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Beef Pochero - Spanish Stew in Tomato Sauce

This Beef Pochero is a classic Filipino stew, which is an all-in-one meal for family get-togethers .Every ingredient in this hearty tomato sauce-based stew. Hefty yet tender beef chunks are nestled next to spicy Spanish chorizos. The vegetables are half of the stew and there’s a complete array of cabbages, green beans, potatoes, carrots and more. Liven up this stew with sides of an eggplant salad flavored with garlic and vinegar and sweet boiled banana plantains. It is indulgent, yet so simple and easy to do. This is an Asian in America recipe by Elizabeth Ann Quirino and serves 4 to 6.
Cook Time2 hours
Total Time2 hours
Course: Dinner, Lunch, Main Course
Cuisine: Asian, Filipino
Keyword: Beef Pochero Spanish Stew
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 102kcal
Author: Asian in America - Elizabeth Ann Quirino

Equipment

  • Large stockpot or Dutch oven

Ingredients

  • 4 pounds boneless beef stew cubes
  • 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 6 cloves garlic, peeled, minced
  • 1 whole large onion sliced
  • 1 cup chopped celery chopped celery
  • 1 cup tomato sauce
  • 3/4 cup tomato paste
  • 6 to 8 cups beef broth
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 2 pieces (6 oz. each) Spanish chorizos, sliced
  • 4 whole medium-sized potatoes peeled, quartered
  • 1 whole large carrot peeled, sliced
  • 1 cup green beans sliced into 2-inch length pieces
  • 2 cups coarsely sliced Bok Choy or Chinese Pechay sliced into 2-inch pieces
  • 2 stalks scallions sliced
  • 6 whole saging saba (plantains) peeled, boiled
  • for serving : boiled rice

Instructions

  • Pre-marinate the beef pieces in the Worcestershire sauce. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to an hour or even overnight.
  • In a heavy stock pot, over medium high heat, add the vegetable oil and saute the garlic, onions and celery. Pan fry the Spanish chorizo slices for 1 to 2 minutes to flavor the oil, then remove the chorizos and set aside.
  • Add the beef chunks, and pan sear for about 5 to 8 minutes till beef gets brown.
  • Add the tomato sauce and paste. Blend in the beef broth and stir well so the tomato sauces are incorporated. Season with salt and pepper. Let the broth boil for 1 to 2 minutes, then lower heat to a slow simmer over a medium to low flame. Cover pot and cook on slow fire till beef chunks are soft and fork-tender for about 2 hours. Keep stirring every 20 to 30 minutes so the ingredients don’t stick to the bottom.
  • In the last 30 minutes of cooking, add the potatoes and carrots. Cook them for about 20 minutes till they soften and blend in the tomato sauce flavors. Add the green beans and let this cook for 8 minutes. Finally add the bok choy and cabbage, which will take 3 to 5 minutes to soften. Add in the chorizos which were pan seared earlier. Garnish with chopped parsley. Serve hot with boiled banana plantains on the side and fragrant jasmine white rice.
  • Cook's Comments: When I don't have time, I make this dish ahead. I cook the beef cubes a day or two before. I pre-boiled the beef in my slow cooker or 'crock pot', set on 'High' for 6 hours till it was soft and tender. Cooking it stove top in the amount of time suggested in this recipe works well, too. You can add any other seasonal vegetables to this pot of stew and it will be just as wonderful.
  • Recipe Notes: I buy banana plantains from the Asian grocery and cover them in a brown bag to ripen fully. Then when I cook them, I boil the bananas with the skin on in a pot of water, for about 20 to 25 minutes. Remove the thick skin and serve the boiled bananas as a side to this Beef Pochero.
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Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 102kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 2675mg | Potassium: 1022mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 1264IU | Vitamin C: 21mg | Calcium: 74mg | Iron: 3mg