Beef Short Ribs Calderetta – Instant Pot + Stovetop
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
My Beef Short Ribs Calderetta is a classic Filipino dish, that’s Spanish-inspired. It is a stew where beef chunks are simmered in tomato sauce and tomato paste, broth, olives, potatoes, peppers and spices. If you leave it cooking over a slow fire, the tomato sauce-based broth turns into a rich, dark golden-red blend and the combined flavors of the buttery olives and sweet peppers make it even more irresistible.
Simple. Unpretentious. Homemade. Wholesome. Just plain old delicious. Everything filled with love. That’s how I can describe this dish which was one of my Mom’s prized home cooking recipes. These were the meals we enjoyed growing up in the Philippines. When I go back to our house in Tarlac, my sister cooks this dish the way Mom used to. I haven’t been able to travel since the pandemic started, so the next best thing was to recreate the calderetta at home, in my American kitchen.
I’m giving you a head start for Mother’s Day. It’s not too early to plan what to cook. Maybe some of you will gather this year. But please be careful. Do it cautiously. You can do it with less fuss, but with a celebratory dish like calderetta. Simmer the beef chunks in the Instant Pot or on the stovetop till they’re fall-off-the-bone tender. You can even cook this ahead and the flavors will be more robust and sharper the day after when the tomato sauces have blended in. Do this all the time, before or after mom’s special day. Why not pamper mom all the time, all year, any season? This stew will remind the family how special mom is always.
Beef Short Ribs Calderetta - Instant Pot + Stovetop
Equipment
- Instant Pot multicooker - 6 or 8 quarts
- Dutch oven or stockpot - for stovetop cooking
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 Tablespoon unsalted butter or margarine
- 4 cloves garlic, peeled, minced
- 1 whole white or yellow onion, chopped
- 1 whole red bell pepper, sliced, seeded
- 6 pounds large beef short ribs, about 6 pieces
- 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
- 1 can (6 oz) tomato paste
- 2 cups beef broth
- 2 Tablespoons sherry, or use white wine
- 1 cup pitted Spanish olives, drained; green olives with pimientos in center
- 3 whole large potatoes, peeled, quartered
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
For serving:
- steamed rice
Instructions
To cook in the Instant Pot:
- Select the Saute function. Pour the extra virgin olive oil and add the butter. When butter has melted and oil is hot in about 1 to 2 minutes, saute the garlic and onions.Add the red bell peppers. Saute for 2 minutes till soft.Add the beef ribs. While braising, sprinkle the Worcestershire sauce all over the beef.
- Turn off the Saute function by clicking Cancel.Pour the tomato sauce and paste, broth and sherry.Add the olives and potatoes. Season with salt and pepper.Mix with a long cooking spoon.
- Cover and lock the lid. Check that the cooking pressure is on High and the release valve set to Sealing.Select High Pressure + Meats and pressure cook for 45 minutes.When cooking is done (beeper will sound), do a Quick Release. Open the lid carefully and set the lid on a safe place on counter.Use a long cooking spoon to ladle meat and potatoes with the sauce on a serving bowl.Serve warm with rice.
To cook on the stovetop:
- In a large stockpot or Dutch oven, over medium-high heat, add the olive oil and butter.When butter is melted, saute the garlic, onions and peppers. Add the beef and sprinkle the Worcestershire sauce while braising.Pour the tomato sauce and paste, the broth and sherry.Add the olives, and potatoes. Season with salt and pepper.Lower heat to a medium.Cover and cook for 1 hour and 30 minutes or till beef is tender.Serve warm with rice.
Notes on the Instant Pot:
- After the Saute, it takes about 17 to 20 minutes for the Instant Pot to preheat before pressure cooking begins. For other multicookers, please read the manual.
Copyright notice:
- Notes on Nutrition: The nutrition information provided in the recipe links is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and specific brands of ingredients used.Copyright Notice: Hello, Friends! Please DO NOT LIFT OR PLAGIARIZE Asian in America recipes on this blog, my original recipes, stories, photos or videos. All the images and content on this blog are COPYRIGHT PROTECTED and owned by my media company Besa-Quirino LLC by Elizabeth Ann Quirino. This means BY LAW you are NOT allowed to copy, scrape, lift, frame, plagiarize or use my photos, essays, stories and recipe content on your websites, books, films, television shows, videos, without my permission. If you wish to republish this recipe or content on media outlets mentioned above, please ASK MY PERMISSION, or re-write it in your own words and link back to my blog AsianInAmericaMag.com to give proper attribution. It is the legal thing to do. Thank you. Email me at [email protected]
Nutrition
Notes on Nutrition: The nutrition information provided in the recipe links is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and specific brands of ingredients used.
Copyright Notice: Hello, Friends! Please DO NOT LIFT OR PLAGIARIZE Asian in America recipes on this blog, my original recipes, stories, photos or videos. All the images and content on this blog are COPYRIGHT PROTECTED and owned by my media company Besa-Quirino LLC by Elizabeth Ann Quirino. This means BY LAW you are NOT allowed to copy, scrape, lift, frame, plagiarize or use my photos, essays, stories and recipe content on your websites, books, films, television shows, videos, without my permission. If you wish to republish this recipe or content on media outlets mentioned above, please ASK MY PERMISSION, or re-write it in your own words and link back to my blog AsianInAmericaMag.com to give proper attribution. It is the legal thing to do. Thank you. Email me at [email protected]
This caldereta was so delicious! I didn’t put sherry or olives but the sauce was so nice we didn’t even mind when the ribs ran out.
Thanks, Amanda!