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Cuban Bistec Empanizado

This breaded Cuban steak is delicious for dinner or lunch
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time5 minutes
Marinading Time1 hour
Total Time1 hour 15 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: cuban
Servings: 2
Calories: 1141kcal
Author: Cari

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.

Notes

Variations and substitutions 

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, rub into the raw thin steaks some cuban mojo marinade or some sazon completa.
Don't have a meat mallet? Give the steaks a good whack with a rolling pin.  

Nutrition

Serving: 1steak | Calories: 1141kcal | Carbohydrates: 82g | Protein: 68g | Fat: 59g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 26g | Monounsaturated Fat: 16g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 302mg | Sodium: 960mg | Potassium: 1086mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 244IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 216mg | Iron: 11mg