Bistek tagalog is Filipino beef steak cooked with soy sauce, calamansi, garlic, and lots of onions.
Serve it with rice to soak up all the delicious sauce.
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Ingredients You'll Need
Notes and Substitutions
- Beef: I used boneless short ribs, but flank steak, flat iron, sirloin, skirt steak, or flap meat all work well. Chuck steak is cheaper but may need a little more cooking time to get tender.
- Calamansi (or lemon juice): Use calamansi if you have it. Lemon juice is the easiest substitute.
- Baking soda: This helps tenderize the beef, especially if you are using a tougher cut.
- Cornstarch: This lightly coats the beef and helps keep it tender while searing.
- Onion: Yellow, sweet, red, or a mix will work. Red onions add color, while yellow onions cook sweeter.
How to Make Bistek Tagalog (Step-by-Step)
Step 1: Make the marinade
In a bowl, combine:
- ½ cup soy sauce
- ⅓ cup calamansi or lemon juice
- 6 garlic cloves (grated)
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon sugar
Mix and set it aside.
Step 2: Slice the beef
Slice 2 pounds of beef thinly against the grain.
Make the pieces a little bigger since they will shrink as they cook.
To make slicing easier, you can freeze the beef for about an hour so it firms up a bit.
If the beef is a tougher cut, pound the slices with a meat mallet to help tenderize them.
Step 3: Marinate the beef
In a bowl, combine:
- the sliced beef
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- half of the marinade
Mix well so each piece is coated. Marinate for 20 to 30 minutes.
Step 4: Slice the onions
Slice 2 large onions into thick rings, then separate the layers.
Step 5: Sear the onions
In a wide pan over medium-high heat, add a thin layer of oil.
Sear the onions, tossing often, until slightly softened with some browned edges.
Transfer to a plate.
Step 6: Sear the beef
Increase the heat to high and add a thin layer of oil.
When the pan is very hot, add the beef in a single layer.
Sear for about a minute on each side.
Cook in batches so the beef browns instead of steams.
Step 7: Make the sauce
Add 2 teaspoons minced ginger and cook for about a minute, until fragrant.
Pour in ¼ cup water and the rest of the marinade.
Scrape the browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
Taste and adjust as needed.
Step 8: Combine everything
Once the sauce starts bubbling, add half of the onions and the beef.
Toss together and let the beef heat through for about 2 minutes.
If using a tougher cut of beef, cover and cook longer until tender.
Add more water if you like it more saucy.
Cooking Tips
- Slice the beef thinly against the grain so it stays tender.
- Freeze the beef for about 1 hour if it's hard to slice thinly.
- Cook the beef in batches so it browns instead of steams.
- Don't overcook the beef or it can turn tough.
Recipe FAQs
Bistek tagalog is a Filipino beef steak dish made with thin slices of beef cooked in soy sauce, calamansi or lemon juice, garlic, and onions.
"Bistek" came from the word "beefsteak." Over time, the pronunciation changed, and it became the Filipino dish now known as bistek tagalog.
Slice the beef thinly against the grain, marinate it, and cook it quickly over high heat. For tougher cuts, baking soda can help tenderize the beef.
Vegetable Dishes to Pair with Bistek Tagalog
- Stir-fried kangkong: Water spinach sautéed with garlic.
- Pinakbet: Mixed vegetables cooked with bagoong.
- Tortang talong: Grilled eggplant omelet.
- Tortang sayote: Chayote omelet with aromatics.
- Ginisang sayote: Sautéed chayote with meat and aromatics.
- Ginisang togue: Sautéed mung bean sprouts with tofu and shrimp.
Beef Recipes You May Like
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📖 Recipe
Bistek Tagalog Recipe
Equipment
- Wide pan
Ingredients
- 2 pounds beef thinly sliced
- ½ cup soy sauce
- ⅓ cup calamansi or lemon juice
- 6 garlic cloves grated
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 2 large onions (red, yellow, or white) sliced into thick rings
- 2 teaspoons minced ginger
- Neutral oil
Instructions
- Combine the soy sauce, calamansi or lemon juice, garlic, black pepper, and sugar. Set aside.
- Slice the beef thinly against the grain. You can freeze for an hour to make slicing easier.
- Mix the beef with cornstarch, baking soda, and half of the marinade. Marinate for 20 to 30 minutes.
- Slice the onions into thick rings and separate the layers.
- Sear the onions in oil until slightly softened and browned in spots. Transfer to a plate.
- Sear the beef in batches over high heat for about a minute per side.
- Add the ginger, then pour in water and the rest of the marinade. Scrape the browned bits from the pan.
- Add half of the onions and the beef. Toss and cook for about 2 minutes, or until heated through.
- Add the remaining onions and more calamansi or lemon juice, if needed. Turn off the heat.
Notes
- Beef: I used boneless short ribs, but flank steak, flat iron, sirloin, skirt steak, flap meat, or chuck steak also work.
- Calamansi: Lemon juice is the easiest substitute.
- Baking soda: Helps tenderize tougher cuts of beef.
- Cornstarch: Helps keep the beef tender while searing.
- Onions: Yellow, sweet, red, or a mix all work well.
- Slice the beef thinly against the grain.
- Freeze the beef briefly for easier slicing.
- Cook in batches so the beef browns well.
- Don't overcook the beef or it can turn tough.
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! 😊🍲