My grandma’s caldereta was the stuff of legends. I tried to remake it and it was always just… fine. My beef would be a little tough, the sauce a bit watery. It was frustrating. It took me a long time to figure out what I was doing wrong, and it was two simple things: I wasn’t browning the beef properly, and I was scared of using enough liver spread. This beef caldereta recipe is the result of all those failed attempts. It’s rich, the beef is properly tender, and it’s the closest I’ve ever gotten to hers.
Ingredients for This Beef Caldereta Recipe
This might look like a long list, but it all comes together, I promise. Everything here has a purpose.
- 1 kg beef chuck, definitely the best cut for this, chopped into chunky 1.5-inch cubes
- 2 tbsp cooking oil
- 1 large onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced fine
- 1 cup tomato sauce
- 4 cups beef broth (water also works in a pinch)
- 2 medium potatoes, peeled and quartered
- 2 medium carrots, sliced into thick rounds
- 1 red bell pepper, sliced
- 1 green bell pepper, sliced
- 1/2 cup liver spread
- 1/2 cup green olives
- 1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese. Yes, cheddar. It sounds weird, but it’s a must.
- Salt and fresh black pepper
- 1 bay leaf
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How to Cook Beef Caldereta: Step-by-Step
Step 1: Get a Good Crust on the Beef
Dry the beef cubes with a paper towel and season them well with salt and pepper. Get a heavy pot hot over medium-high heat and add your oil. Place the beef in without crowding the pan—you’ll need to do this in two batches. Let it sit without moving it so it gets a deep, dark brown crust, then flip and do the other sides. This is where the deep flavor comes from. Take the beef out and put it on a plate.
Step 2: Cook Down the Onions and Garlic
Lower the heat to medium and toss in the onion and garlic. Just let them cook for a few minutes until they’re soft and the whole kitchen starts to smell good. Use your spoon to scrape up any brown bits from the beef that are stuck to the pot.
Step 3: Let it Simmer for a Long Time
Put the beef back in the pot. Add the tomato sauce, beef broth, and the bay leaf. Bring it to a boil, then immediately turn the heat down as low as it can go. Put the lid on and forget about it for at least an hour and a half, maybe two hours. Just let it barely bubble away.
Step 4: Add the Potatoes and Carrots
Check the beef with a fork. If it’s starting to get tender, add in your potatoes and carrots. Put the lid back on and let it go for another 20 minutes or so, just until the vegetables are cooked.
Step 5: Thicken and Enrich the Sauce
I used to just plop the liver spread straight into the pot and it would get all clumpy. Don’t do that. Scoop some of the hot broth into a bowl and mix the liver spread into it until it’s smooth, then pour that back into the pot. Add the bell peppers now, too. Let it all simmer for another 5 minutes.
Step 6: The Final Touches
Turn the heat off completely. Now, stir in the grated cheddar until it’s all melted and the sauce looks velvety. Add the olives. Give it a final taste—it might need a little more salt or pepper. Serve it hot, preferably with a mountain of steamed rice.
Why You’ll Fall in Love With This Recipe
For me, a perfect bowl of this stuff is when the sauce soaks into every grain of rice and you can get a bite with a bit of soft potato, a piece of carrot, and that super tender beef. This beef caldereta recipe is a weekend project that pays off big time. It’s the meal my family asks for the most. So if you make it, for real, come back and drop a comment. I want to know if you used the cheese trick.
Beef Caldereta Recipe
The only beef caldereta recipe you need. Get incredibly tender beef in a rich, savory, and creamy tomato-based sauce. A true Filipino classic.
Ingredients
- 1 kg beef chuck, definitely the best cut for this, chopped into chunky 1.5-inch cubes
- 2 tbsp cooking oil
- 1 large onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced fine
- 1 cup tomato sauce
- 4 cups beef broth (water also works in a pinch)
- 2 medium potatoes, peeled and quartered
- 2 medium carrots, sliced into thick rounds
- 1 red bell pepper, sliced
- 1 green bell pepper, sliced
- 1/2 cup liver spread
- 1/2 cup green olives
- 1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese. Yes, cheddar. It sounds weird, but it’s a must.
- Salt and fresh black pepper
- 1 bay leaf
Instructions
Step 1
first get a really good crust on the beef. dry it with paper towels then salt and pepper it good. get your pot hot with oil and brown the beef in batches. dont rush this part its important for flavor. take the beef out
Step 2
in the same pot cook the onion and garlic for a minute. just until they smell good. scrape up any brown stuff from the bottom
Step 3
put the beef back in. add the tomato sauce beef broth and bay leaf. bring it to a boil then turn the heat way down low. cover it and let it simmer for almost 2 hours. just let it go
Step 4
when the beef is getting soft add the potatoes and carrots. cook for another 20 minutes until the veggies are done
Step 5
mix the liver spread with a little hot broth in a small bowl first to make a paste. then stir that paste into the pot with the bell peppers. cook 5 more minutes
Step 6
turn the heat off. stir in the cheese until its all melted. then add the olives. taste it and add more salt if you want
Notes
the cheddar cheese sounds weird but trust me it makes the sauce amazing
mix the liver spread with hot broth first so it doesnt get lumpy in the pot
dont skip browning the beef its where all the deep flavor comes from
for gluten-free just make sure your broth and liver spread are certified GF
Nutrition Information
Yield
6Serving Size
1Amount Per ServingCalories 600Total Fat 25gSaturated Fat 9gTrans Fat 1gUnsaturated Fat 15gCholesterol 245mgSodium 1409mgCarbohydrates 23gFiber 4gSugar 5gProtein 65g