Filipino Beef Pares is a delicious and hearty combination of braised beef stew and garlic-fried rice, typically served with a bowl of beef broth or plain soup. This popular dish originated in the 1970s and has since become a staple in many roadside diners and carenderias (small eateries) throughout the Philippines.
Ludwig, a skilled cook in Bicol, has created his own unique version of Beef Pares. His braised beef stew is made extra saucy, so it doesn’t necessarily need an additional soup to accompany it. The garlic-fried rice perfectly complements the savory flavors of the beef, making for a satisfying and filling meal.
To make the beef stew, tender cuts of beef are slowly cooked in a mixture of soy sauce, sugar, star anise, and other aromatic spices until they become melt-in-your-mouth tender. The resulting sauce is rich and flavorful, with a perfect balance of sweet and salty notes.
The garlic-fried rice, on the other hand, is made by stir-frying rice with lots of garlic until it’s fragrant and lightly golden. The rice is then seasoned with salt and pepper to taste, and served alongside the beef stew.
Overall, Filipino Beef Pares is a comfort food that’s loved by many, thanks to its delicious combination of tender beef, flavorful sauce, and fragrant garlic rice.
Ingredients: 3-4 servings
2 lbs. of sirloin beef meat cut in cubes(with optional slightly fatty parts)
5 pieces of Star anise
1/2 cup of soy sauce
1/4 tsp of salt
1 tbsp. of peppercorns(paminta buo)
1 piece of red onion, finely chopped
3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1 stalk of finely chopped scallions(green onions)
1 piece of thumb-sized ginger, finely minced
1/4 cup of cornstarch or all-purpose flour
10 tbsp. of brown sugar
3 tbsp. of fish sauce(patis)
3 cubes of solid beef broths(bouillons)
1 tsp cooking oil
6 cups of water
Cooking Procedure:
- Clean and cut sirloin beef in small cubes, then set aside. On a large pan or pot, sauté a portion of the chopped garlic, onions and ginger until browned.
- Add the beef cubes, apply pepper and star anise, stir to combine and for at least 15 minutes until beef is browned.
- Add soy sauce and water, then bring it into a boil. Apply the beef bouillon, fish sauce, brown sugar, peppercorns and cornstarch. All-purpose flour is okay, if cornstarch is not available.
- Thoroughly stir mixture to completely incorporate ingredients. Continue to let it boil and simmer for another 25-30 minutes, until beef turns tender and sauce slightly thickens.
- Toast the remaining chopped garlic while waiting for the Beef Pares recipe to completely simmer.
- Remove from the heat when done, top this delicious Beef Pares with chopped scallions prior to serving hot, with garlic-fried rice.
Note: Serving Beef Pares usually comes but not always, with garlic fried rice and beef broth soup. Your choice. Making garlic fried rice is easy. Just sauté minced garlic with steamed rice in cooking oil, season it with salt and pepper, then stir fry the rice until slightly browned. You can also top it with toasted garlic if desired, prior to serving.
