Hello there! Are you in the mood to whip up a cozy, comforting dish that will impress your family or friends? This beef menudo recipe is a perfect candidate. A Filipino beef stew bursting with tender beef, vibrant veggies, and a rich tomato-based sauce that screams home-cooked goodness. And guess what? It’s easier to make than you might think!
Beef menudo is more than just a dish in Filipino culture—it’s a tradition. Often served at gatherings and celebrations, it is also connecting generations through its hearty flavors. While it might get confused with other dishes like mechado or caldereta, each one has its unique twist, making them special in their own right.
So, What is the Deal with This Beef Menudo Recipe?
Beef menudo is another Filipino tomato-based braised beef that’s become a staple in Filipino kitchens. Traditionally, menudo is made with pork, but this beef version offers a fun twist. The beef is simmered in a flavorful tomato sauce, sometimes with a touch of liver spread for extra depth. The aromatic ingredients—onions, garlic, and bell peppers will fill your kitchen with an irresistible scent as they cook.
A Little History Behind the Dish
Menudo holds a special place in Filipino cuisine, tracing its roots back to Spanish influences during the colonial period. Traditionally made with pork, the beef version became popular over time, showcasing the adaptability of Filipino cooking. So popular and irresistible, there are also versions of menudo using chicken. Check this chicken menudo out from our fellow food blogger.
How Does Beef Menudo Compare to Other Stews?
In the realm of Filipino stews, menudo, mechado, and caldereta are often mentioned together. But each has its own distinct personality:
- Menudo is usually made with pork or beef, liver (optional), and a mix of vegetables simmered in tomato sauce.
- Mechado features beef larded with meat fat, simmered in a tomato-based sauce with a touch of soy sauce and lemon juice for a tangy twist. Beef mechado seems to be the least in the “confusion” game because of the size of the cuts of the meat.
- Caldereta takes up a notch with beef or goat meat, liver spread, and sometimes chili peppers for a spicy kick.
Each of these dishes is perfect for special occasions, offering different takes on the rich, flavorful world of Filipino stews.
Essential Ingredients
To make a killer beef menudo, you’ll need some essential ingredients that come together to create that signature flavor:
- Beef: Choose a cut that’s hearty yet tender, like beef chuck or shoulder.
- Vegetables: Potatoes, carrots, and bell peppers are a must, adding color, texture, and flavor. Green peas and garbanzo beans add color to the dish and an additional tease.
- Raisins. Talk about teasing the taste buds, raisins do this in menudo. This can be optional, but I recommend including them in the lineup.
- Aromatics: Onions, cloves garlic, and sometimes chili peppers form the base of the stew’s savory aroma.
- Tomato Sauce: The heart of the sauce, giving the stew its rich, tangy flavor.
- Liver Spread: Optional, but it adds a depth of flavor that’s hard to beat.
- Seasonings: Salt, black pepper, and a touch of lemon juice or vinegar to balance the richness.
Let’s Get Cooking!
- Prep the Ingredients: Dice your beef meat and beef liver (separately) into bite-sized pieces and chop up your veggies and aromatics.
- Pre-cook the beef liver and brown the beef: Heat some oil over medium heat and sautee the beef liver, store for a couple of minutes, and set aside. Then brown the beef cubes until they develop a rich, caramelized crust.
- Add the Veggies: Toss in your onions, garlic, and bell peppers, sautéing until they’re soft and fragrant.
- Simmer the Sauce: Pour in the tomato sauce, add some liver spread if you’re using it, and let everything simmer until the beef is tender and the flavors have melded together.
- Balance the Flavors: Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt, pepper, and a squeeze of lemon juice if needed.
Pro Tips for Perfect Menudo
Chasing that authentic Filipino food experience with a homemade beef menudo? Let’s ensure your stew turns out beautifully each time you’re at the stove.
Manage Your Cooking Time: Beef menudo isn’t a dish you rush. Patience is key. Cook the beef until tender—this can mean simmering for up to a couple of hours. Every cut is unique, so check tenderness periodically.
Choose Quality Ingredients: Lean toward using fresh tomato sauce and ripe bell peppers. Select beef cuts like the shoulder for the right mix of lean and fat.
Prep and Marination: Boost that flavor profile right from the start. Marinate your beef cubes in soy sauce with a little lemon juice for at least an hour. This isn’t just a seasoning step—it tenderizes the meat too.
Searing Is Your Friend: Before stewing, sear your marinated beef cubes on medium heat. You’re going for that rich, caramelized crust. Remember, color equals depth of flavor.
Enhancing Flavor with Spices
Filipino dishes sing with the chorus of spices used, and beef menudo is no different. Don’t shy away from garlic—use those cloves proudly. Onions impart sweetness, while chili peppers bring a gentle heat that doesn’t overpower.
Ground black pepper and bell peppers add layers of savory flavor and crunch. But the secret weapon? A seasoning with fish sauce. It gives an irreplaceable depth of flavor that completes the stew. Remember, add spices judiciously. Taste as you go, and season with salt sparingly if you’ve used fish sauce.
Avoiding Common Mistakes
Alright, to dodge the most common menudo missteps, stick to these guidelines:
- Don’t Overcook the Veggies: Add veggies like potatoes and carrots at the right time, so they’re cooked through but not mushy.
- Use Medium Heat: Too high, and you’ll burn the sauce; too low, and you won’t sear the meat properly. Medium heat is the sweet spot.
- Avoid Cooking Acidity Out: If you’re using tomato sauce and lemon juice, don’t let them cook for too long or they’ll lose their bright flavors.
- Mind the Liver Spread: If using, stir it in gently and don’t let it boil vigorously or it can become bitter.
Serving and Storing
Once your beef menudo is ready, serve it with steamed white rice to soak up all that delicious sauce.
If you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the fridge—they’ll keep well for a few days and taste even better as the flavors continue to meld.
Leftovers, after reheated, are perfect to be paired with crusty bread, especially hot pandesal. Try it with French bread and enjoy the distinct taste of this flavorful dish. It is also best use with any bread as a sandwich.
So, are you ready to give this a try? Beef menudo is a dish that’s sure to bring warmth and comfort to your table, whether it’s a special occasion or just a regular day.
Happy cooking!
Quick and Easy Beef Manudo Recipe
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours
- Total Time: 2 hours 20 minutes
- Category: Main dish
- Method: cooking
- Cuisine: Filipino
Description
Another flavorful beef stew from the Philippines that continues to warm the hearts of many and is a perfect comfort food. The cooking process may take a bit more time but is straightforward.
Ingredients
- 1 kg beef meat
- 1/2 kg beef
- 3 medium onions, chopped
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 medium-sized tomatoes, deseeded and chopped
- 1 cup potatoes, diced (similar size as the meat and liver)
- 1 piece carrot, diced (similar size as the meat and liver)
- 5 tbsps soy sauce
- juice of one lemon
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- 1/4 cup tomato sauce
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/4 cup cooking oil
- 2 tbsp fish sauce
- 2 pieces dry bay leaves
- 1/4 cup raisins
- 1/4 cup canned green peas
- 1/2 cup pre-cooked (or canned) garbanzo beans
Instructions
- Heat two tablespoons of oil in a pan.
- Add half the minced garlic and chopped onions. Stir for a minute and add the beef liver. Continue stirring for another minute then set aside.
- Add the rest of the cooking oil to the pan; this would be more than what you would prefer if you use oil sparingly, but there is a reason for this: the oil will help tenderize the meat in the cooking process – unless you are using a fattier beef choice.
- Add the rest of the garlic and onions and stir until the onions caramelize.
- Add the chopped tomatoes. Cook stirring until a thick sauce is created, about 5 minutes. Adjust heat to medium when what looks like a tomato gravy is achieved. The dish might demand additional water at this stage. Add water with caution, you do not want the sauce to become runny.
- Add the beef pieces. Stir until its juices incorporate with the sauce. Add soy sauce and lemon juice. Stir once, then add half a cup of water and bay leaves and continue to cook over low-medium heat until the meat is tender, about an hour to an hour and a half.
- Add the carrots, potatoes, and beef liver followed by the tomato sauce. Continue to simmer until the vegetables are done. Add sugar and stir until they are melted.
- Add raisins, salt and pepper. Cook for a further two minutes, season with fish sauce, then add green peas and garbanzo beans.
Notes
If using liver spread, add them as you add the tomato sauce.
Additional Cooking Tips from Feastful Fork
- The cuts of meat would dictate the cuts of the carrots and potatoes – you want their sizes to be uniform. Yes, I have tried this recipe using one-inch size cut of meat and vegetables. The chunky potatoes are wonderful.
- Beef meat can be marinated with juice of lemon, soy sauce, and unpeeled garlic for an hour for more amazing flavors. Do not marinate the beef liver.
- Yellow onions add sweetness to the dish; red onions add a bit of spice.
- Not deseeding the tomatoes will make the sauce runny.
- Using less than the recommended amount of oil might burn the menudo – believe it or not.
- Russet potatoes are a good replacement for regular potatoes. Calamansi juice (Philippine lime) is originally called for in this recipe but lemons can do the work.
- You can create tomato sauce by adding water to tomato paste and stirring them before use.
- You can use beef stock or beef broth instead of water for a more flavorful beef stew.
- You may want to add beef bullion to the dish but adjust the amount of salt.
