Chamorro Bistek (or Bisteak)
Bistek (or Bisteak) is a favorite Chamorro dish. The addition of achote (or annatto) gives a unique flavor, along with the tanginess of the added vinegar.
If you have it, I prefer using achote water made with fresh achote seeds. Fresh is always best, but of course, using achote powder works quite well too. This is what the packet of achote powder looks like. As with the Sazon Goya seasonings, achote powder is another item that is commonly found in either the Asian aisle of most grocery stores. If your local store doesn’t carry it, try looking for it in your local Asian supermarkets.
If you don’t have fresh achote seeds or achote powder, you can substitute with Sazón Goya seasoning that contains achote. This is what the packaging looks like. It’s a common item in the Hispanic aisle in most grocery stores.
This dish usually includes peas as a main ingredient. Some think that if you DON’T add peas, it isn’t Bistek, but my family prefers this dish made WITHOUT peas. We like using fresh or steamed green beans or sugar snap peas instead. It’s all up to you, really. With peas (or vegetables, for that matter) or without, it’s still a very tasty dish that is a must-add to your list of menu choices.
Scroll all the way to the bottom to find my recipe. Give it a try. I think you’ll like it. 🙂
Chamorro Bistek (or Bisteak)
Place thinly sliced beef into a large frying pan. I like to use minute steak for this.
Add Dashida seasoning, minced garlic, black pepper, and thinly sliced onions. Stir to combine all the ingredients. Cook over medium high heat until the meat is browned.
Add to the pan white vinegar and soysauce. Stir to combine.
Add water to the pan. Add more or less water, depending on how much gravy you like. We like a lot of kådu (gravy)–adding about a cup of water will yield a lot of kådu. Cook for a couple of minutes–just long enough to reheat the gravy–then stir in achote powder (the achote powder will dissolve better if the liquid is HOT).
NOTE: You can substitute the water and achote powder with achote water made using achote seeds.
Cook for another couple of minutes then stir in fresh or frozen peas (OPTIONAL). My family actually prefers to use fresh sugar snap peas. Cook for a few more minutes, or just long enough to either reheat the frozen peas, or to cook the sugar snap peas to your liking (we like it al dente, or cooked but still crisp). You can also use fresh green beans instead of peas. In the photo below, I used steamed sugar snap peas.
After the vegetables are cooked/reheated to your liking, remove the Bistek from the heat and serve with steaming hot white rice. ENJOY!
Chamorro Bistek (or Bisteak)
Ingredients:
- 2 pounds thinly sliced beef
- 4 tablespoons Dashida beef flavored seasoning
- 2 tablespoons minced garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 large onion, thinly sliced
- 3/4 cup white vinegar
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1 cup water*
- 1 packet achote powder*
- *If using achote seeds, make enough achote water to yield 1 cup
- Optional: 1 cup frozen or fresh peas, sugar snap peas, or green beans
Directions:
1. Place the beef, Dashida, garlic, black pepper, and onions in a large pan. Cook until the beef is browned.
2. Stir in the vinegar, soy sauce, water and achote powder. Cook for about 5 minutes.
3. Stir in your vegetables. Cook long enough to reheat the vegetables (if frozen), or until the fresh vegetables are cooked to your liking.
4. Serve with hot white rice and ENJOY! 🙂
Hey Anne, when I lived in Guam the locals taught us to make a meat dish with beef, like thinly sliced steak and they mixed ketchup and I think vinegar with it. Would you happen to know what I’m talking about
Hi Marie! By “ketchup” I think you’re referring to soy sauce? Sounds like a form of beef kelaguen. Thinly slice lean beef (flank steak works well), add soy sauce (I usually use salt instead of soy sauce, but soy works as well) and lemon juice (kelaguen is normally made with lemon or lime juice), thinly sliced onions, and hot pepper. Add the soy/lemon/hot pepper to taste. Let the mixture sit for a while until the meat “cooks” from the acid in the lemon juice. Serve with hot steamed rice or corn titiyas.
Tried this recipe tonight and it turned out perfect! Thanks for this recipe and the entire familia loved it! I also made your Chamorro pot roast and that turned out great too! I would post a picture but that capability is not in the comments. Thanks again!
is minute steak cubed steak?
While cube steak is sometimes referred to as minute steak, the minute steak is actually a different cut of beef. Cube steak is cut from the round steak or chuck steak and then tenderized, giving it the cubed distinction. Cubed steak also cooks quickly, but a true minute steak is different.
Minute steak is thinly cut from the sirloin or round steak and pounded very thin—less than 1/4-inch thick—and is tender from the pounding.
Hi Annie, I was wondering if I could use thinly sliced short ribs to make bistek too? I don’t know what else to cook with short ribs either than BBQ it. Please help me out. Thank you. =)
Yes, you can use short ribs in bistek. I also like to make short ribs kadu, estufao, or use it in just about any dish you would use “regular” beef or steak.
My fiance is from Guam and she said it turned out great. My children loved it as well. I love your recipes with the pictures it helps out so much. I had to make it without dashida, with that being said where can i find dashida?
I’m glad you liked it! 🙂
Dashida is a beef flavored seasoning, much like bouillon. It’s a Korean seasoning, found in Korean stores (of course) or most Asian markets.
This recipe turned out great i put some ginger in it. Moms not around to cook for me so i used yours and its so good thanks
Thanks, Fran! I’m glad you liked it.
This looks great,cant wait to try this out..i have real achote seed my wife’s grandmother sent me,but i haven’t perfected the soak,to get the most out the seeds. but im trying this anyway.
Great
Thank you Annie, awesome. Family loved it. I used steak sauce instead if the Dashida thing. Thanks for all of your help. Keep it up Cham Annie.
Thank you for giving it a try; I’m glad your family liked it. 🙂
I’ve been wanting bistek for years. This recipe is perfect and my family loved it. I didn’t have dashida seasoning but it still came out good. Thank you so much!
Hi Vanessa! Thanks for the feedback, and I’m glad to hear you and your family loved it. 🙂
Where can I find dashida seasoning here in Guam. I want to try your shrimp patties but don’t know where to find it, can you use seafood seasoning?
Hi Margaret. Try Kimchi Store or or any other Korean market. If you still can’t find it, you can use any soup base (seafood flavored is good) or powdered bouillon.
If you can’t find any soup base or seasoning, use plain salt, but only use about 1/4 the amount called for in my recipe for Dashida.
In the meantime, I’ll ask my friends and family who live on Guam if they know where Dashida is sold.
Hi Margaret. A friend on Guam just told me she’s found Dashida at California Mart, American Grocers and 7 Day Market. These stores are all Korean owned.
You know, never thought of using achiote, love peas in them tho, but green beans wouldn’t be so bad with it, love Annie’s Chamorro kitchen
Green beans or sugar snap peas are delicious in this recipe. Give it a try and let me know what you think.