Bistek Tagalog Beef Steak Recipe

Bistek Tagalog, also known as Filipino Beef Steak, is thinly sliced beef marinated in soy sauce and calamansi, then pan-fried with onion rings on top. The sauce is salty and a little sour from the calamansi, and the onions on top turn sweet enough to balance it. I use beef tenderloin or solomilyo at home because it stays soft and is the easiest cut to cook right. Sirloin or tapandera is the practical everyday choice and is what most carinderias use. Many Filipinos call this dish beefsteak, and it is one of the first beef recipes I learned to cook by watching the cooks in my family. I like it best with hot rice because the sauce is the reason you cook extra rice.

My aunt’s version is the one I remember the most. She used more onions than anyone else in the family. Mom and Grandma usually added one or two onions, but my aunt used three, sometimes four, sliced thick into rings and piled high over the beef. The beef was tender, the sauce was rich, and the onions on top were sweet and soft. She served it with ginisang Baguio beans on the side, which I still cook with my bistek today.

I use solomilyo at home now because it is the most tender cut you can get. Sirloin is what I grew up with and it still works well. Ribeye is another option when I want it richer. All three cuts give you good bistek as long as you slice thin and keep the simmer gentle.

What is Bistek Tagalog?

Bistek Tagalog, also known as Filipino Beef Steak, is thinly sliced beef marinated in soy sauce and calamansi, then pan-fried with onion rings on top. Some people just call it beefsteak, especially the home cooked version. You will see Bistek Tagalog served in homes, carinderias, and family gatherings across the country.

The dish has roots in the Spanish bistec encebollado, which means beef steak with onions. When the dish came to the Philippines, Filipinos adjusted it to match what we eat with rice. We swapped the wine and vinegar for calamansi, leaned into soy sauce for the salty side, and added more onions. Over time, beef steak became a regular Filipino home cooked dish.

Different regions call it different things. In Western Visayas, it is sometimes known as Karne Frita. In most Tagalog provinces, it is just bistek. Filipinos in the US often search for it as Filipino Beef Steak or beefsteak because that is how they think of the dish in English. Whatever people call it, the dish comes down to beef, soy sauce, calamansi, and onions cooked together.

Why This Bistek Tagalog Recipe Works

A few small things make this version easier to cook, especially when using tenderloin.

• Tenderloin is already soft going in. Solomilyo is the most tender cut you can get, so the beef comes out soft without long cooking. Sliced thin against the grain and pulled off the heat at the right time, the meat stays tender.
• The same marinade becomes the sauce. Soy sauce and calamansi go into the beef first, then the same liquid finishes as the sauce after the beef is out of the pan. Nothing goes to waste.
• Cooking the beef and onions separately keeps both right. A quick sear helps the beef hold together before the simmer. Pan-frying the onions on their own keeps them from disappearing into the sauce.
• I use three onions for a reason. One goes into the sauce with the garlic and thickens it. The other two go on top and stay sweet and soft. The onions are not just garnish here.

This recipe is straightforward, but I cook the onions and beef separately so both come out right. Here is how I do it.

1. Combine the soy sauce, calamansi juice, and ground black pepper in a bowl.
2. Add the beef slices. Mix well and marinate for at least 1 hour. Overnight is better when you have the time.

A resealable bag works even better than a bowl because the marinade coats every slice. Press the air out before sealing.

1. Heat 2 tablespoons of cooking oil in a pan.
2. Saute the onions for 30 seconds.
3. Remove the onions and set aside.

1. Drain the marinade from the beef and set the marinade aside.
2. Pan-fry the beef in the same pan 1 minute per side using the remaining oil. Add more as needed.
3. Take the beef out of the pan. Ser aside.

The beef finishes cooking in the sauce, so a quick sear is all you need here. With tenderloin, the beef sears fast, so do not walk away from the pan.

1. Pour the remaining oil if the pan. Saute the garlic until it starts to brown. Add a few pieces of the sauteed onion.
2. Pour the leftover marinade and water into the pan. Let it boil.
3. Add the beef back into the pan. Cover and simmer until the meat is tender. Add water as needed if the liquid runs low.
4. Season with ground black pepper and salt if needed.

1. Top the bistek with the remaining sauteed onion rings.
2. Cover the pot and let the onions steam for about 1 minute.
3. Stir gently to mix the onions into the sauce.
4. Transfer to a serving plate. Serve hot with rice. Share and enjoy!

What to Serve with Bistek Tagalog

Bistek is salty, sour, and rich, so the sides should be lighter and let the beef take the lead.

• Steamed white rice – This is what I serve with bistek most of the time. The sauce is meant to be spooned over rice.
• Sinangag – Garlic fried rice. Turns this into a silog meal when you add a fried egg.
• Chop Suey – Stir-fried mixed vegetables make the meal feel rounded out.
• Atchara – Pickled green papaya cuts through the richness of the beef and sauce.
• Fried egg – For breakfast. Bistek with a sunny-side-up egg over garlic rice is one of my favorite Filipino breakfasts.

Storage

Leftover bistek tastes good the next day because the beef sits longer in the sauce.

• Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days. The sauce thickens slightly when chilled.
• Freezer: Freeze for up to 2 months in a freezer-safe container. Let it cool first.
• Reheating: Reheat over low heat in a saucepan until hot all the way through. Add a splash of water if the sauce has thickened. The microwave works in 2-to-3-minute intervals with a stir in between.

More Bistek Recipes

• Sirloin Beef Steak Tagalog – Sirloin version with beef broth in the sauce.
• Pinoy Beefsteak – Skirt steak version with garlic powder and beef bouillon.
• Slow Cooked Bistek Tagalog – A good one to try when you want the slow cooker to do most of the work.
• Chicken Bistek – The lighter version using chicken thighs.
• Pork Steak – The pork version, cooked the same way as bistek.
• Filipino Fish Steak – The bangus version, ala bistek.
• Bistek Silog – Bistek plated as a silog breakfast with garlic rice and fried eggs.

• Beef tenderloin (solomilyo) – Sirloin or ribeye are the everyday swaps. Top round, flank steak, or chuck also work. Slice thin whichever cut you pick.
• Calamansi – Lemon or lime works. One lemon equals about three to four pieces of calamansi.
• Soy sauce – Light soy sauce works in place of dark. Coconut aminos work for a Paleo or low-sodium version.
• Yellow onion – White or red onion works. Red onion gives a sharper flavor.
• Water – Beef broth replaces the water for more depth in the sauce.

This is the way I like my bistek now, with tender beef, enough sauce for rice, and plenty of onions on top. Try it with beef tenderloin first if you want the easiest version, then use sirloin next time for the more everyday style.