Bistec Empanizado

Bistec Empanizado is a delicious and highly popular Cuban Style Breaded Fried Steak dish. Thin steaks are marinated in yummy spices and coated with cracker meal and fried to golden crispy perfection.

Bistec Empanizado is also popular in other Latin countries but this Cuban style breaded steak recipe is certainly one of my favorites!

Quick, delicious and pairs really well with other sides dishes.

You will usually see this delicious dish served with arroz blanco (white rice), yellow rice, black beans, tostones (fried green plantains) or platanos fritos (fried ripe plantains).

Normally this dish is prepared with Bistec de Palomilla or butterflied beefsteaks but any thin steaks will do.

After marinating and coating the steaks, you will fry them up quickly and sear until they are crispy and golden which makes this dish perfect for a fast meal.

What You Will Need to Prepare Bistec Empanizado

• 1½ lbs Palomilla or sirloin thin steaks
• Vegetable or Corn oil for frying
• lime wedges and chopped fresh cilantro for serving

For the Marinade

• ¼ cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoon vinegar
• juice of 1 lime
• 1 medium onion chopped
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• 1 teaspoon adobo seasoning
• ½ teaspoon oregano
• pinch of cumin
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper

For the Cracker Meal

• 1 sleeve unsalted crackers
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder

Other Ingredients to Coat Steaks

• ½ cup flour
• 2 eggs

How to Prepare and Cook Bistec Empanizado

• Preheat oven to warm or its lowest setting.
• Prepare marinade.
• In a medium size bowl, add the oil, vinegar, lime juice, garlic cloves, chopped onion, adobo, oregano, pinch of cumin and black pepper. Whisk well and set aside.
• Rinse steaks and place in the marinade for 20 minutes to 24 hrs.

Note: If you marinade the steaks overnight, you will notice the steaks change color because of the acidity in the vinegar and lime. This is completely fine. 

Really short on time?

Exclude the wet ingredients and season steaks with the adobo, garlic powder, oregano, cumin and black pepper and proceed with the recipe steps as usual.

Prepare the cracker meal.

For these steaks you will need 1 sleeve of unsalted crackers.

• Break crackers some and add to a blender or food chopper with the garlic powder.
• Blend until the crackers are fine ground.

Coating the steaks.

• Prepare three separate bowls of flour, cracker meal and egg wash.
• First flour steaks on both sides. Shake excess flour off.
• Dunk steaks in egg wash.
• Coat steaks on both sides with the cracker meal.

Once steaks are prepared, you are ready to fry them.

Frying the steaks.

• In a large skillet, add oil to cover the bottom of the pan. About ½ an inch of oil. Heat over medium heat.
• Fry two or three steaks at a time until golden brown on one side.
• Flip steaks over using a spatula or tongs so you do not disturb the coating on the steaks and cook for a few minutes again until golden brown.
• Drain steaks on a wire cooling rack on top of a baking sheet so air is able to circulate and breading on steaks does not become soggy.

Continue frying the rest of the steaks until they are all fried.

Note: Keep cooked steaks warm in the preheated oven while frying the other steaks.

Don’t forget to pair these up with any of these dishes for a full meal:

Arroz Blanco (Puerto Rican White Rice)

Puerto Rican Rice (Puerto Rican Yellow Rice with Corn)

Habichuelas Guisadas (Puerto Rican Stewed Beans)

Puerto Rican Rice and Beans (Arroz y Habichuelas)

Garlic Tostones (Fried Garlic Plantains)

Platanos Fritos (Puerto Rican Sweet Plantains)

Ensalada de Papa (Puerto Rican Potato Salad)

Canoas de Platano (Stuffed Plantains)

Looking for Something Sweet for Dessert? Try these quick and delicious desserts.

Pastelillos de Guayaba (Guava Pastries)

Quesitos (Cream Cheese Puff Pastries)

📖 Recipe