Bistek Tagalog is a beloved Filipino dish with seared beef slices marinated in soy sauce, calamansi, and garlic, then cooked with plenty of caramelized onion rings. It is a delicious and easy-to-prepare dinner option that is bursting with flavor!
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What is Bistek Tagalog?
Bistek Tagalog, often referred to as "steak and onions," consists of pan-seared thin slices of beef marinated in soy sauce, calamansi or lemon juice, and garlic. The dish comes with plenty of caramelized onions, adding a touch of sweetness that perfectly complements the savory beef.
"Bistek" is a Filipino adaptation of the English word "beefsteak," which pronunciation evolved into "bistek", reflecting the transformation of foreign words into the local language. The term "Tagalog" is used to distinguish this particular beef dish as a Filipino version. Bangus ala Pobre is a dish with a similar flavor profile made with milkfish.
Ingredients you'll need
Notes and substitutions
- Beef: You can use flank steak, flat iron steak, beef sirloin, skirt steak, or flap meat. Chuck steak is an economical choice. Boneless short ribs, as used in this recipe, have rich marbling that makes them worth the splurge.
- Lemon Juice: Use calamansi if available for a more authentic flavor. Lemon makes an excellent substitute.
- Baking soda: It tenderizes the beef by breaking down tough fibers, giving it a tender and velvety texture.
- Cornstarch: It helps seal the meat's natural juices, and the coating prevents overcooking by insulating against excessive heat.
- Onion: Feel free to use any variety of onions, including yellow, sweet, red, or a combination. Each type contributes its own unique flavor profile. I opted for red onions to add a pop of color and yellow onions for their sweetness.
How to make this recipe
Step 1: Prepare marinade
Make the marinade in a bowl by combining ½ cup soy sauce, ⅓ cup calamansi or lemon juice, 6 garlic cloves, ½ teaspoon ground black pepper, and 1 teaspoon sugar. Set it aside.
Step 2: Slice beef
Slice 2 pounds of beef into thin, slightly larger pieces, against the grain. As an option, you can partially freeze the meat for about 1 hour to make slicing easier.
PRO TIP: For inexpensive cuts of beef, tenderize them with a meat mallet for better results. Gently pound the meat to break down fibers, making them more tender when cooked. Adding baking soda can help further tenderize tougher cuts and make their texture velvety, a technique called "velveting."
Step 3: Velvet beef
Combine the beef, 1 tablespoon of cornstarch, ½ teaspoon of baking soda, and half of the marinade. Coat each piece and marinate for 20-30 minutes.
Step 4: Slice onions
Slice 2 onions into thick rounds and carefully pull apart the layers to separate them.
Step 5: Sear onions
In a wide skillet or sauté pan, add a thin coating of oil and sear the onions until slightly soft and charred over medium-high heat for 3-5 minutes. Toss them constantly, then transfer them to a plate.
Step 6: Sear beef
Increase the heat to high and add a thin coating of oil to the pan. When it is almost smoking, place the meat in a single layer and sear for about a minute on each side.
PRO TIP: Cook the meat in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan; this will prevent steaming and help each piece brown nicely.
Step 7: Cook sauce
Add 2 teaspoons of ginger and sauté until fragrant for about a minute. Deglaze the pan by adding ¼ cup of water and the rest of the sauce.
Scrape the bottom to loosen and incorporate the fond (brown bits), infusing the dish with additional flavor. Give it a taste and adjust as needed.
Step 8: Combine
Once the sauce starts bubbling, add half of the onions and the seared meat. Toss them together and allow the meat to heat through for about 2 minutes.
If using a tough cut of meat, cover and cook it longer until tender. Add water as needed to achieve the desired consistency.
Recipe FAQs
To make beef tender, thinly slice it against the grain for easy chewing. Avoid overcooking the beef, as this can make it tough and dry.
However, certain cuts may naturally be tougher and benefit from low and slow cooking methods.
You can also try the velveting technique with baking soda and cornstarch for a velvety texture, especially useful for less expensive cuts.
Baking soda serves as a tenderizer. Its alkaline nature raises the pH level of the meat, which in turn makes its fibers more resistant to coagulating when heated.
This results in a softer and more tender texture when cooked. It's especially beneficial for tougher cuts of beef. However, it's essential to use it sparingly to avoid a soapy or bitter taste.
Vegetable dishes to pair with Bistek Tagalog
- Stir-fried Kangkong: Water spinach stir-fried with garlic, then seasoned with salt and pepper.
- Pinakbet: A mixed vegetable stew made with squash, yardlong beans, bitter melon, eggplant, and okra, flavored with fermented shrimp paste (bagoong).
- Tortang Talong: Eggplant omelet with grilled eggplant dipped in beaten eggs, then pan-fried.
- Tortang Sayote: An omelet made with grated chayote and aromatics dipped in beaten eggs and pan-fried.
- Ginisang Sayote: Sautéed chayote with meat and aromatics.
- Ginisang Togue: Sautéed mung bean sprouts (togue) often combined with ingredients like tofu, shrimp, and vegetables such as carrots and green beans.
Other beef recipes you may like
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📖 Recipe
Bistek Tagalog
Equipment
- Sauté pan or wide skillet
Ingredients
- 2 pounds beef thinly sliced (see note)
- ½ cup soy sauce
- ⅓ cup calamansi or lemon juice more for serving
- 6 garlic cloves grated or mashed
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper more to taste
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch (see note)
- ½ teaspoon baking soda (see note)
- 2 large onions (red, yellow, or white) sliced into thick rounds (see note)
- 2 teaspoons minced ginger
- Neutral oil (for searing and sautéing)
Instructions
- Prepare the marinade by combining soy sauce, calamansi or lemon juice, garlic, ground black pepper, and sugar. Set it aside.
- Slice 2 pounds of beef into thin, slightly larger pieces, against the grain. As an option, you can partially freeze the meat for about 1 hour to make slicing easier.
- Combine the beef, cornstarch, baking soda, and half of the marinade. Coat each piece and marinate for 20-30 minutes.
- Slice the onions into thick rounds and carefully pull apart the layers to separate them.
- In a wide skillet or sauté pan, add a thin coating of oil and sear the onions until slightly soft and charred over medium-high heat for 3-5 minutes. Toss them constantly, then transfer them to a plate.
- Increase the heat to high and add a thin coating of oil to the pan. When it is almost smoking, place the meat in a single layer and sear for about a minute on each side.Cook in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan, ensuring the beef sears nicely instead of steaming.
- Add the ginger and sauté until fragrant for about a minute. Deglaze the pan by adding ¼ cup of water and the rest of the sauce. Scrape the bottom to loosen and incorporate the fond (brown bits), infusing the dish with additional flavor. Taste and adjust as needed.
- Once the sauce starts bubbling, add half of the onions and the seared meat. Toss them together and allow the meat to heat through for about 2 minutes. If using a tough cut of meat, cover and cook it longer until tender. Add water as needed to achieve the desired consistency.
- Add the rest of the onions and consider adding more lemon, as its flavor can mellow out after cooking. Mix them together. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Beef: You can use flank steak, flat iron steak, beef sirloin, skirt steak, or flap meat. Chuck steak is an economical choice. Boneless short ribs, as used in this recipe, have rich marbling that makes them worth the splurge.
- Lemon Juice: Use calamansi if available for a more authentic flavor. Lemon makes an excellent substitute.
- Baking soda: It tenderizes the beef by breaking down tough fibers, giving it a tender and velvety texture.
- Cornstarch: It helps seal the meat's natural juices, and the coating prevents overcooking by insulating against excessive heat.
- Onion: Feel free to use any variety of onions, including yellow, sweet, red, or a combination. Each type contributes its own unique flavor profile. I opted for red onions to add a pop of color and yellow onions for their sweetness.
Sam says
I tried this last night, sobrang sarap!! Definitely eat it with rice, so good!
Nora Reyes says
Hello Sam! Maraming salamat! So happy you enjoyed it. =)
Johnny says
Hello there, is this the same as adobo?
Nora Rey says
Hello! Bistek Tagalog and Adobo are both popular Filipino dishes, but they're distinct in flavors and preparation. Bistek Tagalog is a beef steak dish cooked in soy sauce, calamansi (or lemon) juice, and onions. On the other hand, Adobo can be made with chicken, pork, or a mix of both, and is cooked in a mixture of soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, bay leaves, and black peppercorns. Both are delicious in their own right! 😊🍲