Pork Belly Steak

Pork Belly Steak is a delectable dish made from thick slices of pork belly marinated and simmered in a savory sauce featuring soy sauce, oyster sauce, pepper and calamansi juice. Following the traditional beef steak or bistek tagalog, this recipe uses pork belly for its rich, succulent meat and layers of melt-in-your-mouth fat. The pork belly steak is truly the best dish especially for those who are fond with freshly chopped onion rings. Best paired with hot steaming rice. Yum!

Pork Belly Steak Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 kilo pork belly (cut into slices)
• 2 to 3 large onions
• 6 cloves garlic (minced)
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons calamansi juice
• 3 tablespoons oyster sauce
• 2 cups water

Directions:

1. Wash and prepare the pork belly and slice them thinly. Transfer them to a bowl and then add the calamansi juice, soy sauce, oyster sauce, and black pepper. Mix them well. Set them aside to marinate for 30 minutes.
2. Separate the meat from the marinade. Add the pork belly slices to a pan (no oil) and sear them for a few minutes until they render natural oils.
3. Add the garlic and onions. Saute them for a few minutes. Add the reserved marinade and 2 cups hot water to help cook the pork. Cover the pot and let it simmer until the pork is tender.
4. Once the pork is tender, remove some of the sauce. Then, turn the heat to high to allow the remaining sauce to caramelize.
5. Pour the sauce back and then add a lot of onion rings on top. Then, turn the heat off.
6. Transfer the pork belly steak to a serving plate. Enjoy this with a lot of hot steaming rice. Yum!

Bistek Tagalog

“Bistek,” short for “Bistek Tagalog,” is a Filipino dish that got its name from the fusion of two words: “beef” and “steak.” The name reflects both the key ingredient used, which is beef, and the dish’s similarity in preparation and flavor to traditional steak recipes.

Bistek is a beloved Filipino dish made by marinating thinly sliced beef in a mixture of soy sauce, calamansi or lemon juice, garlic, and pepper. The marinated beef is then pan-fried and simmered in the same marinade until tender. It’s typically garnished with sautéed onions and served with steamed rice.

While it may not be a traditional steak in the Western sense, bistek captures the essence of a steak dish with its flavorful marinade, beefy goodness, and savory sauce. The Filipino adaptation of steak, bistek, has become a staple in Filipino cuisine, enjoyed for its unique blend of flavors that combine the influence of Spanish and Filipino culinary traditions.

Now, the bistek can now be made with different types of meat. The main characteristic of this dish is the presence of a lot of onion rings on top when served.

Red vs White Onions

Aside from the pork belly, the onions is one of the major ingredient in making pork belly steak. We will use 2 kinds of onions in this one dish so it is important that we become familiar with both.

Red onions and white onions are two common types of onions used in various culinary applications. While they share some similarities, they also have distinct characteristics that make them suitable for different dishes and flavor profiles.

The most obvious difference is their color. Red onions have a vibrant, purplish-red hue, while white onions are typically pale white. Red onions are often milder and sweeter compared to white onions, which can have a more pungent and sharper flavor. This makes red onions a popular choice for raw applications like salads and salsas, where a subtle onion flavor is desired. White onions tend to have a slightly firmer texture when raw, which can make them suitable for dishes where you want a bit of crunch. Red onions are softer and can become even more tender when marinated. Red onions are often preferred for raw dishes like salads, sandwiches, and fresh salsas because of their mild, sweet flavor and attractive color. White onions are commonly used in cooked dishes, soups, and sauces, where their sharper taste can stand up to other flavors.

Pork Belly Steak

Loving fresh onions might be an acquired taste because not all people wants it. But it’s a major YES for me and my family. We have both the red and white onions in our pantry as these two have their certain uses. But the dish we most love might be the bistek because it uses both types of onions. Whenever I make this dish, I made sure add A LOT of onion rings on top (I mean A LOT!!) since the onions are more of a blockbuster than the meat. Since beef is a little pricey for now, one way to enjoy our favorite dish to make it using pork belly.

To learn how to make pork belly steak at home, read and follow the easy steps below. Happy cooking!

How to Make Pork Belly Steak

Making this pork dish is super easy and straightforward. Basically all we need to do is to marinate the meat, cook the meat in the marinade and then add a lot of onion rings at the top.

To make this flavorful Pork Belly Steak, start by washing and thinly slicing the pork belly. In a bowl, combine the calamansi juice, soy sauce, oyster sauce, and black pepper, then marinate the pork slices in this mixture for about 30 minutes. Make sure that the marinade is flavorful as this will also be used as the sauce for later.

When ready, separate the meat from the marinade. In a pan without oil, sear the pork belly slices until they release their natural oils. Searing adds flavor to the dish. Next, add minced garlic and sliced onions, sautéing them for a few minutes. Reintroduce the reserved marinade and pour in 2 cups of hot water to facilitate the pork’s cooking process. Cover the pot and let it simmer until the pork reaches a tender texture.

To add depth of flavor, consider removing some of the sauce at this stage. Then, increase the heat to high to caramelize the remaining sauce, enhancing the dish’s richness. Once the sauce reaches a desirable consistency, return the removed portion back to the pot. Elevate the presentation by garnishing the dish with ample onion rings, adding a delightful crunch and aroma. Finally, turn off the heat, transfer the Pork Belly Steak to a serving plate, and pair it with a generous serving of hot steaming rice.

Pork Belly Steak Recipe in Tagalog

Mga Sangkap:

• 1 kilong pork belly (hiniwa nang manipis)
• 2 – 3 malalaking sibuyas
• 6 butil ng bawang (hiniwa nang maliliit)
• 1/2 kutsaritang paminta
• 3 kutsarang toyo
• 3 kutsarang calamansi juice
• 3 kutsarang oyster sauce
• 2 tasang tubig

Paano Lutuin:

1. Hugasan at ihanda ang mga pork belly at hiwain ito nang manipis. Ilipat ang mga ito sa isang bowl at saka idagdag ang calamansi juice, toyo, oyster sauce, at paminta. Haluin ito nang mabuti at imarinate ng 30 minuto.

2. Paghiwalayin ang karne at ang marinade. Ilagay ang mga pork belly slices sa isang kawali (walang mantika) at i-sear ito ng ilang minuto hanggang lumabas ang natural na mantika.

3. Idagdag ang bawang at sibuyas. Igisa ang mga ito ng ilang minuto. Idagdag ang marinade at 2 tasa ng mainit na tubig para mas maluto ang baboy. Takpan ang kawali at hayaang maluto ang baboy hanggang lumambot.

4. Kapag malambot na ang baboy, bawasan ang sauce nito. Pagkatapos, lakasam ang apoy para magcaramlize ang natirang sauce.

5. Ibalik ang sauce at saka lagyan ng maraming onion rings sa ibabaw. Patayin ang apoy.

6. Ilipat ang pork belly steak sa isang serving plate. I-enjoy ito kasama ang mainit na kanin. Yum!