Making Delicious Beef Pares – A Guide to This Classic Filipino Dish

Beef pares is a popular Filipino comfort food consisting of braised beef served with soup and garlic fried rice. With its savory, mildly sweet beef and hearty broth, it makes for a satisfying meal any time of day. While beef pares is readily available from food stalls and restaurants in the Philippines, it can easily be made at home with just a few simple steps. This article covers everything you need to know to make delicious beef pares.

Overview of Beef Pares

• Beef pares is a Filipino dish made of fork-tender beef brisket or other cuts braised in a sweet soy sauce broth.

• It is typically served with a bowl of clear beef broth soup and garlic fried rice on the side.

• Beef pares is a common offering at small local eateries and food stalls, especially in the early morning hours.

• It makes for an affordable, filling, and comforting meal and is popular among workers and students.

Benefits of Making Beef Pares at Home

• More customized flavor – Tweak spices to your taste
• Use higher quality ingredients
• Make the broth from scratch for superior flavor
• Control sodium content by limiting added salt
• Ensure food safety and proper cooking
• Provides for tasty leftover meals
• Fun weekend cooking project with family

Tips for Making Great Beef Pares

• Use brisket or chuck for tender, flavorful beef.
• Simmer the broth ingredients before adding beef for clearest broth.
• Brown the beef before braising to boost flavor.
• Use aromatics like garlic, onion, and ginger to elevate flavor.
• Cook with the lid on to keep beef moist and tender.
• Slice beef across the grain after cooking for most tender texture.
• Mix corn starch slurry into the sauce to give it a nice clingy texture.
• Garnish with scallions and toasted garlic for extra flavor and aroma.

Ingredients Needed

For the beef:

• 2 lbs beef brisket or chuck roast, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 3-4 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 thumb-sized knob of ginger, minced
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 3-4 pieces star anise
• 1 teaspoon five spice powder
• 2-3 bay leaves
• 2-3 Tbsp brown sugar
• Ground black pepper
• Corn starch slurry (1 Tbsp cornstarch dissolved in 1/2 cup water)
• Scallions, chopped, for garnish

For the soup:

• 8-10 cups water
• 1 onion, quartered
• 1 Tbsp whole peppercorns
• 2 Tbsp fish sauce
• Salt to taste
• Minced toasted garlic and scallions

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Rinse beef and soak in water for 10-15 minutes to remove impurities. Discard water.

2. In a pot, combine water, quartered onion, peppercorns and fish sauce. Simmer for 30-40 minutes.

3. Remove beef from broth. Cut into 1-inch cubes. Set aside.

4. In another pot, sauté garlic, onion and ginger until softened. Add beef and cook until browned.

5. Add soy sauce, spices, brown sugar and pepper. Pour in 2 cups broth. Cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes until very tender.

6. Make a slurry by dissolving cornstarch in water. Stir into beef to thicken sauce. Adjust seasoning.

7. Portion beef into bowls. Garnish with scallions and toasted garlic.

8. Season soup to taste with salt, garlic and scallions. Serve alongside beef with garlic fried rice.

Cooking Tips for Perfect Beef Pares

• Use a pressure cooker to quickly tenderize tougher beef cuts.
• Skim fat and foam from the broth as it simmers for clearest flavor.
• Add a bit of reserved broth if beef mixture becomes dry while braising.
• Cook rice a day ahead to make the best garlic fried rice with day-old grains.
• Pair the beef with steamed white rice if you don’t want to make fried rice.
• Let broth cool completely before skimming fat for easiest removal.
• Adjust brown sugar to balance sweetness to your taste.

Serving Suggestions

• Garnish rice with chopped cilantro or green onions for extra flavor and color.
• Offer sliced tomatoes, cucumbers or lettuce on the side.
• For breakfast, serve with sunny side up eggs instead of rice.
• Add a dash of patis or fish sauce as a condiment to the soup.
• Squeeze some calamansi or lemon into the broth for a touch of brightness.

Storing and Reheating Leftovers

• Let beef pares cool completely before transferring to airtight containers.
• Soup and rice should be stored separately from the beef.
• Refrigerate leftovers for up to 3-4 days.
• Reheat individual components in the microwave or on the stovetop over low.
• Add a splash of water or broth when reheating if mixture seems dry.
• Frozen beef pares keeps well for 2-3 months. Thaw before reheating.

With a little time and care, you can make delicious beef pares at home that tastes even better than your favorite food stall. The combination of fork-tender beef, soothing broth, and garlic-infused rice makes this Filipino favorite comfort food well worth the effort.