There’s something about the flavor and texture combination of calderata, perfect for Filipino gatherings. It’s always a crowd pleasure and it’s easy to see why. The flavors are out of this world and the texture is wonderfully soft.
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Published: 4/14/25
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Caldereta is the perfect dish for any occasion, whether it’s a casual family dinner or a weekend getaway. What sets this version apart is the addition of shredded cheese. This adds the rich and creamy texture that kids love.
With the option to make it lighter, it becomes an easy favorite for everyone on the table. Personally, I enjoy serving this recipe during Christmas and other holiday celebrations.
What is Caldereta?
Calderata is a rich, tender beef Filipino dish stewed in a luscious tomato-based sauce and is one of the most popular meat dishes at all Filipino gatherings.
Try this recipe and guests will certainly go for a second serving of white rice. No matter where you are in the world, we recommend trying this recipe and bringing a fun Filipino flavour to your table.
This stew is traditionally made from goat meat, but the calderata has evolved to include beef, pork and chicken. I used beef neck bones and beef chuck in this recipe because the neck bones add depth to the soup, but the chuck offers a balance of lean meat and connective tissue that breaks down into a flavorful, soft bite.
How to make Caldereta
Marinate the beef with the greatest flavor – Place the beef neck bones and beef chuck in a bowl. Pour in soy sauce and mix everything thoroughly so that the meat absorbs the seasonings. Marinate for 10 minutes. Fry potatoes and carrots for a harder texture – Heat the cooking oil in a wok and carefully fry the potatoes and carrots. Be careful of them when they are golden brown. Then remove them and set them aside. Sauteed Aroma – Heat a small amount of oil used to fry the potatoes and saute the onions for 1 minute until slightly softened. Add the garlic and cook until it smells light brown. Brown the beef – Stir in the marinated beef and cook until the outer layer is light brown – this step will help you develop a deep, flavorful flavour before cooking slowly. Simmer the beef until tender – Pour tomato sauce and water into a wok, cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 40 minutes to make the beef tender. Stir in the tomato paste and simmer for 20-35 minutes until the meat reaches perfect tenderness. Stir occasionally and add water if the sauce is too thick. Complete the dish with seasonings and cheese – mix with beef flour, liver spread and peanut butter. Add the green olives and peppers from the pit. Season with Maggie Magic Sallap and Grand Black Pepper and tossed fried potatoes and carrots. To finish, sprinkle with 2 ounces of shredded cheddar cheese.
Can you cook calderetta without the liver spreading?
Yes, you can absolutely do it. There are many variations in this dish, and adding liver spread is just one of them.
This recipe utilizes liver spread and peanut butter. You can choose to use only one of two.
Batangas Kaldereta uses Worcestershire Sauce and Sweet Pickle Relish to add flavor to your dishes. Migt also wants to incorporate these ingredients.
Tips and tricks
Misconceptions about calderetas fries and carrots – many home cooks believe they fried potatoes and carrots before adding them to calderetas. This technique helps to keep the vegetables textured and prevent them from becoming overly soft in the sauce, but does not slow down the spoilage significantly. Proper Storage – Calderata’s moisture-rich ingredients can promote the growth of bacteria when not stored properly, such as tomato sauces and soups. To maintain freshness, refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container and consume within 3-5 days. For longer storage, freezing is optional, but the potato and carrot texture can become softer over time.
How to Prepare Beef for Caldereta
Beef neck bones, or “Butong-leeg ng baka” and beef chuck, or “Paypay na laman ng baka” are essential for preparing a flavorful calderetas.
Remove any debris, blood, or fragments, starting by rinsing them under cold running water. Use a sharp knife to trim excess fat and grease to prevent the dish from being overly greasy.
For the neck bone:
An optional step is to wrap them around for about 5 minutes, discard the water and rinse again to achieve a crisp sauce. Dry the meat with a paper towel to remove any moisture and ensure that it absorbs the marinade and seasoning effectively.
How to slice caldereta vegetables
Start by peeling the potatoes and cutting them into bite-sized cubes. For carrots, peel the horns on the horns and slice them into medium pieces to add a variety of shapes and textures to the dish. You can also use a club-shaped or flower-shaped cutter for visually appealing calderella.
When slicing peppers, first remove the stems and seeds. Then, cut each pepper into strips or chunks, depending on your preference. It blends in seamlessly with the stew, and the chunks create a bold presence on the plate.
The best calderetas are cooked slowly until they are tender!
It takes time to prepare the best beef calderetas. Slow cooking is the way to go and does not mean using a slow cooker.
Cooking is useful these days by introducing several kitchen tools and equipment to speed up and simplify the process. This is a good thing, but traditional cooking methods can still provide better results.
Instead of using a pressure cooker to quickly tender the beef, it is traditionally cooked in a cooking pot on a rock using low heat. This slowly tenderens the meat, slowly releasing its flavor.
We also observed that the texture of slow-cooked meat tends to be more authentic. The strands are still well defined, but can be easily cut.
What we offer with Caldereta
Caldereta is enough to be served alone with steamed white rice, but I think it’s even more enjoyable when partnering with other main dishes.
For a complete meal of protein, vegetables and carbohydrates, this dish can be paired with a chop combination, which is perfect for people who want a balanced diet.
A good weekend combination for me is to have a caldereta with a soup like grilled pork or brolo. This must certainly boost your appetite and should warn you that your rice will also increase.
During parties, fiestas and special occasions, I like the combination of pansit, rumpia and caldereta. You can have this without rice. Imagine drizzling the rich sauce over the noodles and continuing with a bite of the crispy Lumpia. I think you already have an idea
Did you make this? If you are taking photos, be sure to tag them on Instagram with @panlasanangpinoy or hashtag #panlasanangpinoy.
Calderetta
Beef neck bones and chuck cooked in tomato sauce with vegetables
Instructions
Mix the beef neck bones, beef chuck and soy sauce in a bowl. Mix well. Marinate for 10 minutes.
3 pounds. Beef Neck Bones, 2 pounds. Beef chuck, 5 tablespoons of soy sauce
Meanwhile, heat two tablespoons of cooking oil in a wok. Fry until the potatoes and carrots begin to brown. Remove and place it aside.
3 potatoes, 2 cups of cooking oil, Three carrots
Heat 3 tablespoons of oil, which is used to fry potatoes and carrots in a clean wok. Fry the onion for 1 minute.
Onion 2
Add garlic. Continue frying until the garlic turns brown.
5 cloves garlic
Add marinated beef. Fry until the outer layer of beef begins to turn light brown (about 3-5 minutes).
Pour in tomato sauce and water. Cover and bring to a boil.
8 oz of tomato sauce, 4 cups of water
Adjust the heat until it is boiled. Continue cooking for 40 minutes.
Add tomato paste. Simmer for 20-35 minutes or until the beef is completely tender. Note: Stir occasionally and add water if necessary.
2 tablespoons tomato paste
Add beef powder, liver spread and peanut butter. Mix.
2 teaspoons of beef powder, ¼ cup liver spread, 3 tablespoons of peanut butter
Add green olives and peppers. Cook for 3 minutes.
Two red peppers, 5 oz of green olives, Two green peppers
Season with Maggie Magic Sallap and Grand Black Pepper. Mix.
8 grams Maggie Jazzy Salap, Fried black pepper
Place the fries and carrots in a wok. toss.
Add cheese. Continue cooking for 2-3 minutes.
2oz cheddar cheese
Transfer to a serving bowl. Serve with rice.
Share and have fun!
Note
Tomato Sauce – Choose a high-quality tomato sauce that maintains the traditional balance of flavors by being too sweet or too tangy. Avoid Italian-style tomato sauce as it is often a tangy or Filipino-style tomato sauce, as it tends to be sweet. Regular or salted varieties are ideal, so you can adjust the seasonings to your liking. Peanut Butter – Use regular store-bought peanut butter that doesn’t sprinkle to avoid changing the overall taste of the dish. Also avoid real nuts and varieties with extra creaminess, as they can affect the smooth, creamy texture you’re aiming for with the subtle nutty flavor and calderella.
Nutritional information
calorie: 10291kcal (515%) carbohydrates: 112g (37%) protein: 469g (938%) fat: 895g (1377%) Saturated fat: 203g (1015%) Polyunsaturated fat: 151g January Saturated Fat: 489g Trans Fat: twenty fiveg cholesterol: 1812mg (604%) sodium: 12072mg (503%) potassium: 10337mg (295%) fiber: 31g (124%) sugar: 54g (60%) Vitamin A: 51618iu (1032%) Vitamin C: 551mg (668%) calcium: 1171mg (117%) iron: 58mg (322%)
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(TagStoTRASSLATE) Beef caldereta (T) Filipino cuisine (T) Caldeta
