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Kare Kare or Beef in Peanut Stew (some calls it as Filipino oxtail and vegetable stew) is a traditional Filipino food complimented with thick, savory and flavorful peanut sauce.
Kare-kare is usually served on special occasions and family gatherings. It is always accompanied with sautéed shrimp paste (bagoong alamang) for added flavor.

Table of Contents

Kare Kare

Jaime Inez

The easiest Kare-Kare recipe to make is one that involves making your own peanut butter from scratch. It only takes about three hours to prepare, and includes preparing vegetables, beef, banana hearts, and making peanut butter from raw peanuts. To get the most flavor from the peanut butter, toast the raw peanuts first. This will make the flavor more fragrant. You can also store the roasted peanuts in a jar to use for a later date.

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Prep Time 15

Cook Time 15

Total Time 30

Course Main Course

Cuisine Filipino

Servings 4 servings

Calories 366 kcal

Ingredients

400 g Beef Brisket and Oxtail
7 cups water keep 3 cups beef broth
1 tbsp annatto seeds dissolve in 3 tbsp beef broth
2 tbsp peanut butter
4 cloves garlic crushed
1 medium onion diced
2 medium eggplants sliced
1 bunch green beans sitaw cut in 2 inches
Mama Sita's Kare Kare Sauce Mix optional
2 bunch Chinese Cabbage bok choy
1 tbsp Thai Sticky Rice uncooked, dry roasted and finely ground
1 tbsp Sauteed Shrimp Paste bagoong
1 tbsp canola oil

Instructions

Place beef brisket and oxtail in a pot with water. Heat on high and bring to a boil. Simmer for 1 hour with the lid half-open. Set aside and keep beef broth for later.
In a casserole dish, heat oil and fry eggplants. Set aside.
On the same casserole dish, saute garlic until fragrant. Add onions, cook until transparent.
Put back cooked beef brisket and oxtail and fry until the meat turns brown.
Dissolve Mama Sita's Kare Kare sauce in 1 cup of water and pour in.
Add 3 cups of beef broth.
Add uncooked sticky rice. Mix and bring to a boil.
Pour in dissolve annatto seeds liquid and add peanut butter for thicker sauce and additional flavour. Simmer for 2 minutes.
Add fried eggplants and green beans, cook for 2 minutes.
Finally, add bok choy leaves and cook for 1 minute.
Serve hot with plain white rice and shrimp paste (bagoong) on the side. Enjoy!

Video

Notes

A kare recipe is not something you can make on a whim. It takes time to prepare and can be stored for three to four days. It is best served cold, but you can reheat it if you want to add some spice to it. Then just add some hot water or meat broth and enjoy! The ingredients for this dish are peanuts, rice flour, and annatto powder.

Keyword kare kare

See more: Filipino Recipes

Other ways to making Kare Kare

Once the ground mixture is made, you should heat it in a small pot and then add the vegetables. Once the vegetables are cooked, the meat and peanut butter mixture should simmer. Another version of the dish uses pork or seafood instead of beef. This type uses shrimp, crab, or other seafood. The beef should be cut into equal portions, as beef shanks tend to cook longer. Be sure to use a thick-cut boneless chuck.

Another way to cook the beef is to steam the oxtails in a best pressure cooker. This process can take 45 to an hour. Then, remove the bones and cut the meat into pieces. Once the chicken is done cooking, the chicken is ready to serve. If you plan to serve the dish with rice, you can reheat the bowl of kare-kare in a slow cooker. The meat will fall off the bone, and the mixture will keep in the fridge for up to four days.

There are other ways to make kare. The first option is to add glutinous rice flour to the peanut slurry. Heat the mixture until it turns brown. Typically, a lot of rice flour is used for this dish, but you can use any kind of rice flour you want. Just be sure to add rock salt to the tripe before serving. It will give the curry the right texture and flavor.

Tips and Tricks

Tips for Making the Best Kare-Kare

Here are some of my best tips for making insanely delicious kare-kare at home:

Use good quality peanuts. I prefer using raw, unsalted peanuts and toasting them myself for the deepest flavor.
Don’t skimp on the garlic! Garlic adds a wonderful aroma and flavor to the stew. I use at least 10 cloves.
Simmer the sauce slowly. Letting the peanut sauce simmer gently allows the flavors to develop fully.
Add the vegetables toward the end. You want the veggies to retain their bite, so add them in the last 10 minutes or so.
Garnish with scallions. Bright green scallions add a pop of freshness and color.
Serve with shrimp paste and rice. The salty umami shrimp paste and fluffy rice balance out the rich peanut sauce perfectly.

Serving Suggestions

Here are some of my favorite ways to serve up this Filipino peanut stew:

Ladle the kare-kare over a bowl of hot steamed rice. The rice soaks up the luscious sauce beautifully.
Offer shrimp paste on the side. A dollop of salty, funky shrimp paste helps cut through the richness.
Scatter crispy fried shallots on top for some crunchy texture.
Top with a fried egg for extra protein and creaminess.
Pair it with a crisp green salad to help balance the richness.
Enjoy with calamansi lime wedges for a bright pop of citrus.

Beef in peanut stew is a hearty, comforting dish that brings people together. This Filipino kare-kare recipe packs complex flavors into a simple stew, with its rich peanut sauce blanketing tender beef and crisp-tender vegetables. Making this stew at home is easy with the right techniques, like toasting the peanuts and simmering the sauce slowly. Served over rice with a side of shrimp paste, it’s a meal that will nourish your body and soul. This beef in peanut stew truly represents the best of Filipino cuisine and cooking. I hope you’ll give this classic recipe a try soon and experience the magic of kare-kare for yourself. Whether it’s for a special occasion or just a weeknight dinner, this stew is sure to satisfy.