Entree: Philippines – Tagalog / Manila – Kaldereta (Filipino braised beef stew in a tomato-based sauce with liver and vegetables)

Serving Size: 6

Approximate Time

Prep 20 min

Cook 2 hrs

Total 2 hrs 20 min

Ingredients

- 2 lb (900 g) beef chuck, cut into 1–1.5 inch (2.5–3.8 cm) cubes
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) vegetable oil
- 1 large onion, thinly sliced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 cups (480 ml) tomato sauce
- 1 cup (240 ml) beef broth or water
- 3 tbsp (45 g) liver spread (or beef liver blended until smooth)
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) soy sauce
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) vinegar
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tsp (5 ml) fish sauce or to taste (optional)
- 3 medium potatoes, about 1 lb (450 g), peeled and cut into chunks
- 2 medium carrots, about 8 oz (225 g), sliced
- 1 red bell pepper, cut into strips
- 1 green bell pepper, cut into strips
- 1/2 cup (75 g) pitted green olives
- 1 tsp (5 g) sugar (optional, to balance acidity)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Heat vegetable oil in a large heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown the beef cubes in batches until well-seared on all sides, removing and setting aside each batch to avoid overcrowding.
2. Reduce heat to medium; add a little more oil if needed and sauté the sliced onion until translucent, about 3–4 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook 30–60 seconds until fragrant.
3. Return the browned beef to the pot. Stir in tomato sauce, beef broth, soy sauce, vinegar, and bay leaf. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low, cover, and braise gently for 1.5–2 hours until beef is fork-tender (check and add more broth or water if liquid reduces too much).
4. Once beef is tender, stir in the liver spread until fully incorporated to thicken and enrich the sauce. Add the potatoes and carrots, cover, and simmer 15–20 minutes until vegetables are nearly tender.
5. Add bell pepper strips and green olives, season with fish sauce (if using), sugar, salt, and pepper to taste. Simmer uncovered 5–10 minutes until peppers are crisp-tender and sauce has reached desired thickness.
6. Remove bay leaf, adjust seasoning, and serve hot with steamed rice.