Filipino-Style Beef Steak with Onion and Bay Leaves (Bistek)

From the kitchen of Carly

Tender beef strips browned with fragrant bay leaves, then braised with sweet onions in a soy-lemon glaze. This Filipino classic is comfort food at its best: savory, slightly tangy, and perfect over rice.

Prep
n/a
Cook
n/a
Total
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Servings
4
Difficulty
medium

Ingredients

4 servings

  • 12 (1-inch-thick) boneless rib-eye steaks, excess fat trimmed
  • 12 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
  • 18 fresh bay leaves
  • 11 large white onion, sliced into 1/2" thick rounds
  • 11/4 cup fresh lemon juice
  • 11/4 cup soy sauce
  • 1Kosher salt

Instructions

  1. Slice steaks in half lengthwise. Following natural seams in meat, cut each half into 2, 3 pieces and set aside.

  2. Heat 1 Tbsp. oil in a large skillet over medium. Add bay leaves; cook until beginning to brown around the edges, about 1 minute. Add onion and 1/2 cup water. Cover skillet (use a baking sheet if you don’t have a lid) and cook until onion is partly tender; it should have lost its raw bite but still have some crunch, about 5 minutes. Transfer onion and bay leaves to a plate with a slotted spatula or tongs.

  3. Increase heat to medium-high and bring remaining liquid in skillet to a boil. Cook until only 2 Tbsp. remains. Scrape into a small bowl and stir in lemon juice and soy sauce. Set sauce aside.

  4. Wipe out skillet and heat remaining 1 Tbsp. oil in skillet over medium-high. Season reserved meat with salt. Working in batches, cook meat undisturbed until dark brown, about 2 minutes. Turn and cook until second side is lightly browned, about 45 seconds. Transfer to a platter.

  5. Reduce heat to medium (let skillet cool a little if it is very hot) and cook reserved sauce in skillet just to let flavors meld, about 1 minute. Add 1, 2 Tbsp. water if sauce is too concentrated. Pour over meat and top with onion and bay leaves.