Beef Kare Kare Filipino Peanut Stew (Easy Recipe)
This classic Filipino Peanut Stew is very decadent and flavorful comfort food cooked in an Instant Pot, making it quick, easy, and perfect for a weeknight meal.
Servings 6
Calories 758.6kcal
Cost $30
Equipment
- Fat Separator
- Instant Pot
Ingredients
For the Kare Kare
- 2 tablespoon Olive Oil
- 3 cloves Garlic Minced
- 1 medium Onion Sliced
- 2 pounds Beef Short Ribs
- 4 cups Cold Water or Beef Broth
- 1 tablespoon Annatto Powder
- 2 tablespoon Rice Flour mix with water
- ½ cup Sunflower Butter, Peanut Butter, Almond Butter, or Cashew Butter Smooth and Creamy
- 1 cup Green Beans cut 2" long
- 1 cup Eggplant cut on a ½" bias then halved
- 1 cup Baby Bokchoy cut 1" separated leaves from the white core
For the Bagoong (Shrimp Paste)
- 1 tablespoon Olive Oil extra virgin
- 3 cloves Garlic minced
- 2 tablespoon Shrimp Paste (Bagoong)
- 1 tablespoon White Vinegar
- 1 tablespoon White Sugar
Instructions
How to Cook the Beef Kare Kare
- Set the Instant Pot to Sauté for 12 minutes.
- Add olive oil. Then sauté garlic and onions until light brown in color and softened (about 2 minutes).2 tablespoon Olive Oil, 3 cloves Garlic, 1 medium Onion
- Sear beef short ribs for 5 minutes on each side. Then add water, annatto powder, sunflower butter (or whichever you are using) and rice flour.2 pounds Beef Short Ribs, 4 cups Cold Water or Beef Broth, 1 tablespoon Annatto Powder, ½ cup Sunflower Butter, Peanut Butter, Almond Butter, or Cashew Butter, 2 tablespoon Rice Flour
- Set the Instant Pot on high at Pressure Cook setting for 50 minutes.
- After "natural release" and Instant Pot is fully vented, you can skim off the fat on top of the stew at this point. Remove the short ribs and set them aside in a bowl.
- Set the Instant Pot to Sauté for 15 minutes.
- Add the green beans and cook for 2 minutes.1 cup Green Beans
- Add the eggplant and cook for 2 minutes.1 cup Eggplant
- Add the baby bokchoy and cook for 2 minutes.1 cup Baby Bokchoy
- Add the short ribs to the Instant Pot and cook until heated. Add more rice flour mixture if desired for a thicker stew. Season with salt or fish sauce.
How to Cook the Bagoong (Shrimp Paste)
- In a separate pan, over medium-high heat, add oil and caramelize the garlic (2 minutes).1 tablespoon Olive Oil, 3 cloves Garlic
- Add the bagoong and stir.2 tablespoon Shrimp Paste (Bagoong)
- Add the vinegar and sugar to the skillet with the bagoong and stir.1 tablespoon White Vinegar, 1 tablespoon White Sugar
- Cook until the bagoong mixture is reduced and turns a deeper red color. See photo above.
Notes
- Be sure to follow the manufacturer's cooking instructions for using your Instant Pot.
- Peanut Butter, Sunflower Butter, Almond Butter, or Cashew Butter can be used using the same 1:1 ratio for measurement.
- If these vegetables are available to you to make the traditional recipe, use Banana Blossoms or Banana Flowers, Chinese Cabbage, Daikon Radish, Okra, and Long Beans or String Beans.
- For the Annatto Powder, start out with using 1 tablespoon then add more depending on the desired color for the dish.
- Alternatively you can use a regular stock pot to make this dish. Note that cooking time will be longer. From my experience, short ribs will take anywhere from 2 to 3 hours to become tender.
- You also have the option of grilling the vegetables giving it a more authentic look, then adding them to the finished dish. A+ for presentation!
- You can also purchase bagoong already sautéed to save some time. Honestly, it just doesn't taste as good as the one you would prepare at home.