Bistec Encebollado consists of thinly sliced beef steak cooked with a generous amount of caramelized onions. The sweet and savory flavors will create a magical meal.

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Bistec Encebollado served on a decorative clay plate next to lime wedges.

Bistec Encebollado (Mexican-Style Steak and Onions) is one of those easy and delicious go-to recipes that gets dinner on the table in no time flat.

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My mom was the queen of multitasking. She worked from the minute she got up to the minute she went to bed.

How did she do it all? I have NO IDEA!

Each country in Latin America seems to have their own version of this dish. This is my mom’s Mexican version.

Table of Contents

1 Marinating the Beef:
2 Jugo Maggi Substitute
3 Instructions
4 Pro tip:
5 Best Cut of Beef
- 5.1 Other Recipes using “bistec”
6 What Onion goes best with steak?
7 What is a chip steak?
8 Variations:
9 Storing Instructions
10 Reheating
11 What to Serve with It
12 Hungry for More?
13 Bistec Encebollado

Marinating the Beef:

Marinate the beef with ground cumin, Jugo Maggi, lime juice, and black pepper.
Place in the fridge while slicing the onions.

Similar to these marinated steak bites, the beef is marinated in simple ingredients to let the flavor of the steak shine.

Look for Jugo Maggi next to worcestershire sauce or soy sauce. Sometimes found in the Latin section of the grocery store. Or buy it online.

Jugo Maggi Substitute

Equal parts dark soy sauce and Worcestershire sauce.
It can also be replaced with Thai sweet soy sauce or mushroom soy sauce.

Instructions

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Then add the beef.
Cook until it is no longer pink. About 4 minutes.

Get the skillet really hot. Once the beef is cooked, remove it from the pan.

Cooking times vary depending on how thick the steak is. The thinner the steak, the less amount of time it needs to cook.

Pro tip:

Some of the juices will come out of the meat. Place the meat in a shallow dish to catch some of those juices and later return to the skillet to develop a deeper, delicious flavor.

Best Cut of Beef

The word Bistec means “beef steak.” You can use virtually any THIN kind of steak.

Cube steak is most commonly used. Also called “cubed steak” is tenderized top round or sirloin pounded with a mallet and has visible small indentations, hence the name.

Use round steak, sirloin steak, skirt steak, it’s all up to you and your preference.

A great way to bring down the cost is to buy the least expensive cut. Take it home and pound it thin between two pieces of wax paper with a meat mallet. Chuck roast is best for recipes like Birria Pizza and Beef Pozole.

Other Recipes using “bistec”

Onion slices cooking in cast iron skillet.

Remove the beef from the skillet.
Add a little bit of oil to the skillet and add the onions.
It might look like a big pile, but the onions will cook down.

“Encebollado” means that there are onions in the dish. The key ingredients in this recipe are beef and lots of onions.

Next time you have onions to use up, remember this onion recipe! We are using two full onions here.

I like to slice them, not dice them. Dice can be nice. 🙂 Or cook as rings of white onions.

What Onion goes best with steak?

Yellow onion (also called Spanish Onions) are the best because they caramelize and become sweet.

Caramelized yellow onions have more flavor than white onions. However, if white onions are on sale. By all means, use white onions.

Note: Red Onions are great for salads or for pickling as in Cebolla en Escabeche.

Diced jalapenos and sliced onions cooking in black cast iron skillet.

Add the jalapeño.
Don’t forget to add salt since only the beef was seasoned.

If you think jalapeños are too hot, you can use roasted poblano peppers instead. They are milder but would give good flavor to this dish.

What is a chip steak?

Chip steak is also called “sizzle steaks.” You’ll see this type of steak cooked frozen without defrosting. It’s usually fried or grilled.

Many people use it for Philly Cheese Steak Sandwiches.

Yes, you can use chip steak to make this recipe. As long as it is thinly sliced, you’re good to go.

Beef and onions cooking in a large cast iron skillet.

Return the beef to the large heavy skillet.
Add fresh garlic. (Or marinade the beef with 1 tablespoon garlic powder)
Mix and cook for 2 more minutes.

Variations:

To create a sauce, add ¼ cup of tomato sauce and and a splash of red wine vinegar and a splash of water. Cook for 2 minutes before serving.

Make it a complete meal by adding mushrooms, green beans, or broccoli. Then cook until tender. Pour in a splash of broth to cook veggies, if needed.

Storing Instructions

Place any leftovers in an airtight container. It will last for up to 4 days in the fridge.

Freeze in an airtight sealable bag, removing as much air as possible. Consume within 4 months.

Reheating

Thaw completely. Add a few splashes of Jugo Maggi and ¼ cup beef broth to a skillet. Place the meat in the skillet. Cook for 5-7 minutes or until heated through.