You will undoubtedly fall in love with this Bistec con Papas (Cube Steak and Potatoes). These ridiculously tender steaks are first quickly stir-fried and then smothered in a delicious tomatoey sauce, topped with onions, peppers and loaded with creamy slices of potatoes. Delicious on its own and even better served beside yellow or white rice.
This Puerto Rican style Bistec con Papas, is sure to become a new addition to your repetoire of dishes.
The cube steaks are first marinated in a bath of onions, sofrito, garlic, bay leaves and beer.
After marinating for an hour, they are quickly pan seared which helps to lock in all the flavors.
You will then create a quick flavorful sauce using the pan drippings, fresh garlic, bay leaves, onions, peppers, tomato sauce and fresh tomatoes.
The steaks will cook for an hour and then topped with potato slices and cooked for another 30 minutes.
Cooking the steaks for this amount of time, allows them to become fully infused with the sauce and utterly fork tender.
Serve with a side of arroz blanco (white rice) or yellow rice (arroz amarillo) and a sliver of avocado for a completely ridiculous delicious meal.
This dish truly defines the words, “comfort food.”
Bistec con Papas a la Mexicana
If you look up the words, “Bistec con Papas,” you will surely come across the Mexican style dish, Bistec con Papas.
This dish is synonymous with Mexican Cuisine and it is one of the best Mexican beef dishes you will come across.
Although this post is not dedicated to the Mexican version, you will surely fall in love with this Puerto Rican Latin style version of Steak and Potatoes.
For a Mexican version of this, try our Bisteces Rancheros recipe.
What You Need to Make Bistec con Papas
- cube steaks
- potatoes
- tomatoes
- beer
- beef broth
- chiles (optional) (could use jalapeños or serrano peppers, gives the sauce such a yummy flavor)
- sofrito
- garlic
- adobo
- onions
- red bell pepper
- green, yellow or orange bell pepper
- fresh cilantro
- tomato sauce
- bay leaf
- oil
- salt and pepper
Making Bistec con Papas
- Rinse the cube steaks under cool water.
- Lay them on a plate and sprinkle adobo on both sides. (If you have never used adobo before, be careful not to smother the steaks in the adobo, as adding too much will produce salty steaks. You want to simply sprinkle steaks on both sides.)
- Add the steaks to a mixing bowl. Top them with the onions, garlic, bay leaf, sofrito, beer, salt and pepper. Marinate the steaks for at least one hour. (When ready to cook steaks, do not discard marinade)
- In a large deep skillet or pot, add the oil over medium high heat.
- When the oil is heated through, remove a few steaks from the marinade and add a few steaks at a time to pan. Sear the steaks on both sides. (Do not discard the marinade the steaks were sitting in and do overcrowd the pan you are searing the steaks in. Overcrowding will lower the heat in skillet and the steaks will boil instead of brown.)
- Repeat until all the steaks are done.
- Once done, remove the steaks from the pan (pot) and set them aside.
- Add the tomatoes, onions and bay leaf that were sitting in the marinade, stir and cook for 5 minutes.
- Add the rest of the marinade the steaks were sitting in, plus the tomato sauce, beef stock, half of the peppers, salt and pepper to taste and stir.
- If you are using a chile pepper (optional) add now as well.
- Add the cube steaks on top of the sauce.
- Add the rest of the peppers on top of steaks and cover pot. Lower heat slightly and cook steaks for 1 hour.
- After cooking the steaks for an hour, add the potatoes and cook for another 20-30 minutes or until potatoes are fork tender.
- The steaks are done.
- Serve with a side of arroz blanco (white rice) or yellow rice (arroz amarillo).
Storing Leftovers
To store, simply add the bistec to an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Can I Freeze this Recipe?
Yes! Allow the steak and sauce to cool and then add the contents to either an airtight container or a freezer safe bag.
Freeze for up to 2 months.
Reheating
To reheat, first defrost the night before in the refrigerator.
Can also defrost for a few minutes on kitchen countertop.
Add the contents to a platter and heat in the microwave for 2 minutes. After two minutes, check to see if it is heated through, if not, microwave for an additional minute.
To heat on your stovetop, simply add the contents to a deep skillet or pot and reheat on medium low for 10-12 minutes.
Cube Steak Recipe Ideas
Interested in more Cube Steak recipes?
You may also like these:
Bistec Encebollado (Cube Steaks and Onions)
Bistec en Salsa (Cube Steaks in Tomato Sauce)
📖 Recipe
Bistec con Papas
Ingredients
- 2 lbs cube steaks rinsed under cool water
- 2 potatoes peeled and cut into ½ inch slices
- 4 roma tomatoes rinsed and quartered
- 1 onion sliced or cut into strips
- 1 red bell pepper rinsed and cut into strips
- 1 green, orange or yellow bell pepper rinsed and cut into strips
- 1-3 chiles canned jalapeños or serrano peppers optional
- handful fresh cilantro rinsed and chopped
- 4 oz tomato sauce
- 1 cup beef broth or 1 beef bouillon plus one cup of water
- 1 12oz light beer
- 3 tablespoon sofrito
- 3 cloves garlic pureed or finely minced
- adobo sprinkled
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 tablespoon oil
- ½ teaspoon salt or to taste
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Rinse the cube steaks under cool water.Then lay them on a plate and sprinkle adobo on both sides. Note: If you have never used adobo before, be careful not to smother the steaks in the adobo, as adding too much will produce salty steaks. You want to simply sprinkle steaks on both sides.
- Add the steaks to a mixing bowl. Top them with the onions, garlic, bay leaf, sofrito, beer, salt and pepper. Marinate the steaks for at least one hour. Note: When ready to cook steaks, do not discard marinade
- In a large deep skillet or pot, add the oil over medium-high heat. When the oil is heated through, remove a few steaks from the marinade and add a few steaks at a time to the skillet.
- Sear the steaks on both sides. Note: Do not overcrowd the pan you are searing the steaks in. Overcrowding will lower the heat in skillet and the steaks will boil instead of brown.
- Repeat until all the steaks are done. Once done, remove the steaks from the pan (pot) and set them aside.
- Add the tomatoes, onions, and bay leaf that were sitting in the marinade, stir and cook for 5 minutes.
- Add the rest of the marinade the steaks were sitting in, plus the tomato sauce, beef stock, half of the peppers, salt and pepper to taste and stir.
- If you are using a chile pepper (optional) add now as well.
- Add the cube steaks on top of the sauce.
- Add the rest of the peppers on top of steaks and cover the pot. Lower heat slightly and cook steaks for 1 hour.
- After cooking the steaks for an hour, add the potatoes and cook for another 20-30 minutes or until the potatoes are fork-tender.
- The steaks are done. Serve with a side of arroz blanco (white rice) or yellow rice (arroz amarillo).
Nutrition
Join the Discussion