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filipino bistek recipe

Filipino Bistek Recipe | Steak and Onions

This filipino bistek recipe is a classic dish from my childhood table! The marinated steak with the onions is so flavorful and is the perfect companion for Jasmine white rice. Steak and onions just got taken to another level.
Prep Time:40 minutes
Cook Time:30 minutes
Total Time:1 hour 10 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Filipino
Keyword: filipino bistek recipe
Servings: 4

Ingredients

  • 1 pound thinly sliced beef sirloin or beef round top steak thinly sliced
  • cup soy sauce
  • juice of 1 lemon
  • 4-5 bay leaves
  • 1 onion chopped into rings
  • 5 garlic cloves minced
  • ½ cup water
  • 5 Red Ruby potatoes sliced in wedges optional
  • ground pepper
  • olive oil

Instructions

  • Marinate the beef with soy sauce, juice of 1 lemon, bay leaves, and ground pepper for 30 minutes at a minimum or even overnight. See note below.
  • Add olive oil to a large sauté pan (large enough to fit all slices of meat). Remove the beef from the marinade and brown each side in the pan for about 3 minutes each over medium heat. Important: Do not use or discard your marinade, it will be used in a later step.
  • Remove the browned beef from the sauté pan and add the sliced onions. Cook the onions for about 3 minutes until slightly translucent. Reserve some onion slices as a garnish after cooked. Add a little water if needed to remove the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Include the minced garlic and cook for an additional minute.
  • Put the beef back into the sauté pan with the onion and garlic. Pour the marinade into the pan and add the 1/2 cup of water (remove the bay leaves from the marinade before pouring into the pan). Cover the pan and place on low heat for about 15 minutes.
  • Optional: Cook the sliced potatoes in a small sauce pan over low heat for about 10 minutes. Add olive oil, water, and salt to the sauce pan while cooking.
  • Once the meat has finished simmering, toss the cooked potatoes into the sauté pan if including. Garnish with reserved onion slices if using. Serve with white rice. Enjoy!

Notes

  1. I marinated my beef in an 8x11 dish. About 3-4 calamansis can be used in place of 1 lemon. Refer to Sam’s Pro Tips for this Filipino Bistek Recipe for further discussion.