A Creamy and Savory Delight
Beef Caldereta is a beloved Filipino dish known for its rich, flavorful sauce and tender chunks of beef. It’s a dish that brings comfort and satisfaction to anyone who tastes it. If you’re looking to take your Beef Caldereta to the next level, then you’re in for a treat with our Cheesy Beef Caldereta recipe. In this article, we’ll guide you through the steps to create this creamy and savory delight that’s sure to please your taste buds.
Cheese: The Secret Ingredient
One of the key features that make this beef caldereta unique is, of course, the cheese. While the original recipe suggests using quick melt cheese, don’t fret if you can’t find it. Regular cheese, when used, will still bring that delightful, creamy texture to the dish. It’s important to note that the cheese will melt seamlessly into the sauce, enhancing its overall richness.
An Unconventional Twist: Olives
Incorporating olives into your Beef Caldereta may sound unusual, but it’s a delightful twist that adds a burst of unique flavors. However, if olives aren’t your preference or seem too extravagant, you can opt for sliced pickles. Pickles provide a similar sweet and sour contrast that complements the dish beautifully. My wife often uses pickles in her caldereta recipes, and it’s a taste-enhancing choice worth considering.
Sautéing the Potatoes and Carrots
Start by heating some oil in a pan. Add the potatoes and carrots, allowing them to fry until they achieve a delectable golden brown color. Once they’re browned to perfection, set them aside for later use.
Browning the Beef
Now, it’s time to focus on the star of the dish – the beef. In the same pan, reduce the amount of oil to approximately 2 tablespoons. Sauté the garlic and onion until they release their fragrant aromas. Once you’ve achieved that delightful aroma, introduce the beef into the mix and let it fry until it obtains that appealing brown hue.
Simmering the Beef
While the beef is sizzling away, pour in an adequate amount of water. Season with salt, pepper, and add a bay leaf to infuse a lovely fragrance. Allow the mixture to simmer until the beef becomes tender and succulent.
Creating the Flavorful Sauce
To create the signature sauce for this caldereta, you’ll need to mix tomato paste, tomato sauce, a hint of chili, liver spread, and a touch of peanut butter. These ingredients will combine to form a delightful symphony of flavors. Cook the sauce for around 5 minutes, ensuring you stir continuously to prevent lumps from forming.
Introducing the Cheese
This is the moment you’ve been waiting for. Grated cheese, the star ingredient that gives beef caldereta its name, is introduced at this stage. It will meld beautifully with the sauce, creating a velvety and savory masterpiece. Alongside the cheese, add the sautéed carrots and potatoes, as well as bell peppers. Allow the dish to simmer for an additional 5 minutes, ensuring that all the ingredients blend harmoniously.
Savoring Your Creation
Once your dish is ready, it’s time to serve it piping hot. The creamy, cheesy, and savory flavors will tantalize your taste buds and leave you craving for more.
Wrapping Up
Incorporating cheese and olives (or pickles) into your traditional Beef Caldereta recipe is a delightful twist that elevates the dish to a whole new level. The creamy and savory caldereta will leave you and your loved ones yearning for more. With this recipe in your culinary arsenal, you can enjoy the rich flavors of Filipino cuisine with an extra touch of indulgence. Try it out, and you’ll find that this dish is a winner on any dining table. Enjoy!
How To Cook Beef Caldereta with Cheese
Ingredients
- 3/4 kilo beef sirloin or briskets (or caldereta cut beef cubes) sliced into cubes
- 5 cloves garlic minced
- 1 pc onion minced
- 7 to 10 cups water
- 1/2 Tbsp. salt
- 1 tsp. ground pepper
- 2 pcs pcs bay leaf
- 2 Tbsp. tomato paste
- 2/3 cup tomato sauce
- 2 pcs pcs birds eye chili or siling labuyo chopped (optional)
- 2 Tbsp. peanut butter (optional)
- 1/2 cup liver spread
- 3/4 cup quick melt cheese grated
- 2 pcs bell peppers sliced into strips
- 1 pc carrot sliced
- 1 pc large potato sliced
Instructions
How To Cook Cheesy Beef Caldereta
- Heat oil in a pan and fry potatoes and carrots until brown. Set aside.
- Add in beef and fry until brown. In the same pan reduce oil to 2 Tbsp. and saute garlic and onion until fragrant.
- Add the beef and stir for a few seconds. Pour water, salt, pepper and bay leaf. Simmer until meat is tender.
- Add in tomato paste, tomato sauce, chili, liver spread and peanut butter and cook for 5 minutes while stirring continuously to avoid lumps.
- Add in grated cheese, carrots and potatoes, bell peppers and simmer for another 5 minutes.
- Serve hot.
Video
Notes
Cooking Tips of Beef Caldereta with Cheese:
- Cheese Selection: When making Beef Caldereta with cheese, opt for a good-quality cheese that melts well, such as quick melt cheese or cheddar. The cheese's melting ability is crucial to achieving the creamy texture that characterizes this dish.
- Simmer for Flavor: Allow your Beef Caldereta to simmer for an adequate amount of time after adding the cheese, carrots, potatoes, and bell peppers. This extended simmering period allows the flavors to meld, resulting in a richer and more flavorful dish.
- Spice Control: Adjust the level of chili according to your spice preference. Be mindful that the chili can significantly impact the dish's heat, so add it gradually, tasting as you go to find the perfect balance between the rich cheese and the spicy kick.
Manny
Hi Miriam, I think you are right there is no perfect recipe. It is just a matter of preference. I think potatoes is also not included in this recipe but its up to you if you will include potatoes and bell peppers. 🙂
Miriam Sampol
So, no bell pepper, but siling labuyo instead? Glad to hear of this though, since the recipe is already too tasty. It is also important to adjust according to personal taste. Lesson learned is that recipes posted is not perfect, contributors may miss something, so important to adjust as needed.
Ladycroft
Peanut butter??? Shouldn’t it be Liver spread? This is caldereta, not kare-kare. 😂
Manny
Hi Ladycroft, thanks for your feedback and sorry I forgot to include the liver spread in the list of ingredients. And with regards to peanut butter, yes some people do add peanut butter in their beef caldereta which will enhance the taste. But you can reduce it to 1 tablespoon as per your discretion.
Manny
Hi Nedy, I’m happy that this blog has helped you in your cooking. Thanks for your comment too.
Nedy
Thanks for the posting of Filipino dishes. It’s a big help specially for an OFW like me . I’ll try the Chessy Beef Caldereta it looks yummy!