maxyum.

MainsOctober 20, 2019

Bistek Tagalog

Bistek Tagalog

A well proven formula: steak + onions + garlic = yum.

Thinly slice the steak, add some cheese, and you have the makings of an awesome cheese steak. Make a compound butter with the garlic, caramelize the onions, and serve on top of a rare strip steak, genius. The possibilities are endless.

In the Philippines, they serve steak and onions an amazing soy/citrus sauce using calamansi fruit. Salty and acidic, it complements the steak beautifully, a perfect counterpoint for the beefy savoriness of the meat. Definitely maximum yum.

Not having a source of calamansi, a mixture of lemon and orange will do the trick.

Serves 4, Takes 45 minutes

Notes:

I sliced ribeyes in half and then made the pieces to cook by cutting them around the internal fat, sinew. You want the pieces to be random and about 2-3 inches in width/length. Think 3-4 pieces when cut with a knife.

Mise en Place

Staples

  • 1/4 cupsoy sauce
  • 2 tbsolive oil
  • kosher salt
  • pepper
  • 1/4 cupwater
  • 2 tbsbutter

Produce

  • 2 largelemons, juiced
  • 1/2 navel orangejuiced
  • 1 headgarlic, cloves smashed
  • 1 largewhite onion, sliced into rings
  • 10 freshbay leaves

Meat

  • 2 lb rib eyecut 1/2″ thick, sliced in random pieces

Equipment

  • 1skillet, with lid
  • 1bowl
  • 1platter
  • 1strainer

Directions

  1. season steak
  2. combine lemon juice, orange juice, and soy in bowl. set aside
  3. heat oil in skillet over medium low heat
  4. cook bay leaves 2 minutes, extract and put on platter
  5. cook garlic till it takes on a bit of color, extract and put on platter
  6. raise heat to medium hot
  7. cook steak in batches, a minute or two a side, evac to platter
  8. add onions to skillet in a single layer, sprinkle with salt
  9. let onions cook undisturbed for 2-3 minutes, till they take on some color
  10. flip onions, add water, and cover. steam for 2 minutes
  11. evac onions to platter
  12. reduce heat to medium low
  13. melt butter in pan
  14. add sauce mixture to pan, scrape up any brown bits
  15. add any accumulated juices on platter to pan
  16. reduce till syrupy
  17. mix onions, steak, garlic, and bay leaves together on platter
  18. pour sauce over top through a strainer
  19. serve immediately
#Steak