Kare-Kare (Filipino Oxtail and Vegetable Stew in Peanut Sauce)
Local name: Kare-kare
In short: Oxtail and beef simmered until tender in a thick, nutty peanut sauce with eggplant, long beans and bok choy, served with salty shrimp paste. It takes about 4 h 30 min in total and makes 6 servings.
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 4 h
- Total
- 4 h 30 min
- Servings
- 6
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 700 kcal
Kare-kare is the Filipino stew built on a thick, golden peanut sauce, and it is a centerpiece at fiestas and family reunions. Oxtail and beef shank are simmered until the meat nearly falls from the bone, and the sauce is thickened with ground toasted rice and peanut butter and colored with annatto. Eggplant, long beans and bok choy go in at the end. The sauce is mild on its own, so it is eaten with bagoong, a salty sautéed shrimp paste, at the table.
Instructions
- Put the oxtail, beef shank, water, quartered onion and peppercorns in a large pot. Bring to a boil, skim off the foam, then cover and simmer gently for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, until the meat is very tender.
- Meanwhile, toast the rice in a dry pan over medium heat for 5 to 6 minutes, until golden. Grind it to a coarse powder in a spice grinder.
- Lift the meat out of the pot. Strain the broth, skim off the fat and measure out 1.5 liters (6 cups). Strain the annatto water and discard the seeds.
- Heat the oil in the clean pot and cook the sliced onion and garlic for 3 minutes. Add the meat, the 1.5 liters of broth, the annatto water, peanut butter and ground rice. Stir until smooth.
- Simmer uncovered for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring often, until the sauce is thick and glossy. Season with the salt.
- Add the eggplant and long beans and cook for 6 to 8 minutes. Add the bok choy and cook for 2 minutes more.
- Serve in wide bowls with steamed rice, with the shrimp paste on the side for each person to add.
Tips
- Cook the meat a day ahead and chill it. The fat sets on top and lifts off, leaving a cleaner sauce. A pressure cooker softens oxtail in about 50 minutes.
- Tripe is a traditional addition, simmered with the oxtail until tender. For a meatless version, use pumpkin, eggplant, tofu and vegetable stock.
Questions and answers
What is bagoong, and do I need it?
Bagoong is fermented shrimp or fish paste, here sautéed with garlic. The sauce is mild, so bagoong supplies the salty punch. A few spoonfuls of fish sauce can stand in.
Can I make kare-kare with peanut butter only?
Yes. Use unsweetened peanut butter and the ground rice for body. If you have roasted peanuts, grind a few spoonfuls and add them for a richer, nuttier flavor.
Can I make kare-kare ahead of time?
Yes. It keeps for 4 days in the fridge, and the sauce thickens, so thin it with broth. Add the vegetables fresh when reheating.
How long does it take to make Kare-Kare (Filipino Oxtail and Vegetable Stew in Peanut Sauce)?
About 4 h 30 min in total: 30 min of preparation and 4 h of cooking.
How many calories are in Kare-Kare (Filipino Oxtail and Vegetable Stew in Peanut Sauce)?
About 700 kcal per serving, with 44 g of protein, 62 g of carbohydrates and 32 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 700 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 44 g |
| Carbohydrates | 62 g |
| Fat | 32 g |
| Fiber | 5 g |
| Sugar | 5 g |
| Sodium | 1500 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
