Pork Bistek is a delicious take on the classic Filipino beef steak. With tender pork chops and a tangy and savory sauce, it's sure to be a family favorite.
Bistek was the first recipe I shared here on Kawaling Pinoy and is naturally very dear to my heart. I updated the post recently but kept the old photo and some old text as a digital souvenir.
It's been a fantastic ride, this blogging journey. When I first hit "publish" post in 2013, I never thought the hobby would eventually become a full-fledged business that would enable me to quit work. ๐
What is Filipino-style Pork Steak
The traditional bistek dish, which means beef steak in Filipino, is a local adaptation of the Spanish bistec. It consists of thin slices of beef cooked with onions and spices. However, the term has evolved in recent years to describe fish, beef, and other types of meat, such asย these crispy chicken livers a la bistek, stewed in soy sauce, calamansi juice, and onions.
Since the recipe here uses pork, it's not really bistek per se, but more accurately, pork steak prepared a la bistek. Oh, well, what's in a name, right? It's just as delicious and delivers all the tangy and savory flavors you love of the classic!
Ingredient notes
- Pork- you can use pork chops, belly (liempo), thinly sliced shoulder, or sirloin. Cut the meat across the grain for a more tender chew.
- Calamansi- fresh is best, but frozen or bottled varieties are also good options. Make sure they're pure calamansi juice, as the ones with sugar added are for making juices and not cooking. In a pinch, you can substitute lemon or lime juice.
- Soy sauce- for salty and umami boost
- Aromatics- onions and garlic are the base of ginisa dishes, bringing extra umami flavor and slight sweetness.
- Water- for tenderizing the meat
- Salt and pepper- adjust seasonings to taste
Cooking steps
- Combine pork, calamansi or lemon juice, soy sauce, onions, garlic, and pepper in a bowl, and marinate for 30 minutes. Do not marinate the pork for too long as the acids in the citrus might break down the protein fibers and make the texture of the meat mushy. Drain meat, onions, and garlic from marinade, squeezing and reserving excess liquid.
- Brown the pork chops in a wide pan in hot oil. The meat will release a bit of juice when pan-fried.ย Spoon it off from the pan and add along with the marinade during braising. Saute the reserved aromatics until softened and return meat to pan.
- Add reserved marinade, meat juices, and water and bring to a boil, skimming scum that floats on top. Cover, lower heat, and simmer for until the meat is fork-tender and the liquid is reduced.
- Season with salt to taste. Add the onion rings, turn off the heat, cover, and let the onion slices cook slightly in the steam.
Want variety? Turn it into creamy pork steak with all-purpose cream!
Cooking tips
- Browning adds depth of flavor. Drain the pork chops well and squeeze off excess marinade so they'll sear properly. Do not overcrowd the pan and use a wide pan or cook in batches as necessary.
- Use the same pan to braise the dish; those browned bits in the pan mean maximum flavor!
How to serve and store
- This Filipino-style pork steak is usually served as a main dish with steamed rice for lunch or dinner. It's also delicious for breakfast with a side of sinangag and fried eggs. Garnish with additional onion rings for an extra dose of flavor and texture.
- Leftovers will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in freezer for up to 2 months.
- Reheat in the microwave at 2 to 3-minute intervals or on the stovetop over medium heat to 165 F.
More pork recipes
Ingredients
- 3 pounds bone-in pork chops, about ยผ inch thick
- ยฝ cup calamansi or lemon juice
- ยผ cup soy sauce
- 1 large onion, peeled and sliced thinly
- 1 head garlic, peeled and minced
- ยผ teaspoon pepper
- 3 tablespoons canola oil
- 1 cup water
- salt to taste
- 1 small onion, peeled and sliced into rings
Instructions
- In a bowl, combine pork, calamansi or lemon juice, soy sauce, onions, garlic, and pepper. Massage the marinade into the meat and marinate for about 30 minutes.
- Drain meat, onions, and garlic from marinade, squeezing and reserving excess liquid. Set aside.
- In a pan over medium-high heat, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil. Add pork chops and cook for about 2 to 4 minutes per side or until lightly browned. Spoon out and reserve released meat juices during frying. Remove meat from pan and keep warm.
- In the pan, add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Add the reserved onions and garlic, and cook, stirring regularly, until softened.
- Return meat to pan.
- Add reserved marinade and meat juices.
- Add water and bring to a boil, skimming scum that floats on top.
- Cover, lower heat and simmer for about 40 to 50 minutes or until meat is fork-tender and liquid is reduced.
- Season with salt to taste.
- Add the onion rings. Turn off heat, cover and allow onion slices to cook slightly in the steam. Serve hot.
Notes
- Do not marinate the pork for too long as the acids in the citrus might break down the protein fibers and make the texture of the meat mushy.
- Browning adds depth of flavor. Drain the pork chops well and squeeze off excess marinade so they'll sear properly. Do not overcrowd the pan and use a wide pan or cook in batches as necessary.
- The meat will release a bit of juice when pan-fried.ย Spoon it off from the pan and add along with the marinade during braising.
- Use the same pan to braise the dish; those browned bits in the pan mean maximum flavor!
Video
Nutrition Information
โThis website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.โ
Della says
Absolutely Delicious
Cherry says
Superb delicious..i miss this badly. So easy to cook especially my boy like medium cooked.thank you so much.
Anncel says
Im goin to try this.. Thanks kawaling pinoy its very helpful
Erriel says
Thank you for this simple and easy recipe. I'll be preparing it for my son's baon for lunch tomorrow.
Myks says
1st time to cook pork bistek. Thank you for sharing your recipe โค๏ธ