BISTEK TAGALOG (traditional recipe)
Tita Becky •
October 10, 2025
BISTEK TAGALOG is a staple dish in Filipino households. Sliced beef marinated in soy sauce and citrus. Calamansi (Filipino lime) is best for this recipe, but you can also use lemon or lime as I did. It’s such a simple dish to make, yet so delicious!
Ingredients (8)
Ingredients (8)
Instructions
Add slices of beef (1 ½ lb), soy sauce (⅔ cup), juice of lemons (2 medium), garlic (4 cloves), and black pepper (¼ tsp) in a container. Mix and massage the meat. Cover and let it marinate in the fridge for at least 1 hour.
Preheat a wide sauté pan over high heat. Add Olive oil (2 Tbsp) and pan-fry beef for 2-3 minutes on both sides. Add the remaining liquid marinade and water (⅔ cup).
Pan fry in batches to avoid overcrowding and so the meat can get a nice sear.
Cover and turn the heat down to low, and let the beef (1 ½ lb) cook for 30-40 minutes or until the meat is tender.
Add the onion rings (1 small) on top, cover and turn off heat, and let the onions soften from the steam for 5 minutes.
Serve over steamed white rice and enjoy!
Notes
Notes
- I used Beef Bottom Round, a tougher cut of beef, so it needs to be simmered to tenderize.
- Add more soy sauce and water if needed for a more soupy Bistek.
- I didn’t add salt. The soy sauce was salty enough for me.
- I didn’t sauté the onions because I wanted them to have a bit of a bite.
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