This post may include affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
This recipe for 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.
Busy moms get me. Our families depend on us … maybe a little too much. LOL.
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! This is one of her recipes.
More Mexican Beef Recipes
Birria de Res
Chile Colorado Beef Shanks
Picadillo
Barbacoa de Res
How to Make It
- Marinate the beef with ground cumin, Jugo Maggi, lime juice, and pepper.
- Place in the fridge while slicing the onions.
We use Jugo Maggi a lot in Mexican dishes like Alambre de Res, Pescado Zarandeado, and Chiles Toreados.
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.
- Heat the oil in a large skillet.
- 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.
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 flavor.What Type of Meat is Bistec?
- “Bistec de paleta de res” (or “bistec” for short) is a chuck shoulder steak that has been thinly sliced. Comes from the cow’s neck or shoulder.
- “Bistec de palomilla” (also referred to “bistec”)
Also thinly sliced but comes from the top butt, or sirloin.
These two cuts of meat are most commonly used to make this dish, but you can use virtually any thin cut of beef.
- Remove the beef from the skillet.
- Add the onions to the skillet.
- It might look like a big pile, but the onions will cook down.
“Encebollado” means that there are onions in the dish. These are two full onions. I like to slice them, not dice them. To each their own. Dice can be nice. 🙂
What Onion goes best with steak?
In Mexican cuisine, we use mostly use white onions or yellow onions.
Yellow onions (also called Spanish Onions) are the best because they caramelize and become sweet.
Caramelized yellow onions have more flavor than white onions.
Note: Red Onions are great for salads or for pickling as in Cebolla en Escabeche.
- 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.
- Return the beef to the pan.
- Add garlic.
- Mix and cook for 2 more minutes.
How Long Does Bistec Encebollado Last?
- In the fridge, this recipe will last up to 5 days.
- In the freezer, it will last 4-5 months in an airtight container or plastic bag. Remove as much air as possible.
To reheat after freezing:
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.
What to Serve with It
Refried Beans
Mexican Rice
Homemade Salsa
Corn tortillas
This is such an EASY and FLAVORFUL dish that is hard not to love. Hope you enjoy!
Hungry for More?
Be sure to subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter, YouTube for my latest recipes and videos.
Bistec Encebollado (Mexican-Style Steak and Onions)
Ingredients
- 1 lb beef of thinly cut 3-inch strips
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon Jugo Maggi
- Juice of 1 lime or 2 key limes
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 2 onions sliced
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 jalapeños finely diced (use less if you don't like it spicy)
- 1 garlic clove finely diced
- 1 tbspn Salt
Instructions
- Season the beef with cumin, Jugo Maggi, lime juice, and pepper.
- Mix well and set aside until ready to use.
- In the meantime, slice all the onions and set aside.
- Heat oil in a large skillet.
- Add beef to the skillet and cook until no longer pink.
- About 4-5 minutes.
- Remove beef from skillet.
- Add all the onions and jalapeños to the skillet.
- Season with salt.
- Cook for 5 minutes or until all the onions are translucent.
- Add the garlic clove and return the beef to the skillet.
- Mix and taste for good measure.
- Cook for 2 minutes.
- Serve with tortillas and salsa.
- Enjoy!
Notes
- Equal parts dark soy sauce and Worcestershire sauce.
- It can also be replaced with Thai sweet soy sauce or mushroom soy sauce.
This sounds like something my husband would absolutely LOVE! I’ll have to add it to my meal plan next week!
My husband asks me for Bistec Encebollado allll the time. It’s one of his favorite Mexican dishes.
You had me sold at lime juice and cumin — two of my favorite things to cook with! This looks delicious and I love that it’s only about 30 minutes to cook. Can’t wait to try it!
I love that combination too. They add good flavor to the Bistec Encebollado.
This dish looks amazing. My family makes tacos and fajitas on Tuesdays so I will definitely add this to the mix!
How fun! Your family is going to love this Bistec Encebollado.
Been looking for a new meat recipe to try, so will defiantly be adding this to menu sometime soon.
Hope you do. Bistec Encebollado is delicious!
Yum I love how this looks. It would be great with a big baked potato and asparagus. Can’t wait to try!
Yes and yes. I love meat and potatoes. This Bistec Encebollado gives it a new twist.
My husband would love this! I will have to try it out for him:)
I’m loving this quick but flavorful meal that I can have on the table in 30 minutes. This will be a lifesaver in the fall when school starts again.
I love that you added caramelized onions to it – and thanks for the tip on using yellow onion because it has more flavor!
I really like all the tips about making this turn out so delicious. It sounds amazing.
This steaks was so good and so full of flavor!
SIMPLE INGREDIENTS COMING TOGETHER TO MAKE SOME DELICIOUS FLAVOR! LOVE IT!
I haven’t heard of this before. Your post is very useful because I don’t cook much meat. These look like they would go so well in tacos!
This looks delicious and I can’t wait to make it for my family. You had mentioned that you can use any cut of beef, but I was wondering what you usually cook with for this recipe as I’m looking for a tender beef result.
Thank you!
I used thin sliced beef. I can’t remember what cut exactly. Lately, I have been finding thinly sliced beef top round that would go great with this recipe.
I would love to try this recipe with a vegetarian steak. I love the condiments that you used 🙂
I love a good bistec encebollado. Picadillo is also a favorite. Adding a little sauteed veggies does bring out the flavors of the meat.
2 onions does sound like a lot but they cooked down to the perfect amount. I love that I can make a large amount of this and portion it out/freeze for future meals. The roasted poblano peppers is a great tip