Bistec Encebollado

Name: Bistec Encebollado
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Puerto Rican
Ingredients: 4 thin-cut beef steaks (about 150g each); 3 onions, thinly sliced; 4 cloves garlic, minced; 2 tbsp white vinegar; 2 tbsp olive oil; 1 tbsp tomato sauce; Salt, pepper, and adobo seasoning; 1 bay leaf

Bistec Encebollado (bee-STEK en-seh-boh-YAH-doh)

Puerto Rican Steak and Onions

⏱ Prep Time 45 min

📈 Difficulty Medium

👥 Servings

🔥 Calories 444 kcal

Thin-cut beef steaks marinated in garlic and vinegar, pan-fried and smothered in caramelized onions and a savory tomato-based sauce.

Nutrition & Info

Protein 36.0g

Carbs 12.0g

Fat 28.0g

Protein Carbs Fat

Dietary

dairy-free gluten-free nut-free

Equipment Needed

large skillet meat mallet tongs

Presentation Guide

Vessel: plate

Garnishes: caramelized onions on top

Accompaniments: white rice, habichuelas guisadas, maduros

Ingredients

4 thin-cut beef steaks (about 150g each)
3 onions, thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp white vinegar
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp tomato sauce
Salt, pepper, and adobo seasoning
1 bay leaf

Instructions

1
Pound steaks thin with a meat mallet. Season with garlic, vinegar, adobo, salt, and pepper. Marinate thirty minutes.
2
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over high heat. Sear steaks two minutes per side until browned. Remove and set aside.
3
In the same skillet, add sliced onions and cook over medium heat until soft and caramelized, about ten minutes.
4
Add tomato sauce and bay leaf to the onions. Stir and cook two minutes.
5
Return steaks to the skillet, nestling them into the onions. Cover and cook five minutes on low heat.
6
Serve steaks smothered in the caramelized onions with rice and beans on the side.

💡

Did You Know?

Bistec encebollado is the dish that most Puerto Rican children request when visiting their grandmother, and the aroma of onions cooking is deeply nostalgic for islanders living abroad.

Chef's Notes

Equipment Tips

large skillet
meat mallet
tongs

Garnishing

caramelized onions on top

Accompaniments

white rice, habichuelas guisadas, maduros

The Story Behind Bistec Encebollado

Bistec encebollado is a cornerstone of daily Puerto Rican home cooking, a straightforward dish that delivers enormous flavor from simple ingredients. The technique of marinating thin-cut steaks in vinegar and garlic before pan-frying comes directly from Spanish cooking traditions adapted to Caribbean kitchens. The mountain of caramelized onions that smothers the steaks is non-negotiable, transforming this simple preparation into something deeply comforting and satisfying.

🕐 Traditionally enjoyed lunch or dinner 📜 Origins: Spanish colonial influenced

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