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This Bistec de Palomilla (Cuban-style minute-steak with fried onions) is easy, delicious and comes together super quickly in a single pan. The steak is pounded paper thin, marinated in a delicious blend of citrus and spices, and cooked for no more than one minute per side. It’s incredible alongside some tostones and avocado to keep things Whole30 and Paleo, or enjoy it with some steamed rice, black beans and fried plantains if you’re living your Food Freedom.
Ingredients Needed for Bistec de Palomilla
- Top sirloin: Bistec de Palomilla is most commonly made with top sirloin that has been thinly sliced and pounded paper thin. It’s surprisingly tender, has a delicious beefy flavour and retains a lot of its juices during the cooking process. If you can’t find top sirloin, you can use round steak, but it will not be as tender or juicy.
- Seasonings: You can keep things super simple with just salt, pepper, lime juice and crushed garlic, but I think the steak tastes best when seasoned in a Mojo-style marinade that combines fresh citrus, herbs and spices. I like to make a homemade and simple sazón-style seasoning with onion powder, garlic powder, cumin, oregano, paprika, salt and pepper. You can also use this seasoning on chicken, fish and other steaks for grilling.
- Naranja Agria: Sour orange juice (naranja agria) is a key ingredient in any Cuban-style mojo marinade. It adds a uniquely citrusy, sour and bitter flavour that can’t be beat. Unfortunately, it’s not the easiest fresh ingredient to find. I would avoid the jarred naranja agria juices, which are usually made of concentrates and filled with additives, and instead use a substitution of 1 part orange juice to 2 parts lime juice. You can also add 1 part grapefruit juice to mimic the bitter flavour.
- Avocado Oil: The oil will help stretch the marinade, ensuring it coats the meat more evenly.
- Onion: You will need approximately half an onion for each bistec de palomilla. I like to slice the onion into discs around 1/4″ thick so that they cook quickly but keep their shape in the process.
Why You’ll Love Bistec de Palomilla
Bistec de Palomilla owes its incredible flavour to a matrimony of citrus and spices. The steak is butterflied and pounded very thin, making it super tender and increasing surface area for extra browning. It’s seared to perfection in a hot skillet and topped with sautéed onions cooked in the pan drippings. It’s a quick, easy, healthy, delicious and high-protein option that’s perfect for busy weeknights. It also happens to be Whole30 and Paleo!
How to Make Bistec de Palomilla
- Marinate: Place the thinly sliced and pounded steak into a large bowl along with the citrus, oil and seasonings and toss well to coat. For best results, marinate the steak for at least 1 hour or up to overnight to let the flavours fully penetrate the meat.
- Preheat: Place a cast-iron or stainless-steel frying pan over medium-high heat for around 5 minutes. You want the pan fully heated to prevent hot spots. If the pan is too cold, the steak will steam instead of brown, resulting in a less flavourful bistec de palomilla. If the pan is too hot, the steak will burn, resulting in a bitter flavour.
- Sear: Add a small amount of avocado oil to the pan and heat it until shimmering. Carefully add the steak, working in batches so as not to overcrowd the pan, and sear the meat for around 1 minute per side or until browned. If the steak takes longer than 1 minute to cook, it is likely too thick.
- Sauté: Set the steaks aside and return the pan to a medium-low heat. Add the onions, season them with a small pinch of salt and sauté them until soft and slightly caramelized.
- Serve: Place the steak onto a serving platter, top with the onions and serve with side dishes of choice, such as steamed rice, black beans, fried plantains, boiled yuca or avocado.
Serving Suggestions
Bistec de Palomilla is traditionally served alongside Cuban stapes, such as:
- Steamed Rice
- Black beans
- Tostones (twice-fried plantains)
- Maduros (fried sweet plantains)
- Boiled Yuca
- Garden salad with tomatoes and avocado
Substitution Ideas
- Steak: If you can’t find top sirloin, you can use round steak. You can also substitute thinly sliced chicken breast and make Bistec de Pollo.
- Citrus: If you can’t find naranja agria, substitute a combination of oragne juice and lime juice. Or, only use lime juice.
- Oil: You can fry the steak in avocado oil, which is neutral-flavoured and has a high smoke point. Or substitute coconut oil or beef tallow.
Recipe FAQs
What does “Palomilla” mean?
Palomilla refers to the thin cut of beef used in this dish. It’s often pounded to tenderize the meat and ensure even cooking.
Can I make this dish ahead of time?
You can marinate the steak up to 24 hours in advance, but for best results it should be cooked fresh. The good news is the steak and onions take less than 10 minutes to cook.
Is this dish spicy?
No, Bistec de Palomilla is not traditionally spicy, making it a great option for kids and anyone who can’t handle spice well.
Bistec de Palomilla (Cuban steak with onions)
Ingredients
For the Fried Plantains:
- 3 unripened, green plantains, peeled and cut on a bias into 1.5” discs
- ½ cup coconut oil, plus more as needed
- Kosher salt, to taste
For the Bistec de Palomilla:
- 2 4- ounce top sirloin medallions
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 1 tablespoon orange juice
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil, divided
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more as needed
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon freshly-cracked black pepper
- 1 ripe avocado, thinly sliced, for serving
Instructions
For the Fried Plantains:
- Preheat a frying pan over medium heat. Add the coconut oil and heat until shimmering. Add the plantains and cook until golden, around 3 minutes. Flip and cook the other side until golden, around 3 more minutes. Transfer par-cooked plantains to a tray. Using the bottom of a ramekin or tortilla press, gently smash each of the plantains into ¼”-thin discs.
- Working in batches, return the smashed plantains to the oil and fry until golden brown and crispy, around 2 minutes. Flip and cook the other side until golden brown and crispy, around 2 more minutes.
- Transfer the fried plantains to a tray lined with paper towel and lightly season them with salt. Transfer the tray to a 200F oven to keep them warm while you prepare the Bistec de Palomilla.
For the Bistec de Palomilla:
- Using a sharp knife, butterfly the steak medallions in half, leaving one side attached. Open the steaks like a book, cover with a sheet of parchment paper and pound them ¼”-thin with a meat mallet or rolling pin.
- In a large bowl, combine the pounded steak, lime juice, orange juice, 1 tablespoon avocado oil, salt, cumin, onion powder, garlic powder, oregano, paprika, and black pepper. Toss well to coat, cover and refrigerate 1 hour to overnight.
- Preheat a large cast-iron or stainless-steel frying pan over medium-high heat for around 5 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon avocado oil and heat until shimmering. Carefully add the steak, working in batches if needed to prevent overcrowding the pan, and sear for around 1 minute per side or until browned. Transfer the steaks to a platter and loosely cover with foil to keep them warm.
- Return the pan to a medium-low heat, add the onions, season them with a small pinch of salt and cook, stirring regularly, until soft and slightly caramelized, around 4 minutes. Arrange the onions overtop of the steaks and serve immediately
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About the Author
Hi, i’m Ronny! In 2013, after a lifetime of struggling with my weight and body issues, I rehabilitated my relationship with food, lost over 40 pounds and completely changed my life.
