Pork bistek is another way of cooking our classic beef bistek. Instructions are the same when cooking beef or pork bistek.

Bistek is one of my favorite Filipino dish. The combination of lemon and soy sauce is so flavorful.

It is a simple recipe but very delicious. I prefer my pork bistek lemony or on the sour side and loaded with caramelized onions.

When I was younger, I cook bistek in butter and it was so so good. But as I got older I became health conscious and switch to olive oil. Either way bistek still is delicious.

The way I cook bistek is not how I learned it from my Mom. I improvised it to my liking.

In fact, my brother and a good friend from Greece prefers my bistek over my moms.

Also, I prefer meat with a little bit of fat and not very lean. The dish is tastier.

The traditional way of cooking pork bistek is to half cook the pork and simmered with the sauce. I don’t.

While frying pork it releases liquid, I let the pork simmer in the liquid or sauce until almost cooked then I turn the temperature between medium to high to crisp the pork.

I like the meat crisp and a bit crunchy like frying tapa (dried pork). Remove from pan and transfer to a serving plate.

On the same pan, I caramelize the onion and cook it crisp with a crunch or if you prefer limp as in well done you may do so. Once onion is cook remove from pan and garnish pork.

Using the same pan, pour the marinade sauce, bring to a boil and simmer until cook and thick. Pour over meat and serve.

That is how I like my pork bisktek. In fact, while cooking I end up eating the cooked fried pork even without the sauce. I munched on it.

The pork is well infused with the lemon and soy sauce marinade. The pork alone is delicious with rice.

How to Cook Pork Bistek

Read my notes if you want to cook the traditional way. If you are adventurous you might like it my way. Magluto na tayo (let’s cook). Enjoy!

Recipe

Pork Bistek Recipe

Pork Bistek Recipe is a favorite Filipino dish made with pork marinated in lemon juice and soy sauce, fried, simmered in marinade and garnished with caramelized onion.

5 from 1 vote

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Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Filipino

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 55

Total Time: 1 5

Servings:

Calories: 473kcal

Ingredients

2 pounds pork shoulder or butt sliced thinly
½ cup lemon juice or 3 lemons juiced
¼ cup soy sauce
1 large onion peeled and sliced thinly
4 tablespoons oil or ¼ cup butter
salt to taste

Instructions

Slice pork shoulder about 3 in x 2 in and ¼ inch thick. Don’t trim all the fat.
In a bowl, combine lemon juice and soy sauce. Mix well.
Add sliced pork in lemon juice & soy sauce mixture. Make sure all meat are submerged in the marinade. Marinate for at least 4 hours or better yet overnight.
Squeeze pork to extract excess liquid. Set aside marinade.
Heat oil or butter over medium heat.
Fry pork depending on you cooking preference.
When cook transfer to a plate.
Once done frying all the pork, add the onion and saute for a minute or two. Depending on your preference onion can be crisp or cooked well done (caramelized). Garnish pork with cooked onions.
On the same pan leave about 1 tablespoon oil or butter and add marinade sauce. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes until sauce is thicker.
Taste before seasoning with salt. I usually don’t add salt. As you can see I added ½ cup soy sauce. If the sauce is salty for your taste add about 4 tablespoons water and let it simmer.
Pour sauce over pork. Serve hot.
Read my notes in case you like to simmer the meat with the marinade sauce.

Notes

The way I learned to cook bistek from my mom - once the marinade sauce is cooked the pork is added back in the pan and simmered for another 10 to 15 minutes. Then served.
I changed the way I cook bistek. While frying meat on medium heat it releases liquid. I let the meat simmer in that liquid until almost cooked then I increase the temperature between medium to high to crisp the meat.
The texture of the meat is similar or a bit tender when frying tapa (dried cured pork). I prefer my meat crisp so I eliminated the step of simmering the pork with marinade instead after cooking sauce I pour it over the meat.

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