Cook Beef Caldereta
Edited by mahalia jovita b. bugasto, Robbi, Lynn, Eng
Caldereta is one of my favorite dishes in the whole world. I first got the privilege of tasting this dish in the Philippines when we visited my in-laws. They call it "kaldereta" with a "K". This hearty meal usually uses goats meat, but for those who are not as exotic eaters as the Filipinos you can use beef, pork or chicken instead. It is one jam-packed meal that includes tomato sauce, liver spread, and vegetables such as potatoes and carrots. This is another main character in the Filipino household during celebrations like birthdays, christenings and even town fiestas that can never go without this very extraordinary dish.
The best variation of caldereta for my family and me is the beef caldereta, especially when my husband cooks this very special dish for us. He got the recipe from my mother-in-law. Among his specialty dishes, I only have one favorite, and that is when he cooks beef caldereta. When the beef meat is so tender and juicy that it literally melts in your mouth, when the carrots and potatoes are half cooked and still pack some crunch. Yum! My mouth is starting to water just thinking about the juicy beefy goodness this dish has to offer. But of course I do not want to keep this all to myself, let me share the recipe for others to enjoy this savory meal.
Steps
- 1Ingredients:
- 1 kg of beef meat, (Caldereta cut) or slice it into squares 2" thick
- 1 clove of garlic, minced
- 1 medium onion, sliced thinly
- 3 cups water
- 1 medium red bell pepper, cut into fine strips
- 1 small pack of tomato sauce
- 1 small can or liver spread or use a blender to blend raw 1/4th liver
- 3 pieces bay leaves or dahon ng laurel
- 2 medium sized potatoes cut into squares
- 2 medium sized carrots cut into triangles
- 1 small can cooked green peas
- 1/2 cup of cooking oil
- Salt and ground pepper to taste
- 2Method:
- In a medium sized pot, heat the cooking oil and fry the potatoes until they turn light brown. Then, after that, fry the carrot until they turn dark orange. Strain and set aside.
- In the same pot, sauté the garlic until it turns golden brown. Add the onions and sauté until onions are translucent or caramelizing.
- Add the beef squares, stir and leave to simmer for about 5-8 minutes.
- Add water to the beef. Boil for 30 minutes until the beef softens. If you are using a pressure cooker, then let it boil for 30 minutes. But if you will be using a regular pot, let it boil for 1 to 2 hours, checking every now and then to see if the beef is soft and tender.
- Once the beef is tender, put in the tomato sauce and liver spread. Stir and leave to simmer for another 5 minutes.
- After 5 minutes add the carrots, potatoes, green peas, bay leaves and bell peppers. Stir and leave to simmer for about 3 minutes.
- Add salt and pepper to taste, and optional chili peppers for a little kick to the stew.
- 3Serve it while it's hot!
- 4Enjoy!Do not forget the extra rice!
If you have problems with any of the steps in this article, please ask a question for more help, or post in the comments section below.
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Article Info
Categories : Meats & Main Dishes
Recent edits by: Lynn, Robbi, mahalia jovita b. bugasto