30 September, 2017

Slow Cooker Beef Kare-Kare

Posted in : Recipes on September 30, 2017 by : Chicken Manen Tags: beans, beef, bok choy, eggplant, green beans, stew, vegetables

Kare Kare is the Filipino version of Pot Roast in a savory peanut butter sauce with vegetables like bok choy, Japanese eggplant, onions and green beans. It’s traditionally made with oxtails, but for simplicity’s sake, I will be using chuck roast for our recipe. Normally, these are tough cuts of meat that take a long time to become tender; a perfect candidate for the slow-cooker – something I didn’t view so much as a cooking vessel but to only heat simpler dishes.

Because Kare Kare is similar to Pot Roast, I joined recipe ingredients and techniques. I added the slow-cooker element to the equation, and this is the result. It seems to work pretty well, but will be adjusted over time to perfect: 1) its taste; 2) the portions; and 3) consistency. Right now, it serves a healthy number of servings for a family of 4. This slow cooker version of the Beef Kare Kare recipe is a great option for when you’re in the mood for comfort food. When served with steamed white rice, it is very filling and satisfying.

Ingredients

• 2.5 lb+ Chuck roast
• 1 tbsp black pepper
• 1 tbsp olive oil (or some vegetable oil)
• 4c beef broth (or beef bouillon cubes)
• bunch: green beans
• bunch: baby bok choy
• 1 Japanese eggplant, cut into quarters
• Medium onion, chopped
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• 1c peanut butter
• 2-3 tbsp fish sauce
• 2 tbsp corn starch + 1 tbsp water (or 1 heaping tbsp of AP flour)
• 1c chopped roasted peanuts

Preparation

1. Rub some black pepper to the roast on both sides. In a frying pan, add some olive oil and sear the beef. Give it time to brown on each side, maybe 5 minutes or so depending on the size of the roast. Searing will help with flavor and add some texture for the dish.
2. If you are using beef bouillon: using a sauce pan, bring 4 cups of water to a boil and dissolve 4 cubes.
3. Prepare the vegetables. Mince the garlic, dice the onion, slice the eggplant into bite-size quarters, and cut green beans if necessary.
4. Pour broth into your slow cooker. Add chuck roast, onions and garlic. Set device to low.
5. After 2-3 hours, you may want to skim off excess fat from the top of the liquid. Combine all vegetables, peanut butter, and fish sauce.
6. Add about a tablespoon of water to corn starch to make a slurry. Add mixture to the broth. This will thicken the sauce.
7. Crush roasted peanuts for more texture and flavor. Set aside.
8. Cook time will go for about 4-6 hours until the beef is fall apart tender. Taste broth, and season to taste.
9. Before serving, sprinkle peanuts on top. Serve with steamed white rice.

Kare Kare Notes

Be careful not to overcook the beef. The collagen and fat will break down, while the beef itself will turn mushy, which is okay if that’s what you want. I prefer to keep some of its structure.

Slow-cookers are very capable pieces of equipment, and can certainly offload some tasks to help make your day or week easier (“Set it and Forget it!”). There are a number of options available, including the very popular Instant Pot that has drawn rave reviews in recent years. If you don’t have a slow-cooker, inexpensive ones are often featured on Black Friday sales.

The current photo uses napa cabbage, which can be used as a suitable replacement for bok choy. While the image doesn’t reflect the ingredients list entirely, I prefer the typical vegetables as listed.