce

Instructions

1. Hollow the loaf. Slice lengthwise, scoop out the centers.
2. Cook it. Crisp the bacon, sauté mushrooms and onions, sear the ribeyes rare.
3. Layer. Steak, bacon, Swiss.
4. Sauce. Worcestershire on one half, Dijon-horseradish on the other.
5. Pile on the mushrooms and onions, then the second steak with its juices, more sauce, more Swiss.
6. Wrap in butcher paper, then foil.
7. Press under weight (140 lbs / 63.5 kg) for 4+ hours.
8. Slice and serve.

How to Make a Man Pie (Pressed Ribeye Sandwich with Bacon & Swiss)

Irene Muller

There's a certain kind of sandwich that doesn't mess around, and the Man Pie is it.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

4 hours hrs

Total Time 4 hours hrs 50 minutes mins

Servings 8

Ingredients

  

• 1 loaf hard-crusted Italian bread
• 3 ribeye steaks
• 500g mushrooms, sliced
• 1 onion, sliced
• Bacon (as much as desired)
• Swiss cheese, sliced
• Worcestershire sauce
• Dijon mustard
• Horseradish sauce

Instructions

 

• Prep the bread. Slice the loaf in half lengthwise and hollow out the center of both halves to create space for the filling.
  
• Cook the components. Cook the bacon until crisp. Sauté the mushrooms and onions in the same pan. Sear the ribeye steaks, leaving them slightly rare — they'll continue cooking from residual heat once wrapped in the warm bread.
• Build the base layer. Place one steak into the hollowed bottom half of the bread.
• Sauce it. For a sandwich with two distinct flavor profiles, sauce one half with Worcestershire sauce and the other half with a mix of Dijon mustard and horseradish sauce.
• Layer the bacon and cheese. Add a layer of crispy bacon, followed by a layer of Swiss cheese.
• Add the mushroom-onion mixture. Pack in as much of the sautéed mushroom and onion mixture as the sandwich will hold.
• Add the second steak. Place the second steak on top, pouring in any remaining pan juices for extra flavor.
• Finish the layers. Add another light layer of sauce, then top with more Swiss cheese.
• Close and wrap. Place the top half of the loaf back on. Wrap the entire sandwich tightly in butcher paper, then in aluminum foil.
• Press. Set a heavy cutting board on top of the wrapped sandwich, then add weight on top (the original recipe uses 65kg / 140 lbs). Let it sit for at least 4 hours to compress and allow the flavours to meld.
• Serve. Remove the weight, unwrap, slice into portions, and enjoy.