Filipino Recipes Beef Steak (Bistek)

This Filipino recipe called Beef Steak or Bistek is a part of the Filipino cooking and eating culture. This is also one of my favorite Filipino dishes.

The Filipino version of steak, called beef steak or “bistek”, is a compromise among our preferences. It uses a tender cut of beef (top or bottom round, sirloin or tenderloin), seasoned and has a light sauce so it does not dry up even when it starts to cool.

The ingredients use and the process of cooking and preparing the Beef Steak is pretty basic and simple. And I do think, this is also one of the easiest dish that I can prepare.

Here is the Philippines Beef Steak recipe and cooking procedure.

Quick Note: The measurements are still altered by taste: too sour, more soysauce; too salty, more calamansi juice). If you don't have calamansi (a native small lemon that's sweet and sour at the same time), you can try using meyer lemons.

Filipino Recipe Beef Steak Ingredients :

1/2 kilo of beef (round, sirloin or tenderloin), sliced 1/4-inch thick
4 tbsp. of kalamansi (native lemon) juice
1/4 c. of dark soy sauce
freshly-ground pepper
1 tsp. of minced garlic
2 large onions, cut into rings
2 tbsp. of cooking oil

Filipino Recipe Beef Steak Cooking procedure :

In a glass mixing bowl, mix kalamansi or lemon juice and soy sauce. Add beef, garlic and ground pepper. Mix well. Let sit in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Heat a heavy skillet (A frying pan, with a long-handle and with sloping sides. May or may not have a lid.). Add oil. Lightly fry the onion rings. Remove from skillet and drain on paper towels. Keep warm.

Reheat oil until smoking. Pan-fry the beef slices in batches, removing them as they brown. When all the beef has been cooked, pour the marinade into the skillet and boil for 1 minute. Arrange beef slices on a plate. Place the onion rings on top. Pour the sauce over the onions and beef. Serve at once.

There we have it, a simple and easy to follow Filipino recipe beef steak (bistek).