This Bistek Cheesesteak is super quick and easy to make. All it takes is the right cut of steak, a bit of soy sauce, calamansi and onions.
My husband was listening to a podcast about a guy judging a Cheesesteak competition in Philly recently. He was talking non-stop about a Bistek flavored one from a Filipino chef. How it had the tang of the calamansi with the deep deep flavor of the soy sauce and of course bits of crispy onion.
He was drooling when he was describing Bistek Cheesesteak so I decided to make one for him. It's pretty easy and the ingredients are pretty minimal.
Ingredients
Beef - The key to making this super fast is to use the thinest slice of beef you can find. The best place to find that are at either Japanese or Korean super markets. If you don't have any near you then ask your butcher to slice them super thin for you. Pick one with lots of marble so you get a bit of fat. You can also slice the beef yourself. Just put it in the freezer for 30 minutes so that it's easier to slice thin. You will need about half a pound.
Onion - There are some recipes out there that want you to caramelize a bunch of onions. We don't really do that in traditional Bistek, or at least my Mom did not do that. Raw onions were mainly used as a garnish and as a crunchy counter point to the saucy beef. So you will just need to dice half a white onion that we will cook slightly.
Soy Sauce - Use the Silver Swan brand. That is all I have to say about that.
Calamansi Juice - You will need ¼ cup if you want that flavor to come out.
Sliced Cheese - Use a white cheese like Provolone or Havarti.
Hoggie Buns - This is a must. Please use a soft roll, not a crunchy baguette. Just lightly toast it or have it warm.
How to Make Bistek Cheesesteak
Combine ¼ cup soy sauce and ¼ cup calamansi juice in a small bow to make the Bistek Cheesesteak marinade.
Add the half a pound of thinly sliced beef. Marinate for about 10 minutes.
Heat up a cast iron pan on high heat and drizzle with about a tablespoon or two of oil.
Once the pan is hot add in the beef and the marinade.
It will cook in 2 minutes, as the beef is so thin.
Add the diced onions and stir in.
Cook for about 30 seconds so that the onions still have some bite.
Turn off the heat and add two slices of cheese on top of the Bistek Cheesesteak.
Place an open Hoggie bun on top and using a flat spatula flip it over on to a plate. This technique I got from Leah Cohen from her version of the same sandwich. It's quite genius.
Add more beef if needed and repeat the cheese and flipping process for the second Bistek Cheesesteak sandwich.
How To Serve Your Bistek Cheesesteak Sandwich
I mean just eat the sandwich right after you make it while the everything is warm and melty.
That's it.
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Equipment
- Cast Iron Pan
Ingredients
- ¼ Cup Soy Sauce
- ¼ Cup Calamansi Juice
- ½ Pound Thinly Sliced Steak/Beef
- ½ White Onion Diced
- 4 Slices Provolone or Havarti Cheese
- 2 Hoggie Buns
Instructions
- Combine ¼ cup soy sauce and ¼ cup calamansi juice in a small bow. Add the half a pound of thinly sliced beef. Marinate for about 10 minutes.
- Heat up a cast iron pan on high heat and drizzle with about a tablespoon or two of oil. Once the pan is hot add in the beef and the marinade.
- It will cook in 2 minutes, as the beef is so thin. Add the diced onions and stir in.
- Cook for about 30 seconds so that the onions still have some crunch. Turn off the heat and add two slices of cheese on top of the Bistek Cheesesteak.
- Place an open Hoggie bun on top and using a flat spatula flip it over on to a plate. Add more beef if needed and repeat the cheese and flipping process for the second Bistek Cheesesteak sandwich.
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