Kare-Kare (Filipino Peanut Oxtail Stew)
Quick answer
Kare-kare is a Filipino celebration stew built around beef shank braised until every strand of connective tissue has melted into gelatin, leaving meat that falls away fro...
What makes this special
- Hearty Filipino Kare-Kare is a peanut-based stew with beef shank braised until tender.
- Oxtail simmered 60 or more minutes converts connective tissue to gelatin; meat near the bone falls away with a spoon
- Dry-toasted glutinous rice flour stirred into the broth adds thickness and nutty aroma at once
Key ingredients
Core cooking flow
- 1 Rinse 800g beef shank under cold water to remove blood, then place in a pot...
- 2 Toast 2 tbsp glutinous rice flour in a dry pan over low heat for 2 to 3 minu...
- 3 Remove the cooked beef and slice into serving-size pieces.
Kare-kare is a Filipino celebration stew built around beef shank braised until every strand of connective tissue has melted into gelatin, leaving meat that falls away from the bone at the touch of a spoon. The shank needs a minimum of sixty minutes at a steady simmer for this transformation to happen fully, and the resulting braising liquid becomes the backbone of the sauce. Glutinous rice flour is dry-toasted in a wide pan, stirred constantly until it turns pale gold and smells nutty, then whisked directly into the strained broth where it acts simultaneously as a thickener and a flavoring agent. Peanut butter is dissolved into the broth next, forming a sauce that is rich and creamy without any heaviness, because the toasted rice flour gives body more cleanly than cornstarch ever could. The braised meat goes back in and simmers together with the sauce for fifteen minutes so the flavors merge completely. Eggplant, yardlong beans, and bok choy are added in the final five to seven minutes, long enough to soften but short enough to keep their individual textures. The dish is always served alongside bagoong, a Filipino fermented shrimp paste, whose concentrated salt and pungent funk contrast forcefully with the mild, nutty sauce and elevate every spoonful.
Instructions
Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.
- 1Control
Rinse 800g beef shank under cold water to remove blood, then place in a pot with 1800ml water and simmer over medium heat for 60 minutes until the meat is fork-tender.
- 2Control
Toast 2 tbsp glutinous rice flour in a dry pan over low heat for 2 to 3 minutes until it turns nutty and fragrant without browning.
This creates kare-kare's characteristic savory depth.
- 3Heat
Remove the cooked beef and slice into serving-size pieces.
Strain the remaining broth through a fine sieve to clarify.
- 4Heat
Heat oil in a pot and saute 1 tbsp minced garlic until fragrant.
Add the strained broth and 5 tbsp peanut butter, whisking to dissolve into a creamy base.
- 5Control
Add the toasted rice flour to thicken the sauce to the right consistency, then add the beef and simmer over medium-low heat for 15 minutes to let the sauce infuse the meat.
- 6Heat
Add 1 eggplant, 120g yardlong beans, and 150g bok choy cut into serving pieces.
Cook for 5 to 7 minutes until the vegetables are just tender but still hold their shape.
After the steps
Pick a recipe that fits this dish.
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