Mains

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


Mise en Place
STAPLES PRODUCE
1/4 cup soy sauce 2 large lemons, juiced
2 tbs olive oil 1/2 navel orange juiced
kosher salt 1 head garlic, cloves smashed
pepper 1 large white onion, sliced into rings
1/4 cup water 10 fresh bay leaves
2 tbs butter MEAT
2 lb rib eye cut 1/2″ thick, sliced in random pieces

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

Directions
Step Action
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
13 reduce heat to medium low
14 melt butter in pan
15 add sauce mixture to pan, scrape up any brown bits
16 add any accumulated juices on platter to pan
17 reduce till syrupy
18 mix onions, steak, garlic, and bay leaves together on platter
19 pour sauce over top through a strainer
20 serve immediately

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.

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