Bistek Tagalog (Filipino Beef Steak) is a perfect blend of savory, salty, and tangy flavorful dish made with beef steak, marinated with soy sauce, vinegar, onion rings, garlic, and black pepper. It is a very simple process yet the result is a delicious meaty dish.
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It doesn't need too much effort to make a delicious and mouth-watering dish to serve with your family and friends. Our family in the Philippines loves this dish so much! I also make this for my son who loves meaty Filipino food. The meat is so tender and juicy!
While every region and every family in the Philippines have different recipe for this, I will share with you an easy way with lots of helpful tips and tricks to make this dish comes out delicious. This is also our family recipe for Filipino Bistek.
Ingredients
I wrote helpful notes and some substitutions for you to make this Filipino Beef Steak a successful dish. For a printable version of this recipe with exact measurements and instructions, check the recipe card below.
- Beef - Use sirloin for a more affordable option. You can also use different cuts of beef such as chuck roast, rib-eye, or any steak cut such as flank steak or skirt steak. Make sure you slice the meat against the grain for the most tender bite.
- Onion - The best onion to use for bistek recipes are sweet onion, yellow or white onion, or red onion. I use yellow for this recipe which I cut in ring sizes.
- Soy sauce - Flavor puncher that gives the umami flavor and is one of the key ingredients.
- Lemon - This citrus gives a sour and tangy flavor to the dish which is also a perfect meat tenderizer.
Instructions
Step 1. In a mixing bowl, combine soy sauce, lemon, garlic, and black pepper and mix together. Then add the thin beef slices to the marinade. Marinate for a minimum of 1 hour.
When ready to cook, remove the beef from the marinade and reserve the marinade to make a sauce. Squeeze the beef to get rid of as much marinade as possible.
Step 2. Preheat a skillet and pour 2 tablespoons of cooking oil. Cook the onion rings until translucent and slightly aramelized, take it out, and transfer to a plate.
Step 3. In the same skillet over high heat, add the marinated beef and sear until it turns brown and slightly crispy. You can do this in batches to ensure a charred and flavorful Filipino Beef Steak. Take it out from the skillet and set it aside.
Step 4. Pour the reserved marinade into the same skillet and let it simmer in low heat until the sauce is thickened.
Step 5. Return the seared beef to the pan. Stir and be sure to coat the beef with the sauce. Simmer in low to medium heat until the beef is tender. Taste and adjust the seasoning according to your taste.
Step 6. Lastly, add the cooked onion rings on top. Serve and enjoy!
Storage and Reheating Tips
Storage: Store your leftover dish in a container with a lid after cooling. Bistek Tagalog taste better the next day after sitting in the fridge allowing all the flavors to meld in together. It is good to consume this in 5 day.
Reheating: Reheat the dish a saucepan over medium heat. You can add more water if the dish is too dry. Season to taste and reheat until warm thouroughly.
Helpful Tips
- To make it easier to slice the beef thinly, place it in the freezer for about 30 minutes before cutting. This will allow the meat to firm up and slice the meat with ease.
- There are a few ways to tenderize leaner cuts of beef. The most common one is using a meat mallet to pound the beef on both sides. This will help break down the muscle fibers of the meat.
- Consider marinating your beef longer if your time allows. This will infuse the meat with more flavor.
- Taste the sauce as it simmers and adjust the balance of flavors as needed. You can add more lemon juice or calamansi juice for tanginess, soy sauce for saltiness, or sugar to balance the flavors. Add more water if you want more sauce.
- If you want a more sweet onion taste, take your time to caramelize the onion rings.
Your Questions and the Answers
Bistek Tagalog is a Filipino dish consisting of thinly sliced beef marinated in soy sauce, calamansi or lemon juice, garlic, and black pepper, and sauteed with onion rings. It tastes savory and tangy with tender and juicy meat. The name "bistek" is from the English word "beefsteak" highlighting its Western influence. Tagalog refers to the language and culture of the Philippines. So, the name essentially means "Filipino-style beefsteak. There is also similar "bistec" in Spanish term that refers to beefsteak as well.
Interestingly enough, the Spanish dictionary contains an almost identical word, “bistec” which also means beef steak. While both main ingredient is beef steak, these two are different in terms of method of cooking, ingredients, and flavors.
Calamansi is a small citrus fruit native to the Philippines. Its juice is used in Bistek Tagalog to provide a unique tangy flavor. A good substitute for calamansi is lemon juice or lime juice. These citrus have a similar taste to calamansi.
While traditional Bistek Tagalog is made with beef, you can experiment with other proteins like chicken or pork. The marinating and cooking process remains similar, but the cooking time will depend on the meat you used.
Bistek tagalog is made of thin strips of beef sirloin or tenderloin, usually flattened with a meat tenderizing tool. It is okay to use other cut of beef but you should slice them thinly against the grain for more tender meat.
The dish is best paired with steamy white rice or garlic fried rice.
More Beef Recipes to Try
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Bistek Tagalog (Filipino Beef Steak)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound beef sliced thinly
- ⅓ cup soy sauce
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- 1 medium yellow onion sliced into rings
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic minced
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, combine soy sauce, lemon, garlic, and black pepper and mix together. Then add the thin sliced beef to the marinade mixture to marinate. Marinade for a minimum of 1 hour.
- When ready to cook, remove the beef from the marinade and reserve the marinade to make a sauce. Squeeze the beef to get rid of as much marinade as possible.
- Preheat a skillet and pour 2 tablespoons of cooking oil. Cook the onion rings until translucent and slightly caramelized, take it out, and transfer to a plate.
- In the same skillet over high heat, add the marinated beef and sear until it turns brown and slightly crispy. You can do this in batches to ensure charred and flavorful beef. Take it out from the skillet and set it aside.
- Pour the reserved marinade into the same skillet and let it simmer until the sauce is thickened.
- Return the seared beef to the pan. Stir and simmer in low to medium heat until the beef is tender. Taste and adjust the seasoning according to your taste.
- Lastly, add the onion rings on top. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
Recipe Notes:
- Double the recipes if you want more meat and if you are feeding more than 4 people.
- To make it easier to slice the beef thinly, place it in the freezer for about 30 minutes before cutting. This will allow the meat to firm up and slice the meat with ease.
- There are a few ways to tenderize leaner cuts of beef. The most common one is using a meat mallet to pound the beef on both sides. This will help break down the muscle fibers of the meat.
- Consider marinating your beef longer if your time allows. This will infuse the meat with more flavor.
- Taste the sauce as it simmers and adjust the balance of flavors as needed. You can add more lemon juice or calamansi juice for tanginess, soy sauce for saltiness, or sugar to balance the flavors. Add more water if you want more sauce.
- If you want a more sweet onion taste, take your time to caramelize the onion rings.
Nutrition
FOOD SAFETY
- Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
- Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
- Wash hands after touching raw meat
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Use oils with a high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
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