Go Back
Beef Kare-Kare Recipe
Maya Miles

Beef Kare-Kare Recipe

This is a rich, savory, nutty peanut stew with fall-apart beef and crisp-tender veggies, all sopped up with steamed rice and a tiny kick of salty bagoong on the side.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours 28 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 50 minutes
Servings: 6 PERSONS
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Filipino
Calories: 620
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Stew Base& Beef
  • 2 lbs beef shank or short ribs
  • 2 tbsp cooking oil canola or avocado
  • 1 tsp medium onion chopped
  • 5 cloves garlic minced
  • 1½ liters beef broth
  • 2 tbsp annatto seeds soaked in ¼ cup warm water
For the Peanut Sauce
  • 1 cup ground roasted peanuts unsalted
  • ½ cup toasted ground rice
  • 3 tbsp fish sauce patis
  • Salt and pepper to taste
For the Vegetables
  • 1 medium eggplant sliced into ½-inch rounds
  • 1 bunch string beans cut into 3-inch pieces
  • 1 bunch bok choy
For Serving(Non-negotiable)
  • ½ cup bagoong alamang fermented shrimp paste, sautéed with garlic Steamed jasmine rice

Method
 

Tenderize the beef.
  1. In a large pot, cover beef with broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer. Skim off any foam. Cook for 2 to 2.5 hours until fork-tender.
  2. *Instant Pot shortcut: 45 minutes on high pressure + natural release.*
Make annatto water.
  1. Soak annatto seeds in ¼ cup warm water for 10 minutes. Strain. Set aside the red liquid.
Toast the rice.
  1. In a dry skillet over medium heat, toast uncooked rice for 3–4 minutes until golden brown. Grind into a fine powder.
Sauté aromatics.
  1. In a separate pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add garlic and onion. Cook for 2 minutes until soft.
Build the peanut sauce.
  1. Add ground peanuts and toasted rice powder. Stir for 1 minute. Pour in 2 cups of beef broth (strained from the cooked beef), plus annatto water and fish sauce. Whisk continuously for 5–7 minutes until thickened.
Combine.
  1. Add the tender beef shanks into the peanut sauce. Simmer for 10–15 minutes over low heat.
Blanch the vegetables.
  1. In a separate pot of boiling water, blanch eggplant (2 minutes), then string beans (2 minutes), then bok choy (1 minute). Drain.
Assemble and serve.
  1. Arrange beef in a deep bowl. Ladle sauce over the top. Arrange blanched veggies on the side. Serve immediately with sautéed bagoong and lots of steamed rice.

Notes

Have you ever tried making Filipino peanut stew at home? Or maybe you grew up eating it at family parties? Drop a comment below—I’d love to hear your favorite veggie to add (or if you’re team oxtail vs. beef shank). And if you give this Beef Kare-Kare recipe a shot, let me know how that peanut sauce turns out for you. Happy cooking