Bistek (Filipino-Style Beef Steak)
Bistek is the equivalent of “beef steak” in a Filipino’s kitchen. It is comparable to how adobo is prepared, calling also soy sauce, garlic and onions as its ingredients. However, lime juice takes the place of vinegar in a bistek recipe.
Makes 8 Servings
2 lbs sirloin, sliced thin
2/3 cup lime or lemon juice
2/3 cup soy sauce
1 head garlic, minced
2 onions, sliced to rings
2 cups water
salt and pepper
vegetable oil
In a large bowl, marinate beef slices with soy sauce, lemon juice, garlic, and 3/4 of the onions, around 30 minutes. Squeeze marinade from beef, onions and garlic. Set marinade aside.
At medium-high, heat oil in a wide pan or skillet. Brown beef slices on both sides. Juice will seep through to pan while frying beef. Spoon out and save with marinade. Set beef aside.
Add more oil to pan as needed. Saute the onions and garlic that were reserved from marinade, until tender and aromatic.
Add in browned beef. Continue to saute for an additional 5-6 minutes. Pour in marinade and juice that was spooned from pan. Add water. Lower heat and cover.
Simmer until beef is fork-tender and sauce is reduced. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Serve hot and garnish with remainder of onion rings.
TIPS:
1) If you are like my daughter who does not like them raw, add onion rings when beef is tender, then turn off heat and cover pan to allow steam to cook onions.
Beef and Veal Recipes in The CookMobile Archive:
Beef with Mushroom-Cream Sauce
More Good Food!
Ate Lalaine,
I cooked Bistek tonight. Yummy! One of my favorite Pinoy dish.
Thank you for putting Pinoy recipe from your kitchen to our home.
I’ve been attempting to cook chineese food (their recipe is easire to find than pinoy recipe ) and Linberge (masukit mong brother) will always say, “Ang daming pinoy na ulam, magluluto ka ng chinese food.”
Now, if I have time to cook, I just go to your website to choose our ulam for the day.
glo
When we went to visit my dear friend in May, she made this for us for dinner…that was the last meal I had with her. She passed away last month due to a coronary disease. I miss her and think of her when I prepare this dish. Thank you for posting this recipe.
Lyn,
I am so sorry to hear about your friend.
We all associate food with a memory, a face, a place…I suppose it’s because when family and friends gather, food is always in the midst.
i’ve only cooked this once and i thought it wasn’t too bad. to cut down on the cooking time, i pounded the meat slightly (u see, i was craving it so bad that day) and sauteed it by itself at first, added a small amount of broth at a time until it got tender enough for me. i just ended up adding the onions in the end as i like my onions a little crispy. i did not use even 2/3 cup of lime/lemon juice and mine came out a little tangy. it’s still tasted good though, but not like the one’s u buy at the turo-turo. thanks for sharing. i’ll try something else next time
Jc,
I am glad you were able to work the recipe according to your liking!