How to Cook Beef Kare Kare Recipe

Kare-Karewith beef shank is a classic Filipino stew in a rich peanut sauce with its signature yellow-orange color. It's hearty, delicious, and isn't hard to make at all!

You may also like beef caldereta, a flavorful stew with beef and vegetables in tomato sauce.

Kare Kare with beef shank served with rice on a plate with a side of sauteed shrimp paste, more rice, a fork, knife, and napkin.

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What makes a good kare-kare
Ingredients you'll need
How to make this recipe
How to serve
How to store and reheat
Frequently asked questions
More about kare-kare with beef shank
Watch how I make it here
Other beef recipes you may like
📖 Recipe
💬 Comments

What makes a good kare-kare

Kare-Kare with beef shank has tender, gelatinous meat with connective tissue achieved by low and slow cooking.

The string beans and bok choy are blanched beforehand, while the eggplant is pan-fried to make it more delicious.

The sauce has a subtle taste that is rounded out with an umami-rich shrimp paste adding an incredible amount of flavor.

Ingredients you'll need

Assorted ingredients for kare-kare with beef shank in individual containers. — Oil (for searing and sautéing) and ground pepper are not in the picture.

Notes and substitutions

Boneless beef shank(or shin) : a lean cut with collagen-rich connective tissue. Don't confuse with bone-in cross-sections usually used inbulalo (Filipino beef shank soup) . Beef chuck makes a good substitute. Oxtail is traditionally used, but it is fatty and expensive for the small amount of meat it contains.

Three boneless beef shank rounds on a cutting board. — Boneless beef shank

Annatto powder (or achiote): It has a very subtle earthy flavor that will not affect the taste of the dish. It is used as a natural food dye rather than a spice, like in java rice. Choose annatto powder that is red, not pink.

Annatto powder packet and annatto powder on a saucer. — The annatto powder I used in this recipe.

Roasted or fried peanuts (adobong mani): Ground peanuts add texture and richness to the sauce. Don't feel like doing the extra step? Use more creamy peanut butter instead.
String beans (or sitaw): Also known as yard-long beans or Chinese long beans, this legume has long, slender edible pods.
Shanghai bok choy: This leafy Chinese cabbage tastes sweeter than regular bok choy calledpechay in the Philippines. You can use whichever you can find.
Eggplant: Use Japanese or Chinese eggplant, if possible. Unlike other varieties, they have thin skin, fewer seeds, and sweeter flesh.
Sautéed shrimp paste (or ginisang bagoong alamang): It is a salty, umami-rich condiment served with kare-kare. It's full of flavor and brings the dish together. Get the sautéed variety, not the pink, raw version.

Two kinds of sauteed shrimp paste in jars.

How to make this recipe

Prep some ingredients

(1)Mince the garlic. (2)Chop the onion. (3)Coarsely grind the peanuts.

(4)Dissolve the cornstarch or rice flour in about 2 tablespoons of water to make a slurry.

Mincing garlic and chopping onion with a knife on a cutting board. Ground peanuts in a food processor without the lid. Dissolving cornstarch with water in a small bowl.

(5)Dissolve the annatto powder in about 2 tablespoons of warm water. You can also use annatto seeds steeped in hot water.

Dissolving annatto powder with water in a small bowl.

Prep the vegetables (while the meat simmers)

(6)Blanch the string beans in boiling water for about 2 minutes. (7)Transfer to an ice bath (water+ice).

(8)Blanch the bok choy for one minute. (9)Transfer to the ice bath. Drain the vegetables.

PRO TIP: To make your greens even greener, add a pinch of baking soda to the boiling water.

Taking sitaw or string beans out of the boiling water and transferring into an ice bath. Shanghai bok choy in boiling water, then into an ice bath.

(10)Fry the eggplant in a little oil over medium-high heat until browned on both sides. Dry on paper towels to absorb excess oil.

Prep the meat

(11)Trim off any excess fat from the beef shank. (12)Cut them into 1½-inch thick pieces. Season with salt and pepper.

Trimming excess fat from beef shank round with a knife. Cutting the meat into sections on a cutting board.

Sear and simmer the meat

(13)Set a 4.5-quart Dutch oven or a heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add a little oil and sear the meat for 2 to 3 minutes on each side. Transfer to a plate.

PRO TIP: Sear the meat in batches to prevent overcrowding the pot. They will brown better and won't steam.

(14)Sauté the garlic and onion for about a minute or until softened.

Seared pieces of meat in oil and a piece being lifted off the pot with tongs. Sauteing garlic and onion in a pot.

(15)Bring the meat back to the pot and add enough water to cover them, about 6 cups. Feel free to use beef broth for more flavor. Let it come to a boil.

(16)Skim off the scum and fat that rise to the surface. Add salt — I used about 1½ teaspoons of kosher salt (use less for table salt).

Pouring water over the meat in the pot. Skimming scum and fat off the surface using a skimmer.

(17)Lower the heat to medium-low and cover. (18)Simmer for about 2 hours until the meat is tender.

Putting the lid on the pot. Piercing meat on a wooden spoon with a fork.

(19)Add the annatto, peanut butter, ground peanuts, and sugar. Mix until the sauce is smooth. Thicken with cornstarch or rice flour slurry.

(20)Give it a taste — it has to be nutty, a little sweet, and barely salty.

Adding sugar to a pot of stew. Spooning the sauce from the pot.

Add the vegetables

(21)Add the vegetables in and turn off the heat so they don't overcook.

Stirring the pot of stewed meat and vegetables.

How to serve

Enjoy kare-kare with beef shank with a steaming bowl of rice and a side of sautéed shrimp paste or ginisang bagoong alamang. It is quite salty so add sparingly.

Piercing a piece of meat with a fork in a plate with rice and Kare Kare.

How to store and reheat

Refrigerate and consume kare-kare within three to four days. Shelf life will also depend on how it was handled or how long it was left out. You can also freeze it, though it may slightly change the texture of the vegetables.

Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave. Thin out the sauce with water if necessary as it gets thicker as it sits.

Frequently asked questions

What are other kare-kare variations?

Aside from beef, there are chicken and pork versions — sometimes withlechon kawali (fried pork belly) orcrispy pata (fried pork leg).

A seafood kare-kare comes with shrimp, crab, squid, and mussels. There are vegetarian or vegan options that are just as delicious. Whatever approach you choose, the sauce remains the same.

Why is kare-kare orange?

The yellow-orange color of kare-kare comes from annatto powder or annatto seeds steeped in hot water. There is a very mild earthy flavor to it, which does not affect the taste of the dish.

What other vegetables can I use for kare-kare?

Kare-Kare traditionally contains banana blossoms (also known as banana hearts or flowers). It has a neutral taste and a fleshy, fibrous texture that absorbs flavors. You can also use napa cabbage and okra.

More about kare-kare with beef shank

Here are more frequently asked questions on kare-kare including extra tips, troubleshooting, and other information.

Watch how I make it here

Other beef recipes you may like

Beef Caldereta
Filipino Beef Tapa (Tapsilog)
Beef Stir Fry with Onions & Peppers
Korean Beef Stew

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📖 Recipe

Kare Kare over rice on a plate

▢
4.5-quart Dutch oven or a heavy bottomed-pot
▢
Pot (for blanching vegetables)
▢
Skillet

▢ 3 pounds boneless beef shank sub: beef chuck
▢ 3 cloves garlic minced
▢ 1 medium onion chopped
▢ 1 teaspoon annatto powder dissolved in 2 tablespoon warm water; sub: annatto seeds
▢ 1 cup unsweetened creamy peanut butter
▢ ½ cup fried or roasted peanuts coarsely ground
▢ 1 tablespoon sugar any kind
▢ 1 tablespoon cornstarch or rice flour dissolved in 2 tablespoon water
▢ 8 ounces string beans or sitaw cut into 2½-inch sections
▢ 8 ounces Shanghai baby bok choy cut in half, if big
▢ 1 pound eggplant cut into1-inch thick sections
▢ sautéed shrimp paste or ginisang bagoong alamang
▢ salt and pepper to taste
▢ neutral-flavored oil (canola, olive, or other vegetable oils) for searing & sautéing

Season the meat with salt and pepper. Sear in a little oil for 2 to 3 minutes on each side. Transfer to a plate.
Sauté the garlic and onion for about a minute or until softened.
Bring the meat back to the pot and add enough water to cover them, about 6 cups. Let it come to a boil.
Skim off the scum and fat that rise to the surface. Add some salt — I used about 1½ teaspoons of kosher salt (use less for table salt).
Lower the heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer for about 2 hours or until the meat is tender.
Blanch string beans in boiling water with a pinch of baking soda for about 2 minutes. Transfer to an ice bath (water+ice).
Blanch the bok choy for one minute. Transfer to the ice bath. Drain and set them aside.
Fry the eggplant until browned on both sides. Place them on paper towels to absorb excess oil.
When the meat is tender, add the annatto, peanut butter, ground peanuts, and sugar. Mix until the sauce becomes smooth.
Thicken the sauce with cornstarch or rice flour slurry. Give it a taste — it has to be nutty, a little sweet, and barely salty.
Add the vegetables and turn off the heat so they don't overcook.

Vegetable options: You can also use banana blossoms (also known as banana hearts or flowers), napa cabbage, or okra.

To serve: Enjoy with a steaming bowl of rice and a side of sautéed shrimp paste or ginisang bagoong alamang. It is quite salty so add sparingly.

Calories: 565 kcal Carbohydrates: 18 g Protein: 41 g Fat: 39 g Saturated Fat: 6 g Polyunsaturated Fat: 10 g Monounsaturated Fat: 20 g Trans Fat: 1 g Cholesterol: 129 mg Sodium: 840 mg Potassium: 961 mg Fiber: 6 g Sugar: 8 g Vitamin A: 1476 IU Vitamin C: 19 mg Calcium: 125 mg Iron: 4 mg

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Source: https://www.recipesbynora.com/kare-kare-peanut-stew/