Bistek Tagalog
This Bistek Tagalog pan-sears thin slices of marinated beef before smothered in a deeply savory sauce and topped with golden-seared onions.
Ingredients
For the Steak:
- 3 pounds thinly sliced ribeye, skirt, or flank steak
- ½ cup soy sauce
- 1/3 cup lemon or lime juice, or both
- 4 finely minced garlic cloves
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- ¾ teaspoon ground pepper
- 2 peeled and thickly sliced small to medium-sized sweet onions, do not separate the rings
- avocado oil for searing
For the Sauce:
- 2 finely minced garlic cloves
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- Juice of 1 lemon, about 3 tablespoons
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- ¼ teaspoon ground pepper
- 1 ½ cups of beef stock, water can be substituted
- 3 tablespoons of slurry, optional
- Cooked jasmine rice, optional
Instructions
For the Steak:
- In a large bowl, gently and thoroughly mix the sliced steak, soy sauce, lemon or lime juice, garlic cloves, sugar, and pepper. Cover and keep in the refrigerator for 1 to 24 hours.
- When ready to cook, remove the marinated steak from the refrigerator and place in a strainer over the same marinade bowl. Keep as much of the marinade that drains off as possible.
- Heat an extensive carbon steel or cast-iron skillet with enough oil to coat the bottom over medium-high heat. Once it begins to smoke, add the onion slices whole and together across the pan and cook untouched for 2 minutes. They should be browned on the one side. Remove them and set them to the side. It’s essential and classic to keep that crunch.
- In that same skillet, place enough marinated steak slices to cover the pan, but without touching them, sear for only 20 to 30 seconds per side or until at least browned around the edges. Set to the side on a plate and continue cooking in batches. Feel free to add as much oil as needed between searing the steak.
For the Sauce:
- Add 1 to 2 teaspoons of oil to the pan, stir in the garlic over low heat, and cook until fragrant. This only takes 30 to 45 seconds.
- Next, add the remaining drained marinade, soy sauce, lemon juice, sugar, beef stock, and pepper and boil over high heat for 2 to 3 minutes. At this stage, you can skim any of the beef impurities that collect at the top, but this is optional.
- While boiling, you can quickly make your slurry by mixing 3 tablespoons of each cornstarch or potato starch with 3 tablespoons of water.
- Add the cornstarch 1 tablespoon into the pan until the sauce is thickened.
- Finish by gently folding in the cooked onions and steak.
- Serve the bistek over cooked rice with the onions on top.
Notes
Since Bistek Tagalog is all about the beef, the key to greatness here is to use a well-marbled cut of steak, slice it properly, marinate it well, and sear it quickly in a large carbon steel or cast-iron skillet (20 to 30 seconds per side is all it takes). The proper techniques make all the difference, so follow the recipe carefully!
Freeze the beef: I like to pop the steak in the freezer for about 30 minutes to help firm it up. This makes it so much easier to slice into even thin slices.
Slice it against the grain: Find the direction the muscle fibers run on the steak—these are the "grain" lines. Slice perpendicular to those lines to shorten the meat fibers and make the cooked slices more tender.
Marinate overnight for the best results: If you’re short on time, marinating the beef for 1 hour is enough to infuse it with flavor. However, I like to let it soak for the full 24 hours for the ultimate tender, flavorful bites.
Thick onion rings are a must: Thick ¼ to ⅓ 13-inch-thick rings hold their shape better while searing than thinner rings. Remember that crunchy onions are a key component of traditional Bistek recipes.
Skimming the scum: I prefer to skim off and discard any beef impurities that float to the top for a glossier sauce, but this step is optional.
Make-Ahead: You can marinate the beef up to 24 hours in advance. Once cooked, keep the meat, onions, and sauce warm on the stove for up to 30 minutes before serving. Keep the covered skillet over low heat until it’s time to eat.
How to Store: Once cooled, transfer the leftover beef steak and onions to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days. The beef and sauce also freeze well for up to 3 months.
How to Reheat: Add the leftovers to a pan over medium-low heat until they’re warmed, adding a splash of water or beef stock to loosen the sauce if needed. You can also microwave as much beef as you plan on eating in 30-second intervals, stirring in between until heated through.
Nutrition
Calories: 564kcalCarbohydrates: 19gProtein: 51gFat: 32gSaturated Fat: 14gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 15gCholesterol: 138mgSodium: 1867mgPotassium: 944mgFiber: 1gSugar: 9gVitamin A: 44IUVitamin C: 10mgCalcium: 57mgIron: 5mg