Recipe / Filipino Beef Steak

Cookbook · No. 002 · FILIPINO

Translated from Filipino

Bistek Tagalog

Name: Filipino Beef Steak
Prep time: 34 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h 19 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Filipino
Ingredients: 500g / 1.1 lb Beef sirloin; 3 tbsp / 45 ml Lime juice; 4 tbsp / 60 ml Soy sauce; 5 cloves Garlic; 2 Yellow onion; 1 cup / 240 ml Beef broth; as needed Oil; to taste Salt; to taste Black pepper; to taste Sugar; to taste Dark soy sauce; 2-3 stalks Green onion

Filipino Beef Steak

Panlasang Pinoy pounds the sirloin so the soy-and-kalamansi soak reaches deeper, and the marinade becomes the sauce.

Plate 01

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Time

1 hr 19 min

Ingredients

Steps

Cuisine

Filipino

Plate 01

The Headnote

Bistek Tagalog earns its depth from the marinade, not the pan. The sirloin soaks in soy sauce and kalamansi for at least three hours, ideally overnight, and every drop of that liquid is reclaimed: the resting juices from the seared beef, the reserved marinade, all of it returns to the pan as the sauce's base. In Filipino cooking, bistek is weekday food, the kind of plate that shows up next to a mound of steamed rice without ceremony. Panlasang Pinoy pounds the beef before it marinates, breaking down the fibers so the soak reaches further.

Notes by The Whisq Editors

Filed · April 2026 · Filipino

Originally by

Panlasang Pinoy

Platform

YouTube

Language

Filipino

Watch the original on YOUTUBE →

Section IV / Ingredients

What you'll need

Serves 4 · Estimated — adjust if needed

500g / 1.1 lb
Beef surloin
Beef sirloin
500g / 1.1 lb
Beef sirloin
Beef surloin
3 tbsp / 45 ml
Kalamansi o lime
Lime juice
3 tbsp / 45 ml
Lime juice
Kalamansi o lime
4 tbsp / 60 ml
Toyo
Soy sauce
4 tbsp / 60 ml
Soy sauce
Toyo
5 cloves
Bawang
Garlic
5 cloves
Garlic
Bawang
2
Sibuyas (yellow)
Yellow onion
2
Yellow onion
Sibuyas (yellow)
1 cup / 240 ml
Beef broth
Beef broth
1 cup / 240 ml
Beef broth
Beef broth
as needed
Mantika
Oil
as needed
Oil
Mantika
to taste
Asin
Salt
to taste
Salt
Asin
to taste
Paminta
Black pepper
to taste
Black pepper
Paminta
to taste
Asukal
Sugar
to taste
Sugar
Asukal
to taste
Dark soy sauce
Dark soy sauce
to taste
Dark soy sauce
Dark soy sauce
2-3 stalks
Dahon ng sibuyas
Green onion
2-3 stalks
Green onion
Dahon ng sibuyas

Section V / The Method

Cook it through

One step at a time.

Total

1 hr 19 min

Step 1
01
Step 01 / 09
Tenderize the beef
I-tenderize ang beef
Place the beef sirloin slices on a wooden cutting board lined with cling wrap. Cover with another sheet of cling wrap and pound gently with a meat mallet on both sides. This is especially helpful for tougher cuts.
By feel · Watch the pan
By Feel
No timer — watch the pan.
Step 2
02
Step 02 / 09
Marinate the beef
I-marinate ang beef
In a bowl or container, combine the beef slices with the lime juice and soy sauce. Massage well to coat evenly. Cover with cling wrap and refrigerate — overnight for best results, or at least 3 hours if short on time.
Timer · 5 min
In the app · Timer
5 min
Step 3
03
Step 03 / 09
Prep garlic and onion
I-prepare ang bawang at sibuyas
Crush the garlic cloves, then finely chop them. Slice the onions into rings. Separate the inner (smaller) rings and chop them — these will be sautéed as aromatics. Set the larger outer rings aside to be added near the end of cooking.
Timer · 10 min
In the app · Timer
10 min
Step 4
04
Step 04 / 09
Fry the marinated beef
Iprito ang marinated beef
Heat a pan over high heat and add a small amount of oil. Fry the marinated beef slices in batches (do not slice yet), about 1½–2 minutes per side, until lightly browned. Set aside and let rest for about 5 minutes to allow the juices to release. Reserve all the resting juices and the remaining marinade — these will go into the sauce.
By feel · Watch the pan
By Feel
No timer — watch the pan.
Step 5
05
Step 05 / 09
Slice the rested beef
Hiwain ang rested beef
Once the beef has rested and cooled slightly, slice it into bite-sized pieces. Cut to your preferred size, keeping in mind the pieces will shrink a little more during simmering.
Timer · 4 min
In the app · Timer
4 min
Step 6
06
Step 06 / 09
Sauté aromatics
Igisa ang aromatics
In the same pan over medium heat, add a little oil. Sauté the chopped inner onion rings until slightly softened and lightly browned, about 3–4 minutes. Add the chopped garlic and continue sautéing for about 1 more minute until fragrant.
Timer · 5 min
In the app · Timer
5 min
Step 7
07
Step 07 / 09
Add beef and simmer
Ilagay ang beef at i-simmer
Add the sliced beef back to the pan. Pour in the reserved marinade, beef resting juices, and beef broth. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to the lowest heat setting and simmer until the beef is completely tender.
By feel · Watch the pan
By Feel
No timer — watch the pan.
Step 8
08
Step 08 / 09
Season and adjust
Timplahan at i-adjust
Taste the sauce and season with salt, black pepper, and sugar (optional) to balance the flavors. If you want a darker sauce, add a small amount of dark soy sauce instead of more regular soy sauce to avoid over-salting. Stir to combine.
Timer · 2 min
In the app · Timer
2 min
Step 9
09
Step 09 / 09
Add onion rings and serve
Ilagay ang sibuyas rings at i-serve
Add the large outer onion rings, distributing them across the pan. Cover and let steam for 1–2 minutes until the onion rings soften slightly but still hold their shape. Optionally scatter sliced green onion over the top for color. Transfer to a serving plate and serve with steamed rice.
Timer · 3 min
In the app · Timer
3 min

In the app

One step.
One screen.
One timer at a time.

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Step 01 / 09

Bistek Tagalog

Tenderize the beef

Place the beef sirloin slices on a wooden cutting board lined with cling wrap. Cover with another sheet of cling wrap and pound gently with a meat mallet on both sides. This is…

By Feel

Watch the pan.

Whisq

Step 05 / 09

Bistek Tagalog

Slice the rested beef

Once the beef has rested and cooled slightly, slice it into bite-sized pieces. Cut to your preferred size, keeping in mind the pieces will shrink a little more during simmering.

Timer

4 min

Whisq

Step 09 / 09

Bistek Tagalog

Add onion rings and serve

Add the large outer onion rings, distributing them across the pan. Cover and let steam for 1–2 minutes until the onion rings soften slightly but still hold their shape. Optionally…

Timer

3 min