Bistec Empanizado (Breaded Cuban Steak)

Bistec Empanizado served on a white platter with lime wedges.

5 from 6 votes

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.

Prep Time20

Cook Time20

Total Time40

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Cuban

Servings:

Calories: 307kcal

Author: Catherine Arena

Ingredients

1½ lbs Palomilla or sirloin thin steaks

rinsed
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 one 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

Instructions

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.

Prepare the Cracker Meal

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.
Flour steaks on both sides.
Shake excess flour off.
Dunk steaks in the egg wash and then into the cracker meal.

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 another few minutes 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.
Top steaks with fresh chopped cilantro and lime wedges.

Notes

Follow serving suggestion ideas in post for a full delicious Latin meal.

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 and don't want to marinade the steaks for 20 minutes?

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.

Nutrition