Beef Caldereta

In many parts of the Philippines, Caldereta which is a Spanish influenced dish, is made using goat or lamb. I’m not a fan of either so I use beef. Beef Caldereta is essentially a beef stew simmered in spiced rich tomato sauce with Carrots and Potatoes, Capsicums and Pitted Olives or maybe a handful of peas. Some use liver spread or pâté to enrich the sauce; I don’t usually as I believe the sauce is rich enough as it is.

This is my mum’s version of the beloved Filipino classic. Meltingly tender beef pieces, out of this world delicious and uniquely Filipino, I have yet to meet someone, regardless of Nationality who doesn’t like this Beef Caldereta once they try it. Do not be deterred by the long cooking time, it’s mostly spent on cooking the meat until it’s tender. I set the timer in the oven and go about my business, I’ve even been known to nip into the hairdressers to get a hair cut while the caldereta was simmering away.

Another Filipino classic you need to try is the Chicken Adobo.

What you need to make Beef Caldereta

• Stewing Beef or Lamb – Use beef cuts like chuck steak or brisket cut up into 1 1/2 inch cubes. For lamb, a good cut for this stew is from shoulder or the leg. Trim off the fat and sinew before dicing.
• From the Fridge /Pantry – Cooking Oil,Fish sauce, Soy sauce,Garlic,Onion,Tomato Paste,Canned Diced Tomatoes,Bay Leaves,Carrot,Potato,Capsicum(red and green for colour), Olives and Peas optional
• Mama Sita Caldereta Spicy Sauce Mix – My mum used this sauce and it results in a thicker sauce. This is available from most Asian shops and some bigger Coles/Woolies now also stock them. I get mine from an online shop near me Filo Grocer. If you can’t source this pre mix sauce, substitute with 1 crumbled stock cube, 1 teaspoon paprika and 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce.
• Options – few sliced chillies if you prefer it spicy, and a handful of grated cheese to sprinkle before serving. Also, mixed herbs or chopped parsley for garnish. If you don’t have fish sauce, just double the amount of soy sauce.

Easy does it..

• Marinate the beef pieces in soy sauce and fish sauce. Set aside while preparing the rest of ingredients. Slice the onion mince the garlic and cut up the carrots and potatoes in uniform sizes so they cook evenly. De seed and dice capsicums. Slice chillies if using.
• In an oven proof dish, sauté the onion and garlic, then cook the meat until brown.
• Deglaze the pan by adding boiling water to cover the meat, then add the can of tomato,tomato paste and bay leaves. Cover pan and place in a slow oven until the meat is tender about 1 hour. If you prefer, simmer on the stove top on low heat until meat is tender. Check the water from time time and add more if starting to dry up.
  
• Another option is to use a slow cooker to cook until meat is tender.
• When meat is cooked, add the potatoes,carrots, diced capsicums and caldereta mix(or substitute) Stir to combine and cook further until potatoes and carrots are tender about 15 minutes.
• Correct seasoning by adding salt and pepper to taste. Add the pitted olives sliced chillies and peas if using.
• Just before serving, add the cheese on top and sprinkle with dried herbs or chopped parsley.
• Serve hot with rice.

Beef Calderetta

Recipe by Lola Adele

0.0 from 0 votes

Course: Meat, mainCuisine: FilipinoDifficulty: Easy

Servings

6 -8

servings

Prep time

20

minutes

Cooking time

1

hour 

30

minutes

Tender beef simmered in spiced rich Tomato Sauce

Ingredients

• 1 kilo beef brisket or any stewing beef like chuck steak cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces

• 1 teaspoon fish sauce

• 2 tablespoon soy sauce

• 6 cloves of garlic, peeled and minced

• 4 tablespoon cooking oil

• 1 onion, peeled and sliced

• 2 tablespoon tomato paste

• 2 -3 dried bay leaves

• 1 x 400g can diced tomatoes , or 3 tomatoes, diced

• 3 potatoes, peeled and diced into 1 1/2 inch cubes

• 2 carrots, peeled and cut up into 1 1/2 inch pieces

• 1 small green and 1 small red capsicum, seeded and diced

• salt and pepper to taste

• Handful of pitted olives, black or green optional

• Handful of frozen peas, optional

• 2 chillies,optional

• 1/2 cup grated cheese,optional
  

• 1 teaspoon mixed dried herbs, or finely chopped parsley for garnish

• 1 packet Mama Sita Caldereta Mix (substitute with 1 crumbled beef or chicken stock cube, 1 teaspoon paprika and 3 -tablespoon Worcestershire sauce)

Directions

• Marinate the beef pieces with soy sauce and fish sauce. Set aside while preparing the rest of ingredients. Preheat oven to 150°C.
• In an oven proof pan on medium heat, add cooking oil. When oil is hot add the sliced onions then minced garlic and cook until golden brown. Then add the beef pieces in one layer and cook beef until golden brown. You might have to do this in batches depending on the size of the pan. Add about 2 cups of boiling water to the pan and deglaze by scraping the browned bits on the bottom. Add tomato paste bay leaves and diced tomato. Cover pan and place in the preheated oven. If you prefer you can simmer the beef on low on the stove top.
• Meanwhile, prepare the veggies and cook rice if serving with rice. Peel potatoes and carrots and cut up into 2 inch pieces. Dice the capsicums. Set veggies aside.
• Bake/simmer the beef for about an hour to an hour and a half or until the beef pieces are fork tender.
• When meat is tender, remove pan from the oven and transfer to the stove top. Have the heat on medium and add the Calderetta mix(or substitute), diced capsicums potatoes and carrots and mix together to combine.
• Add olives and peas if using and correct seasoning by adding salt and pepper to taste. Simmer for about 15 minutes or until the carrots and potatoes are done. Add sliced chillies if you want the calderetta spicy. The sauce should be on the thicker side. If the veggies are cooked and there’s still plenty of liquid, increase the heat and cook off the excess. If the stew is too dry , add more water.
• Just before serving, top with grated cheese sprinkle with mixed herbs and served hot with rice.

Notes

• Serve with steamed rice.