Lebanese Biftek

Take a pair of kitchen scissors and snip around the edges of each steak a few times — 3 or 4 random snips around the edge is enough. You can also do this using a sharp knife. Season with salt, pepper, chilli, lemon pepper and bharat.

Heat the oil and 1 tablespoon of butter in a casserole dish over medium-high heat. Fry the beef in batches — do not crowd the pan.  Add 1 tablespoon of butter with each batch and sear until golden on both sides. Remove to a plate and reserve all the resting juices.

Once all the beef has been seared, reduce the heat to medium and add a little more oil to the pan if needed. Add the sliced onions and coarsely crushed garlic and sauté, stirring regularly, until softened and golden.

Add the 30 grams of butter to the pan with the onions and allow it to melt. Add the plain flour and stir well to coat the onions and form a paste.  Add the water, stirring continuously to bind the flour smoothly into the liquid. Add the lemon zest and stir through. Return the seared beef to the pan along with all of the resting juices. 

Stir to coat the meat in the sauce. Cover with a lid, reduce the heat to low and cook for 45 minutes - 1 hour or until the beef is beautifully tender. If you find your beef needs a little longer on the heat, you can always slowly add more warm water to the pan — this keeps the sauce going so you still end up with a beautiful gravy at the end. Once done remove the lid and stir through the lemon juice. Taste and adjust.

A FEW THINGS YOU'LL WANT TO KNOW

What cut of beef works best for biftek?
The best cut is the one your butcher slices thinly for you — that's the real key. I use scotch fillet, which I get my butcher to slice thinly, and it comes out incredibly tender in about 45 minutes. Sirloin (also called porterhouse or New York steak) is another great option. Rump also works well but is a bit firmer, so give it closer to an hour to an hour and a half. Whatever you choose, ask your butcher to slice it thinly — it makes all the difference.

Can I make Lebanese biftek ahead of time?
Honestly, this one is best made fresh and enjoyed straight from the pan — that's when it's at its finest. That said, it makes a wonderful leftover. Store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days and reheat gently on the stovetop with a splash of water if the sauce has thickened.

What do I serve it with?
Lebanese biftek is traditionally served with Lebanese rice — the sauce soaks into the rice beautifully and ties everything together. A simple salad on the side rounds out the meal perfectly. But I've also served it with thin fries piled right on top of the steaks, finished with finely diced red onion and parsley — it looked stunning and went down a treat!

Why do I need to fry the meat in batches?
Crowding the pan drops the temperature and the meat steams instead of sears. Frying in batches over high heat gives each piece that golden crust that adds so much flavour to the final dish — it's worth the extra few minutes.

What does bharat add to this dish?
Bharat is a warm Lebanese spice blend that adds depth and a subtle earthiness to the beef. It works quietly in the background alongside the pepper and chilli — you won't necessarily taste it on its own, but the dish wouldn't be the same without it.

Can I freeze Lebanese biftek?
I wouldn't freeze the cooked dish — but what I would do is have your beef steaks sliced and ready to go in the freezer. That way, whenever you decide to make it, the hard work is already done. Just thaw, season and you're ready to cook.

Why do you snip around the edges of the steak before frying?
When thinly sliced steak hits a hot pan, the edges can tighten and cause the meat to curl up, which means it doesn't sit flat and doesn't sear evenly. A few random snips around the edge with kitchen scissors before it goes in the pan prevents this — or you can use a knife to make small slits instead, whichever you have handy. If you forget to do it beforehand, don't stress — you can snip or cut around the edges while the steak is already in the pan and it will still help flatten it out.