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Beef pares

Beef pares

A meal that hails from the Philippines, pares (pah-res), literally “pair”, means a combination of rice and protein, usually very tender stewed beef. Brisket, short ribs, flank or shanks are ideal for making beef pares.
Course Main Course
Cuisine Modern Filipino
Keyword Beef stew, Rice bowl
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 40 minutes
Servings 4 people

Ingredients

Broth

  • 1 kilogram beef short ribs (2.2 pounds) cut between the bones
  • 1 tablespoon cooking oil
  • ½ onion
  • 4 cloves garlic
  • 1 slice ginger
  • 1 teaspoon peppercorns
  • 2 bay leaves
  • fish sauce to taste

Sweet-salty sauce

  • 2 cups beef broth
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 slice ginger
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 2 star anise
  • 2 teaspoons cornstarch

To serve

  • cooked rice
  • fried garlic
  • fried shallots
  • sliced scallions
  • cilantro

Instructions

Cook the beef / make broth

  • Rinse the beef and wipe dry with a kitchen towel.
  • Heat a thick-bottomed pan and coat the the bottom with a tablespoon of cooking oil.
  • Brown the beef on all sides.
    Browning beef short ribs in a pot
  • Pour in eight cups of water.
  • Add the onion, garlic, peppercorns, ginger, bay leaves and two tablespoons fish sauce.
    Simmering browned beef short ribs with spices
  • Bring to the boil, cover the pan and simmer for about two hours or until the beef easily separates from the bones.
  • Scoop out the beef and set aside.
  • Strain the broth.
  • Reserve two cups of broth, pour the remaining broth into a clean pan and set over low heat. Taste and add more fish sauce, if needed. Keep the broth hot.

Make the sweet-salty sauce

  • Pour the reserved broth into a pan.
  • Add the soy sauce, sugar, ginger, garlic and star anise.
    Making sauce for Filipino beef pares
  • Add the beef to the sauce and simmer, turning the beef over occasionally, for about 15 minutes.
  • Mix the cornstarch with two tablespoons of water and a teaspoon of soy sauce.
    Thickening beef pares sauce with starch solution
  • Pour the starch solution into the pan with the beef, and stir until thickened and no longer cloudy.
  • Taste the sauce and add more soy sauce, sugar or both, depending on what your taste buds dictate.

Assemble your beef pares