Biftec Encebollado, or Puerto Rican Steak and Onions, is a super-easy weekday family meal. It features sweet caramelized onions, flavorful steak, and a beer-based pan sauce that's perfect for dipping tostones.
Biftec Encebollado is an economical and easy way to prepare thin-cut steak. It's especially delicious when served with arroz mamposteao and tostones de plátano, or alongside guineos en escabeche, a cool salad of green bananas tossed with pickled onions. Together, they make a satisfying meal that feels both comforting and traditional.
If you're looking to round out your Puerto Rican table even more, try classic dishes like Puerto Rican arroz con gandules or arroz con habichuelas. You can also add Pollo Asado, with its crispy oven-roasted chicken thighs, and Mofongo, the iconic fried and mashed green plantain dish that always has a place on a Puerto Rican menu.
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Why You'll Love this Recipe
- Budget-friendly: Traditionally made with cubed steak, but just as tasty with a bigger cut if you're craving something meatier.
- Foolproof: No matter which steak you use, the cooking method is simple and reliable.
- Perfect for Families: big steaks can be split between two adults, and the kids can enjoy smaller portions of the same dish.
- Weeknight Hero: No overnight marinades or complicated prep, just quick cooking and a delicious dinner on the table in minutes.
What is Biftec or Bistec?
In Spanish, the word for steak is bistec. However, regionalisms and pronunciations also use the phrase biftec. Both biftec and bistec derive from the English Beef Steak, so it is an Anglo-Saxon adaptation to Spanish, like catsup (ketchup), futból (football), or güisquí (whiskey).
Ingredient Notes
- Steak: At most supermarkets, you'll find steaks labeled for pepper steak; those are perfect for this dish. Traditionally, cubed steak is used, but beef skirt or flank steak also shines if you give them a little extra love while cooking to keep them tender and not rubbery.
- Onions: Onions are what make this recipe encebollado. Thinkly sliced onions caramelize as they cook, adding a sweetness that balances the savory flavors of the steak and defines the dish as biftec encebollado.
- Beer (Optional): You won't see it in the photos, but a splash of beer in the pan makes magic happen-lifting all those drippings and turning them into a flavorful sauce you'll want to spoon over everything (or dip your tostones in). l deglaze the pan and create a delicious pan-dripping sauce to garnish your steak.
See my recipe card below for a complete list of the ingredients with measurements.
Top Tip
Cook these cuts of meat over high heat, giving them a quick sear. This locks in the juices, crisps the edges, and prevents the steak from overcooking.
How to Cook Biftec Encebollado
Season the steak with adobo, salt, and pepper. Let it rest for 30 minutes to allow it to marinate.
- Step 1: Heat a carbon steel sauté pan (or any large sauté pan) over high heat. The pan should be hot but not smoking. Add oil-achiote oil adds extra color-then place the steaks in the pan without crowding. Cook for 3-5 minutes on one side.
- Step 2: Flip and sear the other side for another 3-5 minutes. This is just a quick sear; the steaks will finish cooking later.
- Step 3: Remove the steaks from the pan and set aside
- Step 4: In the same pan, add the onions. Cook until they sweat and begin to caramelize.
- Step 5: Stir in the garlic paste and sofrito, cooking for about a minute until fragrant.
- Step 6: Deglaze the pan with broth, wine, or beer, then stir in a pat of butter to bring the sauce together. Return the steaks to the pan, cover, and remove from the heat. Let rest 5-10 minutes before serving with arroz mamposteao, arroz con habichuelas, or mofongo.
Expert Tips
- Don't Skip the Rest: Letting the steak sit with adobo, salt, and pepper for 30 minutes gives it a head start on flavor.
- Hot, Not Smoking: A very hot pan is key, but if it's smoking, your oil will burn before the steak cooks.
- Crowding Kills the Crisp: Sear the steaks in batches so they brown instead of steaming.
- Layer the Flavors: Adding sofrito and garlic paste after the onions caramelize deepens the sauce without burning the aromatics.
- Deglaze for Gold: Use beer, wine, or broth to lift all the browned bits-those drippings are pure flavor.
- Finish with Butter: A small pat of butter gives the sauce a silky finish.
- Rest is Best: A 5-10 minute rest keeps the steak juicy when sliced.
Recipe FAQs
Including marinating, cooking, and resting, it takes 40-60 minutes. The actual cooking time usually is 15-20 minutes
Salt and pepper are the most basic and most common in restaurants. For a Puerto Rican touch use adobo, a blend of salt, garlic powder, cumin, coriander, and pepper.
In Puerto Rico, cubed steak is the traditional choice. Other flavorful options include beef skirt, flank, top round, or London broil.
Resting allows the juices to redistribute in the meat. Since bistec is a thin cut, let it rest at least five minutes, or up to 10 minutes for best results.
More Traditional Puerto Rican Recipes
- Pan de Mallorca
- Sopa de Plátano (Plantain Soup)
- Homemade Puerto Rican Adobo Seasoning
- Arroz Con Gandules Recipe (Puerto Rican Rice and Pigeon Peas)
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📖 Recipe
Biftec Encebollado (Puerto Rican Steak and Onions)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 Chuck Steaks
- 1 onion cut into strips
- 1 tablespoon adobo
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Season the steak with adobo, salt, and pepper. Let it rest for at least 30 minutes to marinate.
- Heat a carbon steel saute pan (or any large saute pan) over high heat. The pan should be hot but not smoking. Add oil; achiote oil adds extra color if you would like to use it. Then, place the steaks in the pan without crowding. Cook for 3-5 minutes on one side.
- Flip and sear the other side for another 3-5 minutes. This is just a quick sear; the steaks will finish cooking later.
- Remove the steaks from the pan and set aside.
- In the same pan, add the onions. cook until they sweat and begin to caramelize.
- Stil in the garlic paste and sofrito, cooking for about a minute until fragrant.
- Deglaze the pan with broth, wine, or beer, then stir in a pat of butter to bring the sauce together.
- Return the steaks to the pan, cover it, and remove it from the heat. Let rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving with arroz mamposteao, arroz con gandules, or mofongo.
Notes
Top Tip
Cook these cuts of meat over high heat, giving them a quick sear. This locks in the juices, crisps the edges, and prevents the steak from overcooking.Expert Tips
- Don't Skip the Rest: Letting the steak sit with adobo, salt, and pepper for 30 minutes gives it a head start on flavor.
- Hot, Not Smoking: A very hot pan is key, but if it's smoking, your oil will burn before the steak cooks.
- Crowding Kills the Crisp: Sear the steaks in batches so they brown instead of steaming.
- Layer the Flavors: Adding sofrito and garlic paste after the onions caramelize deepens the sauce without burning the aromatics.
- Deglaze for Gold: Use beer, wine, or broth to lift all the browned bits-those drippings are pure flavor.
- Finish with Butter: A small pat of butter gives the sauce a silky finish.
- Rest is Best: A 5-10 minute rest keeps the steak juicy when sliced.
Zoe Forestier Villegas says
Using a thicker cut of meat gives a juicier result.