Bife acebolado
Steak with onions
Bife acebolado: Brazilian thin steak seared hot and smothered in golden onions
Ask for a prato feito in any Brazilian lanchonete and there's a good chance the meat will be bife acebolado: a thin, garlicky steak seared hard and buried under soft, golden onions. It sits beside white rice, beans, a little salad and often a fried egg. The onions soak up the pan juices and are half the pleasure. Chef's tip: deglaze the pan with a splash of water after the onions; those browned bits are the sauce.
- Total time
- 25 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the steak
- 1 ⅓ lb thin beef steaks (rump or sirloin)4 steaks about 1 cm thick
- 2 cloves garliccrushed
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 3 tbsp sunflower oil
- 3 onionssliced into rings
- 3 tbsp water
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Method
0/4 doneStep 1: Rub the 1 ⅓ lb thin beef steaks (rump or sirloin) with the 2 cloves garlic, 1 tsp salt and ½ tsp black pepper.
3 minStep 2: Heat 2 tbsp of the 2 tbsp sunflower oil in a heavy frying pan over a high heat until shimmering. Sear the steaks for 1–2 minutes a side until well browned. A pan that isn't hot enough is the usual mistake: the steak turns grey and tough before it colours.
4 minStep 3: Move the steaks to a plate to rest. Lower the heat to medium, add the rest of the 1 tbsp sunflower oil and the 3 onions and cook for 8 minutes until soft and golden.
8 minStep 4: Add the 3 tbsp water and scrape up the browned bits. Return the steaks and their juices for 1 minute, piling the onions on top, then serve.
2 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 330 kcal
- Protein
- 34 g
- Carbs
- 9 g
- Fat
- 18 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does bife acebolado take?
- About 25 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 15 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
- What can I use instead of onions?
- 2 shallots per onion.
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