Bistec encebollado is our name for the flavorful dish, Dominican beef steak, topped with our popular Dominican-style sautéed onions. It is an easy main dish that you can have ready without spending a lot of time in the kitchen. Put this tasty little dish on your table today.
By - Reviewed: . Original: Dec 27, 2010
Why we ❤️ it
I don't know how many bistec encebollado recipes (beef steak with onions) I've seen, but I am sharing with you my favorite one. You'll be serving flavorful, tender steaks with some sautéed onions.
These juicy and tender beef steaks cook in a short time, adding little extra time to your meal. Done well, and paired with good sides, it can be a lovely dinner dish.
What's bistec?
Bistec is a Spanish portmanteau made from the English words beef and steak, so a beef steak. It can also be called bisté or bife - from the English beef - depending on the country. In the Philippines, which was also a Spanish colony, it is called bistek.
Bistec does not refer to any particular beef cut, just to a piece of flat, boneless beef cut. It may vary from country to country. You can see my tips below to picking a good cut for this dish.
Dominican bistec encebollado (beef steak with onions).
How to serve
My favorite way to serve Bistec encebollado is with some boiled yuca. The creaminess and faint sweetness of yuca complement the sour touch in the steak and onions.
You can also go with Arroz blanco or rice with corn and plátanos al caldero and some avocado salad, or Dominican salad. A small bowl of Dominican beans (habichuelas rojas guisadas) will complete the meal.
You can also serve it with just Tostones, which go great with it. In that case, serve with some lime on the side.
Top tips
- Picking the cut: As we mentioned above, there is not a single beef cut that's called bistec. You can pick as expensive or as inexpensive a cut as you want. If you don't mind the price, veal filet makes for a more tender meat.
Traditional Dominican bistec is a more economical cut; it is typically tenderized beforehand by lightly pounding it with a kitchen mallet. It can be bought as "bistec pasado por máquina" in some supermarkets, already tenderized mechanically and pre-portioned. Sirloin, round, or skirt steak are good choices for this dish. - Cutting the meat: The meat should be cut thinly (about half an inch [1.5 centimeters]) before tenderizing, and cut against the grain.
- Yield: This recipe yields four servings, but if your family or guests are enthusiastic carnivores, you might need to double the ingredients. This recipe serves about two thin slices per guest.
- Cooking pan: You will need a very large pan, or cook the meat in two stages, so the steaks brown very fast.
- Cooking time: Don't let the meat linger in the pan, or it will become very dry and hard. You're aiming for a very hot and quick cooking process. I cooked mine one minute per side, and that was enough.
Be mindful that traditionally, Dominicans prefer their meat well-done, so this is how they're prepared, but be careful they're not overdone.
About this recipe
Bistec encebollado is one of the most popular beef dishes in our country. It's relatively inexpensive, straightforward, and quick to prepare.
Please note that I've used veal for this dish to maintain its juiciness while still cooking it thoroughly, as we prefer. You are free to switch to a less expensive cut (see tips above).
Video
Recipe
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Bistec Encebollado [Video+Recipe] Beef Steak with Onions
Ingredients
- 2½ pound beef round, sirloin, or skirt steak, 8 bigger or 4 smaller pieces, cut against the grain into thin slices (1 centimeter [⅓ inch]).
- 1 large red onion, cut into thin strips
- Juice of 1 lime
- 4 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- ½ teaspoon oregano powder
- ¼ teaspoon pepper (freshly-cracked, or ground)
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1½ teaspoon coarse sea salt, divided, (may need more, to taste)
- 4 tablespoons vegetable oil
Instructions
1. Seasoning the steaks
Remove and discard the white membranes and nerves, if it has any. Pound the meat with a kitchen mallet or rolling pin to tenderize it.Place the beef in a bowl, and add onion, oregano, pepper, vinegar, lime juice, Worcestershire sauce, and 1 teaspoon of salt.Marinate for an hour at room temperature.
2. Cooking the steaks
- Once an hour has passed, separate the meat and onions from the marinade liquid. Reserve the liquid and the onions separately. Lightly pat dry the beef slices using a paper towel.Heat the oil over very high heat in a large frying pan. Once the oil is smoking, add the beef slices (careful with splatters), Cook for half a minute, turn and cook the other side for another 30 seconds. Remove them from the pan.⚠️ Don't overcrowd the steaks, they should be cooked at high temperature but for a short period of time.
3. Cooking the onions
- Add the onions and seasonings, including the liquids, to the pan and cook and stir until the onions start to soften, but should be still al dente. Remove from the heat.
4. Serving
Serve the steak with the onions. Taste and season with salt to taste if you find it necessary. See serving suggestions above recipe.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is calculated automatically based on ingredients listed. Please consult your doctor if you need precise nutrition information.
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More beef recipes
You can find many traditional beef recipes in our collection, and this is one of the most popular. Don't miss our Res guisada dish, the very popular Carne frita, and the versatile and inexpensive Carne molida con vegetables, amongst many others.
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