Turns out the liver spread is the best part of caldereta. This Filipino stew is beef or goat braised in tomato sauce until tender, then enriched with liver spread, with potatoes, carrots, bell peppers and olives. Picture a beef stew with a deeper, meatier backbone and a bright tomato edge.
Liver spread? It is sold in cans at Filipino and Asian grocers and gives the sauce its body. Plain liver pâté works. Goat is traditional, and beef chuck is perhaps a more practical choice. Add the potatoes and carrots late so they hold their shape, and the peppers last.
Tips for Making Filipino Caldereta
Brown the beef in batches. Crowding the pot steams the meat. Brown it in two or three batches for the flavor the sauce starts from.
Do not rush the braise. The beef should be nearly tender before the liver spread and vegetables go in. Test a cube with a fork at 1 1/2 hours.
Stir the liver spread in until the sauce is smooth. Break it up against the side of the pot with a spoon. Any lumps are the one thing people notice.
Taste before you add salt. The liver spread and the fish sauce are both salty.
Filipino Caldereta: Tomato Stew with Liver Spread and Olives
Total Time: 2 hours 50 minutes
Yield: Serves 6
Description
Turns out the liver spread is the best part of caldereta. This Filipino stew is beef or goat braised in tomato sauce until tender, then enriched with liver spread, with potatoes, carrots, bell peppers and olives.
Ingredients
Units
- 2 1/2 lb (1.1 kg) beef chuck, cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes
- 3 tbsp neutral oil
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 can (8 oz / 227 g) tomato sauce
- 3 cups (720 ml) water
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 to 2 Thai chilies, sliced (optional)
- 1/3 cup (about 80 g) liver spread or liver pâté
- 2 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks
- 2 carrots, peeled and cut into thick pieces
- 1 red bell pepper, cut into strips
- 1 green bell pepper, cut into strips
- 1/2 cup (about 70 g) green olives
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
Instructions
Season the beef with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown the beef in batches, about 5 minutes per batch, and set aside.
Add the onion to the pot and cook for 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
Return the beef to the pot. Add the tomato sauce, water, bay leaves and chilies. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook over low heat for 1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours, until the beef is nearly tender.
Stir in the liver spread until it dissolves. Add the potatoes and carrots and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes, until a knife slides in easily.
Add the bell peppers and olives and simmer for 5 to 8 minutes more, until the peppers are just tender. Stir in the fish sauce and season with salt and pepper. Remove the bay leaves.
Notes
- Goat: use bone-in goat shoulder and cook it 2 to 2 1/2 hours, or about 40 minutes in a pressure cooker.
- Serve with steamed rice.
- Keeps 4 days in the fridge and 3 months in the freezer.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
Category: Recipes
Cuisine: Filipino
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 580
- Fat: 37 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Protein: 40 g
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between caldereta, mechado and afritada?
They are all Filipino tomato-based stews. Caldereta is richer, thickened with liver spread and usually made with goat or beef. Mechado is beef, traditionally larded with a strip of pork fat. Afritada is lighter, usually chicken or pork with bell peppers and potatoes, and has no liver. Menudo is diced pork and liver in tomato sauce.
Can I make caldereta with pork or chicken?
Yes. Pork shoulder cubes need 1 to 1 1/2 hours of simmering before the liver spread goes in. Bone-in chicken thighs need 35 to 40 minutes. Add the potatoes and carrots for the last 25 minutes for either meat.
Can I make caldereta in a slow cooker or Instant Pot?
Yes. In a slow cooker, brown the beef, then cook it with the tomato sauce and the liver spread on low for 6 hours. Add the potatoes and carrots for the last 2 hours and the bell peppers and olives for the last 15 minutes. In an Instant Pot, cook the beef for about 35 minutes at high pressure with a natural release, then add the vegetables on sauté mode.
Can I make it without liver spread?
Yes. Some cooks use 2 tablespoons of smooth peanut butter, which thickens the sauce but tastes different (and is a problem for anyone with a nut allergy). Without either, the stew is thinner and less rich.
How do I make caldereta spicy?
Add Thai chilies (siling labuyo) to the simmer. Two chilies give a medium heat. Slice them open for more, or leave them whole for less.
The post Filipino Caldereta: Tomato Stew with Liver Spread and Olives appeared first on Honest Cooking and Travel.
