Bistec Encebollado Recipe {Puerto Rican Cubed Steak} - modernmami™ (2024)

By Melanie Edwards 20 Comments

Bistec Encebollado Recipe {Puerto Rican Cubed Steak} - modernmami™ (1)

Earlier this year, I wrote about how my family is comprised of meat lovers. In that post, I shared a story from when my husband and I were newlyweds and I made the mistake of serving him dinner with no meat. The recipe I included in that post was for Bistec Encebollado (Puerto Rican Cubed Steak), which has been a popular recipe, but I felt it got a little lost in the post due to the giveaway I held at that time. So, I decided to share the recipe with you again.

As I shared before, we often ate beef growing up in a Puerto Rican house. From carne molida to bistec encebollado to barbecuing steaks at parties, many meals I grew up eating – and some of my favorites – involve beef. One of my all time favorites is bistec encebollado.

Bistec Encebollado Recipe {Puerto Rican Cubed Steak} - modernmami™ (2)

The key to making bistec encebollado is that you have to use cubed steak. If you can’t find it pre-packaged, just ask the butcher to run a piece of beef through the machine and it’ll come out cubed for you. Then, you really only need some onions and the basic ingredients for making sofrito – a staple when cooking Puerto Rican food.

Bistec Encebollado Recipe {Puerto Rican Cubed Steak} - modernmami™ (3)

Bistec Encebollado Recipe {Puerto Rican Cubed Steak with Onions}

Ingredients

  • Cubed Steak
  • Onions
  • Cooking Oil
  • Adobo
  • Meat Tenderizer
  • Black Pepper

Cooking the Steak

  1. Season el bistec with adobo, black pepper, and meat tenderizer.
  2. Cut your onions into nice ring slices.
  3. Using a large covered pan, heat a bit of cooking oil.
  4. Put your steaks in and drizzle a little water under to help create steam.
  5. Cover the pan and cook on low-medium heat.
  6. When the steak is tender and nearly done, add your onions on top of the steaks.
  7. The steak will cook slowly on low heat and the onions will wilt creating a perfect combination of steak and onions.
  8. I highly suggest you serve over white rice and red beans with a side of tostones. Heaven!

I apologize for the lack in detail with the ingredients and the steps, but it is true to how I and everyone in my family cooks. We do not measure and just go along pouring items into the pot.

Have you ever had bistec encebollado before? If you try this recipe, I’d love to hear how it turns out!

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Comments

  1. Bistec Encebollado Recipe {Puerto Rican Cubed Steak} - modernmami™ (4)Monica says

    Thanks for the recipe, Melanie. It looks delicious. I’ll have to try this sometime…

    Reply

  2. Bistec Encebollado Recipe {Puerto Rican Cubed Steak} - modernmami™ (5)Young And Fabulous says

    OMG, that looks so good, it made me hungry! I don’t like measuring too, when I cook, I use approximation and just adjust according to taste. But I’m really craving for Bistec Encebollado right now! lol!

    Reply

  3. Bistec Encebollado Recipe {Puerto Rican Cubed Steak} - modernmami™ (7)OfeliaNJ says

    Bistec encebollado is always a favorite for me – I’ll even ask for extra onions and let the juices soak into the rice, yuca, platanos … you get the idea!

    Reply

  4. Bistec Encebollado Recipe {Puerto Rican Cubed Steak} - modernmami™ (8)Eren Mckay says

    Thanks so much for the step by step instructions, Melanie. I only like to cook when the recipes are detailed and your is really well explained so I’ll be able to make this.
    All the best,
    Eren

    Reply

  5. Bistec Encebollado Recipe {Puerto Rican Cubed Steak} - modernmami™ (9)Debbie@Invisible Heartstrings says

    Mmm. Nothing like starting your day with a delicious sounding recipe. Just looking at that Adobo spice this week and wondering what you would put it on.

    Reply

  6. Bistec Encebollado Recipe {Puerto Rican Cubed Steak} - modernmami™ (10)lisa renata says

    MMMM That looks really good. I must try. Thanks for the recipe.

    Reply

  7. Bistec Encebollado Recipe {Puerto Rican Cubed Steak} - modernmami™ (11)Rachel White says

    Yummy this sounds delicious!

    Reply

  8. Bistec Encebollado Recipe {Puerto Rican Cubed Steak} - modernmami™ (13)Adal Gutierrez says

    Melanie, this looks so GOOD… and the instructions are so detailed, thanks!

    Reply

    • Bistec Encebollado Recipe {Puerto Rican Cubed Steak} - modernmami™ (14)modernmami says

      I’m so glad you find the instructions are easy to follow and detailed! I
      always worry since I don’t measure when I cook. You have to try it, it’s
      delicious!

      Reply

  9. Bistec Encebollado Recipe {Puerto Rican Cubed Steak} - modernmami™ (15)Gaby D says

    You are missing two very important ingridients!! The bistec trade mark flavor, at least here in PR, is the tangy vinegar and oregano. You need to marinate the meat with salt and pepper,much oregano, maybe a powdersazon if you like, some beef boulion and 2 to 1 ratio of olive oil + vinegarand of course lots of white onion rings. If you let all this ingredientsmarinating overnight the flavor will be heavenly. When cooking just throw all in the potm let it boil ten lower to simmer for 40 mins aprox.

    Reply

  10. Bistec Encebollado Recipe {Puerto Rican Cubed Steak} - modernmami™ (16)Deb says

    my hubby loves the juice from this on french fries –so we usually do up the steak, red beans and rice — and FRIES!

    Reply

    • Bistec Encebollado Recipe {Puerto Rican Cubed Steak} - modernmami™ (17)modernmami says

      Yes! I know many people who add fries to their rice & beans! I’ve done it before too! 🙂

      Reply

  11. Bistec Encebollado Recipe {Puerto Rican Cubed Steak} - modernmami™ (18)Jessica says

    Just like Gaby D, I like to marinate in a little vinegar and it makes the bistec really tender. Also the juice has a little more zig and it tastes heavenly on the fries!!!!!

    Reply

    • Bistec Encebollado Recipe {Puerto Rican Cubed Steak} - modernmami™ (19)Melanie Edwards says

      That’s a great idea!

      Reply

  12. Bistec Encebollado Recipe {Puerto Rican Cubed Steak} - modernmami™ (20)Ara Morenberg says

    I plan on making this soon. It sounds delicious. Do you add lime juice to the onions/steak when cooking?

    Reply

    • Bistec Encebollado Recipe {Puerto Rican Cubed Steak} - modernmami™ (21)Melanie Edwards says

      No, I don’t!

      Reply

  13. Bistec Encebollado Recipe {Puerto Rican Cubed Steak} - modernmami™ (22)Yarikza Alexander says

    I love bistec encebollado, growing up in Puerto Rico, we ate it almost once a week. I have my own little twist when I make it. I let the cub steak marinate in the adobo and onions for at least 30 minutes, then I dump it in a pot and I add more onions and a beef bullion and let it cook at med-low heat till is done. I love to eat it with white rice, tostones and avocado.

    Reply

    • Bistec Encebollado Recipe {Puerto Rican Cubed Steak} - modernmami™ (23)Melanie Edwards says

      That sounds delicious, Yarikza! I love the onions so extra onions sound great! 🙂

      Reply

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Bistec Encebollado Recipe {Puerto Rican Cubed Steak} - modernmami™ (2024)

FAQs

What is bistec encebollado made of? ›

This Puerto Rican bistec encebollado is a comforting main dish made with stewed steak & onions marinated in a garlicky, spice forward sauce. It's typically made with cube steak and served over white rice with fried brown plantains.

How do you make cubed steak tender? ›

A few ways to make your cube steak more tender include:
  1. Marinating the meat in a buttermilk or vinegar-based marinade.
  2. Using a home meat mallet on your steaks to break down the muscle fibers even more.
  3. Slicing against the grain before quick-cooking methods like stir-frying and sautéing.
Feb 1, 2021

What cut of meat for bistec? ›

Now, bistec is basically a translation for beef steak. in general, that can be either a chuck, it can be a sirloin, it can be pretty much any kind of meat. But here in the valley, it's mostly chug or sirloin, depending on which taqueria you go to.

What is bistec in Spanish meat? ›

noun. steak [noun] a slice of meat (usually beef) or fish (often cod) for eg frying or stewing. (Translation of bistec from the PASSWORD Spanish–English Dictionary © 2014 K Dictionaries Ltd)

What does encebollado mean in English? ›

Encebollado (Spanish: cooked with onions) is a fish stew from Ecuador, where it is regarded as a national dish.

How long does bistec last in the fridge? ›

How long is raw steak good in the fridge? Store raw steak in the refrigerator for 3-5 days. However, pay attention to sell-by dates and the expiration date. Steak may remain fresh for a few days past their sell-by dates, but you should freeze steak before its expiration date if you won't use it by that date.

How do you cook cube steak so it's not tough? ›

The best way to cook cube steak for tenderness is slowly and evenly, so a slow cooker can do the trick when you have ample time to spare. However, braising, pan-frying, and sauteing also work. Just be sure to cook with enough liquid to keep the steak moist.

Why do you soak cube steak in milk? ›

Here's why: A steak that marinates in an acidic or enzymatic liquid too long, such as citrus juice or cola, becomes tough or mushy. But the acid in milk is so mild that you can soak beef in it long enough to tenderize it effectively, without damaging the proteins on the surface.

How do you keep cube steak from falling apart? ›

Cooking Cube steak in the crockpot with plenty of flavorful liquid turns out a tender and juicy cut of beef. As long as you don't leave the meat cooking all day long, you won't have to worry about it getting too soft and falling apart.

What is the difference between bistec and beef steak? ›

Bistec in Spanish is beefsteak in English. It refers to a thinner cut as compared to a roast or a chunk.

What is the difference between asada and bistec? ›

Meat cooked on a flat iron is not roasted, hence isn't carne asada. In Mexico this is called bistec. Carne asada is cooked over mesquite, flame roasted.

Why do Mexicans say bistec? ›

Bistec – beef steak

Britain's good old roast beef lends its name to this cut of meat in Spain, which is also sometimes called a filete (filet). Many Spanish borrowings from English spell the word as it is pronounced by Spaniards, so 'beef steak' becomes bistec.

What type of steak is bistec? ›

Of course you can always upgrade your cut of meat, but the Cuban beef steak, better known as bistec is best when it's a top round steak or any similar cubed steak pounded thin.

What is bistec steak in English? ›

Bistek (from Spanish: bistec, "beefsteak"), also known as bistek tagalog or karne frita, is a Filipino dish consisting of thinly-sliced beefsteak braised in soy sauce, calamansi juice, garlic, ground black pepper, and onions cut into rings.

Is bistec the same as beef steak? ›

Bistec is an actual Spanish word. tell me a word in Spanish you later realized was just mispronounced English. i'll start, bistec = beef steak.

What is mofongo made of? ›

Mofongo is a popular Puerto Rican side dish made with fried green plantains mashed by hand together with chicharrones (crispy pork skin) and fresh garlic. It's traditionally served with a red shrimp sauce (camarones guisados) or chicken broth, and makes for a super delicious side.

Does bistec mean beef steak? ›

Bistec – beef steak

Britain's good old roast beef lends its name to this cut of meat in Spain, which is also sometimes called a filete (filet). Many Spanish borrowings from English spell the word as it is pronounced by Spaniards, so 'beef steak' becomes bistec.

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