This Cebuano dish was inherited from the Spaniards a long time ago. But there are also other versions in other provinces like Cagayan de Oro, Bohol and Davao. Imagine, cooking a dish for almost a day makes you wonder what kind of dish that took so long to cook. The average cooking time for this dish is about seven hours. The name of this dish “balbacua” came from the Spanish word “barbacoa” which means cooking meat very slowly on an open fire for several hours. Maybe our ancestors named it balbacua because of the length of time involved in cooking. Just in case you can’t find ox tail, which is very expensive compared to other parts of the cow, you can also use the combination of ox skin and beef ribs to simulate the ox tail which is mostly skin and bones and some fatty tissues.
To cook the balbacua; Boil ox tail in salt and water for 15 minutes, drain. Boil ox tail again in water with tumeric, anise and onion then simmer for about 2-3 hours, or until semi-tender. Add beef briskets and peanuts then continue boiling over low fire for another 2-3 hours. When tail and briskets are almost tender, add chili peppers, salted black beans, leeks and annato oil. Cook for another 30 minute to 1 hour and season with patis to taste. There is also a quicker version of cooking this dish instead of cooking it for 4 to 5 hours. You can use a pressure cooker first to tenderize the oxtail or the ox feet together with the beef briskets. After an hour of boiling the meat, drain and put on a strainer and set aside. Reserve the broth for later use.
Then make annato oil by combining 1 1/2 Tbsp. cooking oil and 1 Tbsp. annato seeds. Heat in a microwave for a minute. Or you cn just fry it in a frying pan for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the seeds and set aside. In a por or wok, heat the annato oil and saute garlic, onion and ginger until slightly brown. Add in the beef and ox feet/tail and saute until slightly brown. Pour some broth in the pan just enough to cover the meat. Bring to a boil and add in salted black beans, anise cloves, chili peppers and turmeric powder. Stir then cover and cook for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, add in the prok and beans and leeks then cover again and cook for 10 to 15 minutes or until the sauce is slightly thick. Season with patis or salt if needed. Serve hot with rice. You can also watch the youtube cooking video below of the quick and easy version of balbacua.
The name of this dish "balbacua" came from the Spanish word "barbacoa" which means cooking meat very slowly on an open fire for several hours. Maybe our ancestors named it balbacua because of the length of time involved in cooking.
Prep Time10mins
Cook Time7hrs15mins
Total Time7hrs25mins
Course: Beef Recipe
Cuisine: Filipino
Keyword: balbacua, oxtail stew
Servings: 10servings
Calories: 440kcal
Author: Manny
Ingredients
1kiloox tailcut in serving size (or you can use half kilo of ox skin and half kilo of beef ribs)
1/2kilobeef brisketscut in serving size
150gramsraw peanutsshelled and peeled or ground peanuts
1small can black salted beansdrain and rinse in running water then drain again
1small canpork and beans
1red onion bulbspeeled and quartered
3clovesgarlicminced
1pc fresh tumericor luyang dilaw , about 3 inches
2stalks baby leekssliced (optional)
3clovesstar anise
2pcs chili peppers
1Tbsp.annato oil
Patis or fish sauce to taste
Instructions
How to cook Balbacua:
Boil ox tail in salt and water for 15 minutes, drain.
Boil ox tail again in water with tumeric, anise, garlic and onion then simmer for about 2-3 hours, or until semi-tender.
Add beef briskets and peanuts then continue boiling over low fire for another 2-3 hours.
When tail and briskets are almost tender, add chili peppers, salted black beans, pork and beans, leeks and annato oil.
Cook for another 30 minute to 1 hour and season with patis to taste. Serve hot.
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Naalala ko lang Tatay ko, masarap din po yon magluto ng Balbacua. Nong little boy pa lang ako nagluluto yon. Ngayon ako na lang mag luto sundan ko lang po Sir Manny ang recipe mo, makakakain na rin ako ulit nito. Salamat po ng marami sa Sir Manny.
HI Alyn, sige po madali lang naman magluto nito para ka lang nag luluto ng nilagang baka. Kaya lang medyo matagal lang lutuin kasi kailangan malambot na malambot yung balat ng baka.
hi. Ive never tried cooking this dish, but ive tasted the same in some roadside restos in the Visayas, Mindanao..just wanna ask- what makes the dish (when cooked)- reddish? would a chilli poweder be a good substitute to a chilli peppers? Thanks !!
Hi GC, I think chili powder can be a substitute to chili peppers since they are almost the same. Only the chili powder is in dried powder form. And about the reddish color, maybe the restos are putting achuete.
WE MISS FILIPINO FOOD HERE IN WESTERN NEW YORK WHERE NO PNOY RESTAURANTS EXISTS HERE BUT YOU CAN BUY SOME INGREDIENTS FROM CHINESE GROCERIES. ACROSS THE BORDER IN ONTARIO CANADA, THERE ARE SOME PINOY RESTAURANTS THOUGH. WE HAVE A SLOW COOKER WHICH CAN COOK ADOBO AND MAYBE THE BALBACUA. THANKS
Hello, any peanut substitute for those who have allergies? Or is it ok to omit this?
As a Cebuana, I grew up having this on special occasions when my papa cooks. Thank you for sharing this. God bless you 🙏🙏🙏
MJ
Hi MJ, I think you can use ground toasted rice instead of peanuts. Thanks for sharing your thought and I hope u also watched the video!
Naalala ko lang Tatay ko, masarap din po yon magluto ng Balbacua. Nong little boy pa lang ako nagluluto yon. Ngayon ako na lang mag luto sundan ko lang po Sir Manny ang recipe mo, makakakain na rin ako ulit nito. Salamat po ng marami sa Sir Manny.
HI Alyn, sige po madali lang naman magluto nito para ka lang nag luluto ng nilagang baka. Kaya lang medyo matagal lang lutuin kasi kailangan malambot na malambot yung balat ng baka.
Can I use pork feet instead of beef?
Hi Mona, I’m not sure if you can but you can try and maybe you can share your experience using the pork feet.
Would it be ok to cook this on pressure cooker po?
Hi Grace, yes you can use pressure cooker but you have to reduce the cooking time.
hi. Ive never tried cooking this dish, but ive tasted the same in some roadside restos in the Visayas, Mindanao..just wanna ask- what makes the dish (when cooked)- reddish? would a chilli poweder be a good substitute to a chilli peppers? Thanks !!
Hi GC, I think chili powder can be a substitute to chili peppers since they are almost the same. Only the chili powder is in dried powder form. And about the reddish color, maybe the restos are putting achuete.
Hello!!Can I used my slow cooker for this recipe?
Hi Maria, yes I think you can use it.
Hi Earl, please read instruction #3.
Sir when do I add the peanuts?
You can use peanut butter also, a spoonful or 2 will do let your tastebuds decide 😉
I like to learn more on cooking…I wish….
Hi Alene, Just remember the saying “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”
WE MISS FILIPINO FOOD HERE IN WESTERN NEW YORK WHERE NO PNOY RESTAURANTS EXISTS HERE BUT YOU CAN BUY SOME INGREDIENTS FROM CHINESE GROCERIES. ACROSS THE BORDER IN ONTARIO CANADA, THERE ARE SOME PINOY RESTAURANTS THOUGH. WE HAVE A SLOW COOKER WHICH CAN COOK ADOBO AND MAYBE THE BALBACUA. THANKS
Hi Butch, I think you can buy the ingredients in an Asian supermarket.