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    You are here: Home / Beef / Bistec a la Mexicana

    Bistec a la Mexicana

    Douglas Cullen, This blog generates income via ads and affiliate links which earn us a small commission.

    Mexican Style Beef

    This dish is called bistec a la Mexicana which is a beef dish prepared with a spicy tomato and chile sauce.

    A la Mexicana means Mexican style and any dish that has a la Mexicana in the name, like this one, will always be prepared with tomatoes, onions and serrano chile.

    You will find variations of this dish served throughout Mexico. Bistec ( BEE-stake) means thinly cut beef filets. Did you know that bistec is the phonetic pronunciation of beefsteak?

    Bistec a la Mexicana
    Bistec a la Mexicana

    How to Make

    Ingredients:

    To prepare this dish you need thinly sliced beef, tomatoes, onion, serrano chiles, garlic, and salt. You should be able to easily find the ingredients at any market so you no excuses for trying this excellent beef recipe. :)

    Ingredients for Bistec a la Mexicana
    Ingredients you need to make bistec a la Mexicana.

    Here’s what the ingredients look like when they have been prepped and are ready to cook.

    Prepped Ingredients for Bistec a la Mexicana
    Prepped ingredients.

    Preparation – Start With the Sauce

    Peeling and seeding the tomatoes is probably the most tedious part of preparing this dish but are important steps. This ensures a smooth sauce. If you really want to, you can omit peeling and seeding if you wish.

    The dish will still taste great the main difference is that the final dish will be more rustic with more texture in the sauce. We say “texture” although some might say “gritty.”

    How to Peel and Seed Tomatoes

    Scoring Tomatoes
    Score the tomatoes.

    Score the tomatoes in a cross shape on the top of the tomato.

    Tomatoes in Boiling Water
    Put the tomatoes in boiling water.

    Put the scored tomatoes into a pan of boiling water.

    Tomatoes in Boiling Water
    Boil the tomatoes until the skin starts to separate.

    Boil for a couple of minutes until the skin starts to separate.

    Tomatoes Cooling in Water
    Plunge the tomatoes in ice-cold water.

    Plunge the tomatoes in ice-cold water.

    Peeling Tomatoes
    Peel the tomatoes.

    Peel the tomatoes with a paring knife. The skins will come off very easily.

    Cutting Tomatoes in Half
    Cut the tomatoes in half.

    Cut the peeled tomatoes in half.

    Removing Seeds from Tomatoes
    Remove the seeds.

    Use a small spoon to scoop out the seeds and pulp.

    Ready to Blend

    Once the tomatoes are peeled and seeded you are ready to make the sauce. Add the tomatoes, seeded serrano chiles, clove of garlic, and 1 cup of water and blend for about a minute until the mixture is smooth.

    Add the ingredients for the sauce to the blender.
    Add the ingredients for the sauce to the blender.

    Place all the ingredients for the sauce into the blender.

    Blended Sauce
    The blended sauce.

    This is what the blended sauce will look like. Notice the color before cooking. It will darken beautifully as it cooks.

    Next Step – Cooking the Dish

    Cut the beef and the onions into ½″ by 2″ strips.

    Beef Cut in Strips
    Cut the beef into ½″ by 2″ strips.
    Roughly Chopped Onions
    Chop the onions into ½″ by 2″ strips.

    Chop the onions into ½″ by 2″ strips.

    Adding Oil to the Pan
    Add oil to the preheated pan.

    Add oil to the preheated pan at medium-high heat.

    Adding Onions to the Pan
    Add the chopped onions to the pan.

    Add the chopped onions to the pan.

    Browning Onions
    Cook until the onions just start to brown.

    Cook until the onions just start to brown.

    Adding the Meat to the Pan
    Add the meat to the pan.

    Add the meat to the pan.

    Beef in Pan
    The beef will start to release its juice.

    The beef will start to release its juice.

    Cooking Beef
    Cook until most of the juice has evaporated.

    Cook until most of the juice has evaporated.

    Adding Onions
    Add the cooked onions to the beef.

    Add the cooked onions to the beef.

    Beef and Onions
    Stir the onions into the beef.

    Stir the onions into the beef.

    Adding Tomato Sauce
    Add the tomato sauce.

    Add the tomato sauce.

    Simmering Bistec a la Mexicana
    Simmer to reduce the sauce.

    Simmer to reduce the sauce.

    Cooking Bistec a la Mexicana
    Cook until the sauce has reduced and thickened.

    Cook until the sauce has reduced and thickened.

    Bistec a la Mexicana with Refried Beans
    The final dish.

    The final dish. Looks good, doesn’t it?

    Serving

    Serve your bistec a la Mexicana with a big stack of warm corn tortillas and refried beans on the side.

    Garnish the beans with a sprinkle of queso fresco or queso cotija and 3 tortilla chips.

    Provecho!

    Bistec a la Mexicana
    Print Pin
    3.58 from 14 votes

    Recipe for Bistec a la Mexicana

    Recipe for "bistec a la Mexicana," a Mexican beef dish prepared with a spicy tomato and chile sauce. Variations of this dish are served throughout Mexico.
    Course Beef
    Cuisine Mexican
    Keyword beef, bistec, guisado, spicy
    Prep Time 30 minutes minutes
    Cook Time 30 minutes minutes
    Total Time 1 hour hour
    Servings 4 servings
    Calories 557kcal
    Author Douglas Cullen

    Ingredients

    • 1 lb. thinly sliced beef bistec
    • 1 lb. Roma tomatoes plum tomatoes
    • 1 medium white onion
    • 2 serrano chiles
    • 1 clove of garlic
    • 1 tsp. salt
    • 1 cup of water
    • 1 oz. of “queso fresco” a crumbly white cheese for sprinkling on the beans
    • 12 tortilla chips to garnish the beans
    • 12 corn tortillas

    Instructions

    • Rinse all of the ingredients except the beef in water
    • THE SAUCE
    • Remove the seeds from the serrano chiles
    • Peel the garlic clove
    • Place a large pot of water to boil
    • While the water is coming to a boil, score the tomatoes
    • When the water has boiled add all of the tomatoes
    • Cook the tomatoes until the skins start to separate, about 1 minute
    • Plunge the tomatoes into ice-cold water. This helps the skins peel away and stops the tomatoes from cooking more
    • Peel the tomatoes when they are cool to the touch
    • Slice the tomatoes in half
    • Remove the seeds from the tomatoes
    • Add the tomatoes, serrano chiles, garlic clove and water to your blender jar
    • Blend until smooth, about 1 minute
    • COOKING THE DISH
    • Slice the beef into ½" by 2" strips
    • Slice the onions into ½" by 2" strips
    • Preheat a large frying pan to medium-hot
    • Add 2 tablespoons of cooking oil to the pan
    • Add the onions to the pan
    • Cook the onions until they are just starting to brown, about 6 to 7 minutes
    • Remove the onions from the pan
    • Add 1 more tablespoon of cooking oil to the pan
    • Add the beef
    • Cook the beef, until it has released its juice and most of the juice has evaporated, about 6 to 7 minutes
    • Return the onions to the pan and stir to incorporate with the beef
    • Pour the blended sauce into the pan
    • Reduce the heat and simmer until the sauce has reduced and little liquid is left, about 15 minutes

    Notes

    Substitutions
    • You can substitute jalapeño chiles for the serrano chiles. Jalapeños are milder.
    • You can also omit 1 of the serrano chiles if you prefer a less spicy dish.
    • The recipe calls for corn tortillas but you can serve it with flour tortillas too.
    Storage
    • It will keep for 3 days in the refrigerator. This dish freezes well.
    • Make a double batch and freeze half so that you can enjoy it at a later date with no extra prep time.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 557kcal | Carbohydrates: 48g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 85mg | Sodium: 794mg | Potassium: 798mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 1030IU | Vitamin C: 19.1mg | Calcium: 157mg | Iron: 3.7mg

    More “a la Mexicana” Recipes

    • Huevo a la Mexicana

    More Mexican Beef Recipes

    • Carne Asada Recipe
    • Picadillo
    • Rib-Eye Tacos
    • Arrachera Steak Tacos
    • Sirloin Cap Roast (Picaña)
    • Pan-Fried Meat Balls

    More Beef

    • Beef Birria Wrapped in Tetelas
      Birria with Consomé
    • Mexican Meatballs
      Albondigas Mexicanas
    • Sliced Grilled Sirloin Cap Roast with Baked Potato
      Grilled Sirloin Cap Roast (Picaña)
    • Rib Eye Taco with Red Onion Habanero Salsa on Corn Tortilla
      Ribeye Tacos with Habanero Salsa

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Robin says

      December 26, 2015 at 6:31 pm

      4 stars
      This dish was delicious! Thank you, Doug. Happy New 2016!

      Reply
      • Douglas Cullen says

        December 26, 2015 at 6:32 pm

        Glad you liked it. Happy new year to you too!

        Reply
    2. Mary says

      November 26, 2018 at 1:28 pm

      Could you substitute CHICKEN for the BEEF?? Make Red Chicken?

      Reply
    3. tim says

      November 03, 2019 at 5:44 pm

      1 star
      wow, uh…sorry. this recipe turned out terribly. we came out with a pink, bland tomato sauce. personally, i would reduce the water for next time. also, this recipe mentions a teaspoon of salt and then never mentions it again. where does it go? sorry, it really didn’t turn out too well for us. open to listening to suggestions.

      Reply
    4. Robin says

      March 30, 2020 at 7:33 pm

      It doesn’t sound like you cooked the tomato base down. Cooking turns it a deep red. The salt should have gone in with the liquid

      Reply

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    Hola, I am Douglas. Let me share my love of Mexican Cuisine with you that developed over 20+ years of living in Mexico.

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