Beef Caldereta with Cheese
This beef caldereta is a rich Filipino beef stew made with tender beef, potatoes, carrots, bell peppers, tomato sauce, liver spread, peanut butter, and cheddar cheese. It’s hearty, saucy, and perfect served hot over steamed white rice.
Servings: 6
Calories: 610kcal
Equipment
- Large pot or Dutch oven
Ingredients
- 2 pounds beef chuck short ribs, or stew meat, cut into chunks
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 1 small onion chopped
- 1 head garlic minced
- 1 cup tomato sauce
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 cups water
- 1 tablespoon beef powder
- 1 tablespoon liver spread
- 2 tablespoons peanut butter
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce optional but recommended
- 1 to 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon sugar optional
- 1 teaspoon chili flakes or 3 chopped Thai chili optional
- Salt and pepper to taste
Vegetables
- 2 potatoes cut into big chunks
- 2 carrots cut into chunks
- 1 red bell pepper sliced
- 1 green bell pepper sliced
Finish
- ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Fry the vegetables. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Fry the potatoes and carrots until lightly golden on the edges. They do not need to be fully cooked. Remove from the pot and set aside.2 tablespoons oil, 2 potatoes, 2 carrots
- Sauté the aromatics. In the same pot, sauté the onion until softened. Add the minced garlic and cook until fragrant.1 small onion, 1 head garlic
- Brown the beef. Add the beef chunks to the pot. Season lightly with salt and pepper, then cook until the beef is lightly browned.2 pounds beef chuck, Salt and pepper
- Build the sauce. Add the tomato paste and stir it into the beef for about 1 minute. Pour in the tomato sauce and water. Add the beef powder, soy sauce, oyster sauce if using, bay leaves, sugar if using, and chili flakes or Thai chili if using. Stir well.1 cup tomato sauce, 2 cups water, 1 tablespoon beef powder, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon oyster sauce, 1 to 2 bay leaves, 1 teaspoon sugar, 1 teaspoon chili flakes or 3 chopped Thai chili, 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- Simmer the beef. Cover and simmer over low heat for 1 ½ to 2 hours, or until the beef is tender. Stir occasionally and add a little more water if the sauce gets too thick before the beef softens.
- Add richness. Stir in the liver spread and peanut butter until fully melted into the sauce.1 tablespoon liver spread, 2 tablespoons peanut butter
- Return the vegetables. Add the fried potatoes, carrots, and bell pepper back into the pot. Simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender.2 potatoes, 2 carrots, 1 red bell pepper, 1 green bell pepper
- Finish with cheese. Turn off the heat or lower it to the lowest setting. Stir in the shredded cheddar cheese until melted into the sauce. Taste and adjust with salt, pepper, or a little sugar if needed.½ cup shredded cheddar cheese
- Serve. Serve hot with steamed white rice.
Notes
- Frying the potatoes and carrots first helps them hold their shape so they do not fall apart in the stew.
- Use beef chuck, short ribs, or stew meat with good marbling. Lean cuts like sirloin can turn dry after a long simmer.
- Do not rush the simmer. Low and slow cooking is what makes the beef tender and the sauce rich.
- Cook the tomato paste for about 1 minute before adding liquid to deepen the flavor and remove the raw tomato taste.
- Add the cheese at the very end, off the heat or on very low heat, so the sauce stays smooth and does not turn grainy.
- For a spicier kaldereta, use Thai chili or increase the chili flakes.
- If the sauce is too thick before the beef is tender, add a splash of water and continue simmering.
- If the sauce is too thin, simmer uncovered for 10 to 15 minutes to reduce.
- Kaldereta tastes even better the next day as the sauce thickens and the flavors deepen.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- To freeze, cool completely and portion into freezer-safe containers or bags. Freeze for up to 3 months.
- Reheat gently on the stove over medium-low heat. Add a splash of water or broth to loosen the sauce.
Nutrition
Calories: 610kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 38g | Fat: 39g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Cholesterol: 125mg | Sodium: 900mg
