Biftec Encebollado (Puerto Rican Steak and Onions)
Biftec Encebollado is a Puerto Rican steak and onions recipe made with caramelized onions, thin-cut steak, and flavorful pan sauce in under an hour.
Servings: 2 people
Calories: 49kcal
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.
Nutrition
Serving: 4oz | Calories: 49kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 0.3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 3291mg | Potassium: 101mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 21IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 25mg | Iron: 0.4mg
