Cuban Bistec empanizado is a delicious breaded steak that levels up any meal. This classic dish in Ciban cuisine is loved for its crispy coating and seasoned steak.
What is Cuban bistec empanizado?
Bistec empanizado is breaded and pan fried bistec de palomilla. It's a beef steak that is a staple in just about every Cuban restaurant. This Cuban dish is normally enjoyed for lunch or dinner. It's a thin steak usually made of top round or sirloin that has been breaded and pan fried to a crisp.
Bistec Empanizado Ingredients
- Thin top sirloin steaks
- ground cracker meal
- large eggs
- all purpose flour
- salt and black pepper
- garlic powder
- sour orange
- vegetable oil or corn oil for frying
- Lime wedges
Equipment needed for this cuban steak
A meat mallet and a large frying pan
How to make Cuban Steak (Empanizado)
- Lay your steaks flat on a cutting board and cover with plastic wrap or wax papper. Flatten your steaks using a meat tenderizer or mallet then place the steaks in a casserole dish.
- Add the juice from the sour orange garlic, salt, pepper into the casserole dish. Coat on all sides, cover the dish with plastic wrap and marinade in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
3. Set up your dredging station. In a medium bowl, beat your eggs. Place your cracker meal in a large plate and in a separate dish place your flour.
4. Remove the steak from the marinade and try to shake off as much excess of the marinade as possible, then place the steak in the flour. Make sure it’s well coated on all sides of the steaks.
5. From the all purpose flour, move the steak over to the egg mixture. Flip the steak to make sure all sides are coated with the beaten eggs.
6. Once coated lift the steak and place it in the cracker meal bowl. Make sure all sides are covered in cracker meal. Gently press the cracker meal into the steak to ensure a good crust.
7. Place the breaded steaks on a sheet pan, cover and place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
8. In a frying pan, add the vegetable oil and set to medium high heat. Once it reaches 350° you can add in your steak. Allow to cook for 2 min on each side or until golden and crisp.
9. Remove the steak from the heat and place on a plate or large baking sheet lined with paper towels.
10. Sprinkle with sea salt and serve immediately with a lime wedge.
Bistec Empanizado Recipe Variations
Cant find cracker meal? You can place 2 cups of soda crackers in a food processor and pulse until a fine crumble or use regular bread crumbs instead.
Don't like beef? Swap out the steak with a butterflied and flattened chicken cutlets instead.
Don't have sour orange? You can combine one part orange juice with one part lime juice.
I like keeping this dish simple and it's how my dad made it growing up. However, if you want to give the steak and extra zing, swap the sour orange for cuban mojo marinade or sprinkle in some sazon completa.
Don't have a meat mallet? Give the steaks a good whack with a rolling pin.
What to serve with Cuban Steak
My favorite way to eat this is with a big side of Cuban white rice. I also love this steak with congri. Some people love serving this cuban steak with a big serving of french fries. Other side dish options are yuca fries, yuca con mojo, black beans and avocado salad.
Storage for this breaded bistec de palomilla
Place your leftover breaded this steak over paper towel inside an airtight container. Place the air tight container in your refrigerator for upto 3 days. To reheat, use a toast oven or oven.
Cuban Steak Empanizado FAQs
Thin cuts of beef like top round, sirloin, or eye of round are commonly used for Bistec Empanizado. The steak is typically pounded to make it even thinner and more tender before marinating and breading.
Use a neutral oil with a high smoke point, such as vegetable oil, canola oil, or peanut oil for frying. These oils provide a crispy exterior without overpowering the flavor of the breaded steak.
Fry the steak over medium heat for about 3-4 minutes per side, until the crust is golden brown and crispy. Because the steak is thin, it doesn’t take long to cook through.
Yes, you can bake the breaded steak for a healthier version. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C), place the breaded steaks on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, and bake for 15-20 minutes, flipping halfway through until golden and crispy.
To prevent the breading from falling off, make sure to:
- Pat the steak dry before breading.
- Thoroughly coat the steak in flour before dipping in the egg mixture.
- Let the breaded steaks rest in the refrigerator for about 15-20 minutes before frying. This helps the breading stick better during cooking.
Traditional Bistec Empanizado is not gluten-free because it uses flour and breadcrumbs. However, you can make a gluten-free version by substituting the flour with gluten-free flour and using gluten-free breadcrumbs or crushed gluten-free crackers.
The most common cuts of steak used for Cuban Bistec (Bistec de Res or Bistec Empanizado) are:
1. Top Round (Bistec de Res): This is a lean cut that is typically thinly sliced or pounded to tenderize it. It's a popular choice for Bistec Empanizado because it cooks quickly and has good flavor.
2. Sirloin (Bistec de Solomo): Sirloin is slightly more tender and flavorful than top round. It is often used when you want a more tender cut for Cuban-style steaks.
3. Eye of Round: Another lean cut similar to top round but smaller in size. It can be used for Bistec Empanizado or grilled steaks, but it also needs to be pounded thin for better tenderness.
In Cuban cuisine, the steak is typically pounded thin (about ¼ inch thick) to ensure quick cooking and tenderness, especially since these cuts are leaner and can be tough if not prepared correctly.
Empanizado means "breaded" in Spanish. It refers to the process of coating food, typically meat, with breadcrumbs or a breading mixture before frying or baking. In dishes like Bistec Empanizado (Cuban breaded steak), the steak is coated in flour, dipped in beaten eggs, and then covered in breadcrumbs or cracker meal before being fried until golden and crispy.
The breading adds a crunchy exterior while keeping the meat tender and juicy inside. The term empanizado is commonly used in various Latin American cuisines for dishes that involve this breading technique.
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Bistec Empanizado (Cuban Steak)
Ingredients
- 2 Palomilla steaks
- 6 oz of cracker meal
- ½ cup of all purpose flour
- 2 eggs
- ¼ cup of sour orange
- 2 teaspoons of garlic powder
- Salt and black pepper to taste to taste
- ¼ cup of vegetable oil for frying
Instructions
- Lay your steaks flat on a cutting board and cover with plastic wrap or wax papper. Flatten your steaks using a meat tenderizer or mallet then place the steaks in a casserole dish.
- Add the juice from the sour orange garlic, salt, pepper into the casserole dish. Coat on all sides, cover the dish with plastic wrap and marinade in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
- Set up your dredging station. In a medium bowl, beat your eggs. Place your cracker meal in a large plate and in a separate dish place your flour.
- Remove the steak from the marinade and try to shake off as much excess of the marinade as possible, then place the steak in the flour. Make sure it’s well coated on all sides of the steaks.
- From the all purpose flour, move the steak over to the egg mixture. Flip the steak to make sure all sides are coated with the beaten eggs.
- Once coated lift the steak and place it in the cracker meal bowl. Make sure all sides are covered in cracker meal. Gently press the cracker meal into the steak to ensure a good crust.
- Place the breaded steaks on a sheet pan, cover and place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
- In a frying pan, add the vegetable oil and set to medium high heat. Once it reaches 350° you can add in your steak. Allow to cook for 2 min on each side or until golden and crisp.
- Remove the steak from the heat and place on a plate or large baking sheet lined with paper towels to drain any excess oil
- Serve immediately with a lime wedge.
Susana says
Better than anything I’ve had at restaurants. This is the real thing.