Beef Shank Caldereta

We have a favorite place that me and my lunchmates at work frequent to to have our fill of the sinful beef pochero, Cebu style. Cebu style, because the Manila pochero is cooked and seasoned differently than what we're used to here in Cebu. I think the closest thing of the Cebu pochero is the bulalo from Luzon. We went there for lunch yesterday all the while thinking that I'll be having pochero again for dinner since that's what we told the househelp to prepare. The husband dutifully suggested that instead of pochero, we can ask her to make beef caldereta instead. However, dutiful or forgetful, he didn't call the help and we ended up with pochero anyway. I wasn't worried. As long as the beef is already tender, I can do anything with it in 15 minutes max. So I suggested I'll make the caldereta myself having been absent from the kitchen for so long already.

In cooking pocheros, I seldom use pochero cut. I find that they're more of bones than anything else. Beef shanks, however, has all the generous serving of gelatinous thingy, meat and bone marrow.  I used beef shanks, pre-cut into half-inch with their marrows still intact. Here's the transformation of the mediocre pochero to a creamy, filling beef caldereta.

Part I (yes, there is a Part II)

• 2 thumb-sized ginger, pressed
• 1 whole onion, peeled
• half a head of garlic, peeled
• 4 slices of beef shanks

1. Place everything in a thick-bottomed pot.
2. Add water enough to cover the ingredients.
3. Bring to a boil until tender. Meat usually gets tender when water is reduced to half. Just make sure to keep the heat in med-low.
4. Separate the meat from the soup.
5. Strain the soup, discard the spices, set aside the broth. You now have a homemade beef broth you can use for your caldereta and other cooking.

Part II (I told you)

• 1 large potato, cut in squares or bite-size pieces
• 1 medium-sized carrots, cut in the same size as the potatoes
• 5 cloves of garlic, pressed
• 1 medium-sized onion, cut in half, then quartered (gets mo?)
• 1 medium-sized can of whole peeled tomatoes or 8 fresh tomatoes cut in wedges
• 1 small can of liver pate
• 2 tbsp peanut butter
• 1/2 cup grated cheese (I only had Eden, so I used this)
• 2 tbsp cooking oil
• beef soup
• salt to taste
• brown sugar (optional)

1. Use the same pot you had the beef cooked to a tender. No need to wash. Heat the cooking oil.
2. Saute the garlic and onions.
3. Add the potatoes. Cover for a minute or less. Make sure the potato slices aren't sticking to the pot.
4. Add the tomatoes. Let simmer for a while. This is why I like to use canned whole tomatoes, the juice is just enough to make a tasty sauce.
5. Add the liver pate, mix well.
6. Add the tenderized meat. Mix well, make sure the meat is coated with the saucy tomato mixture. Cover for a while.
7. Make sure heat is at medium. Add beef broth, about 2 cups. You have to estimate, just don't drown the meat with the soup. Let simmer for a good 5-10 minutes. the sauce should start to thicken at this time. If it didn't, you added more beef soup than necessary :)) if this happens, let simmer some more until sauce starts to thicken.
8. Add the peanut butter. Mix well and make sure it's fully dissolved into the soup. I was running out of time and didn't wait for the whole thing to get dissolved, my brother was able to eat a lump of it. LOL!
9. Lower down heat some more. Add shredded cheese and let it melt.
10. Season with salt and a bit of brown sugar. turn off heat immediately after desired taste is achieved. don't overcook as the cheese will curdle. The brown sugar is optional. I just added it to cut the sourness of the tomato.
11. Serve and garnish with fresh parsley. Char!

Sorry, no photos. The preggers was way too hungry or matakaw and started eating right away.

 
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