Let me share my family's special twist on menudo - swapping pork for beef! I've been cooking this version for years. The beef sirloin becomes so tender it melts in your mouth. And with the rich tomato sauce, chunky potatoes, and sweet carrots, every spoonful is pure comfort.
What I love most is how the sweet pickle relish (a tip I learned from my Lola) adds that perfect Pinoy touch. Plus, I've added hotdogs, which always gets the kids excited about eating.
This beef menudo is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser. It's just as easy to make as traditional pork menudo, but the beef adds such a rich, hearty flavor that even my pork-loving relatives now request this version. Leftovers taste even better the next day, if there are any left.
Cultural Notes
Menudo, while sharing its name with a Mexican dish, is distinctly Filipino in its preparation and flavors. It's a regular feature at fiestas and family gatherings, often served for Sunday lunch or special occasions. The addition of hotdogs is a modern Filipino twist that adds a familiar comfort food element to this classic dish.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Perfect blend of Spanish and Filipino flavors that creates a rich, comforting stew
- Tender beef chunks that are more flavorful than traditional pork
- One-pot meal that's perfect for both everyday dining and special occasions
- Versatile recipe that can be easily customized to your taste
- Leftovers taste even better the next day
- Budget-friendly yet impressive enough for celebrations
Ingredients
The ingredients in this beef menudo create a perfect flavor harmony. Beef sirloin provides a rich, hearty base that becomes tender through slow cooking. Garlic, onions, and tomatoes form the aromatic foundation, while tomato paste intensifies the savory depth. Potatoes and carrots add comforting substance and natural sweetness.
The bell pepper contributes freshness and color, while pickle relish brings that signature Filipino sweet-tangy twist that balances the richness. Hotdogs add a smoky flavor that appeals to all ages.
This thoughtful combination creates a complex yet comforting stew where each ingredient plays an essential role in building the dish's distinctive character.
- 500 grams beef sirloin, cubed into 1-inch pieces
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 small red onion, chopped
- 6 small tomatoes, diced
- 3-4 cups beef stock
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 medium potatoes, cubed
- 2 small carrots, cubed
- 1 medium bell pepper, sliced
- 1½ tablespoons pickle relish
- 2 pieces hotdogs, sliced diagonally
- Salt to taste
- Ground black pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons cooking oil
Equipment
- Large Heavy-Bottom Pot: Essential for even heat distribution and preventing the sauce from burning during the long simmer. A Dutch oven works perfectly for this recipe.
- Sharp Chef's Knife: For precise cutting of meat and vegetables, ensuring uniform pieces that cook evenly.
- Sturdy Cutting Board: Preferably with a groove around the edge to catch meat juices.
- Measuring Spoons and Cups: For accurate measurements, especially important for the tomato paste and pickle relish ratio.
- Wooden Spoon: For stirring without scratching your pot and for breaking up any tomato paste clumps.
- Ladle: For serving the stew with plenty of sauce.
- Garlic Press (optional): Makes mincing garlic quicker and releases more flavor.
- Kitchen Timer: Helpful for tracking the different cooking stages.
How To Make
- Prepare the base: Heat oil in your pot over medium heat. Add minced garlic and cook until light golden and fragrant (about 30 seconds). Add chopped red onions and cook until translucent (2-3 minutes). Add diced tomatoes and cook until they soften and begin to break down (about 5 minutes).
- Cook the beef: Increase heat to high and add beef sirloin cubes. Brown on all sides until they develop a nice color (5-7 minutes). Pour in beef stock and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 1.5 to 2 hours, or until beef becomes fork-tender. Check occasionally and add more stock if needed.
- Add vegetables: When beef is tender, reduce liquid by about half. Stir in tomato paste until well incorporated. Add cubed potatoes and carrots, and cook for about 10 minutes. Add bell peppers and pickle relish, then simmer for another 5-7 minutes until vegetables are tender but still have some bite.
- Finish the dish: Add sliced hotdogs and warm through for 3-5 minutes. Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Let everything simmer together for a final 2-3 minutes to allow flavors to meld.
- Serve: Dish up hot with plenty of steaming white rice. For an authentic experience, offer banana ketchup and calamansi on the side.
Tips from Lola's Kitchen
- Choose the right cut: Select beef sirloin with good marbling for better flavor and tenderness. If sirloin isn't available, chuck roast is a good alternative.
- Uniform cutting: Cut all vegetables in similar sizes to ensure even cooking. This prevents some pieces from being overcooked while others remain raw.
- Patience pays off: Don't rush the meat tenderizing process. Slow cooking develops deeper flavors and that melt-in-your-mouth texture.
- Flavor boosters: Add a bay leaf or two while simmering for extra aroma and depth of flavor.
- Finishing touch: For restaurant-quality richness, stir in a small pat of butter just before serving.
- Rest before serving: Like many stews, letting the menudo rest for 15-20 minutes after cooking allows flavors to settle and intensify.
- Season gradually: Add salt in stages rather than all at once – first when browning the meat, then when adding vegetables, and finally to taste at the end.
Substitutions
- Beef: You can use pork shoulder, chicken thighs, or goat meat. Adjust cooking time accordingly (pork: 1-1.5 hours, chicken: 30-45 minutes).
- Hotdogs: Vienna sausages, chorizo, or longanisa make excellent alternatives and add unique flavor profiles.
- Beef Stock: Chicken stock works well, or use water with beef bouillon cubes (1 cube per cup of water).
- Pickle Relish: Finely chopped pickled cucumber, green peas, or even a tablespoon of raisins can provide the sweet-tangy element.
- Fresh Tomatoes: If unavailable, use 1½ cups canned diced tomatoes, drained.
- Bell Pepper: Green peas or chopped green beans can be used instead for color and texture.
Troubleshooting
- Meat still tough? Continue cooking on low heat, adding more stock as needed. Tough beef usually means it needs more time to break down connective tissues.
- Sauce too watery? Simmer uncovered to reduce liquid, or mix 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 2 tablespoons cold water and stir into the simmering stew.
- Flavor too bland? Add more tomato paste, a splash of soy sauce, or a teaspoon of fish sauce to deepen the umami flavor.
- Vegetables too soft? Next time, add them later in the cooking process. For now, gently fold them into the stew to prevent further breakdown.
- Sauce too acidic? Add ½ teaspoon of sugar to balance the acidity from the tomatoes.
Storage & Reheating
- Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days. The flavors actually improve overnight as they continue to meld.
- Freezer: Portion into freezer-safe containers and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
- Reheating on Stovetop: Place in a saucepan and heat slowly over medium-low heat with a splash of water or stock to prevent sticking. Stir occasionally until heated through (about 5-7 minutes).
- Reheating in Microwave: Heat in 1-minute intervals at 70% power, stirring between intervals to ensure even heating.
- Freshening tip: Add a squeeze of fresh calamansi or lemon juice and a sprinkle of chopped fresh herbs when reheating to brighten the flavors.
FAQ
Why use beef instead of traditional pork?
Beef provides a richer, more complex flavor and a more satisfying texture. It also contains more iron and B-vitamins, making it a more nutritious option.
Can I cook this in a pressure cooker or Instant Pot?
Absolutely! Cook under pressure for 30-35 minutes instead of the 2-hour simmer. Release pressure naturally for 10 minutes before quick-releasing remaining pressure.
Why add pickle relish to menudo?
The sweet-tangy flavor of pickle relish balances the rich sauce and is a traditional ingredient in Filipino menudo. It's the secret ingredient that gives this dish its distinctive flavor profile.
Can I make this ahead for a party?
Yes! This is an ideal make-ahead dish as it actually tastes better the next day after flavors have had time to develop further. Reheat gently before serving.
How do I know when the beef is tender enough?
The beef should easily break apart when pressed with a fork. If there's any resistance, continue cooking until it reaches this point.
Can I add liver to this recipe?
Yes, many traditional versions include liver. Add cubed beef liver during the last 5 minutes of cooking for authentic flavor without overcooking.
Is menudo spicy?
Traditional Filipino menudo is not spicy, but you can add chopped siling labuyo (bird's eye chili) or red pepper flakes if you prefer some heat.
What's the difference between Filipino and Mexican menudo?
Filipino menudo features diced meat and vegetables in a tomato-based sauce, while Mexican menudo is a tripe soup with a spicy chili-based broth. Despite sharing a name, they're entirely different dishes.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Beef Menudo with Hotdogs (Menudong Baka)
Equipment
- Large Heavy-Bottom Pot (Kaldero) For even heat distribution and preventing burning
- Sharp knife (kutsilyo) For precise cutting of meat and vegetables
- Cutting board (Sangkalan) For preparation of ingredients
- Measuring spoons and cups (panukat) For accurate measurements
- Wooden spoon (sandok na kahoy) For stirring without scratching the pot
- Ladle - sandok For serving
- Garlic press (optional) For mincing garlic
Ingredients
For the Meat and Sauce:
- 500 grams beef sirloin karne ng baka, cubed into 1-inch pieces
- 5 cloves garlic bawang, minced
- 1 small red onion sibuyas, chopped
- 6 small tomatoes kamatis, diced
- 3-4 cups beef stock
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
Vegetables and Add-ins:
- 2 medium potatoes patatas, cubed
- 2 small carrots karot, cubed
- 1 medium bell pepper paminta, sliced
- 1½ tablespoons pickle relish
- 2 pieces hotdogs sliced diagonally
- Salt asin to taste
- Ground black pepper paminta to taste
Instructions
- First, heat up your pot over medium heat and add a bit of cooking oil. Toss in your minced garlic and let it cook until it turns light golden and smells fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add your chopped red onions and cook them until they become soft and clear, around 2-3 minutes. Now add your diced tomatoes and cook everything together until the tomatoes soften up and start to break down, about 5 minutes.
- Turn up the heat to high and add your beef sirloin cubes. Brown them on all sides until they get a nice color - this takes about 5-7 minutes. Once your beef is browned, pour in your beef stock and bring everything to a boil. When it starts bubbling, lower the heat, cover your pot, and let it simmer quietly. This is where patience comes in - let it cook for about 1.5 to 2 hours, or until your beef becomes really tender. Just check on it now and then and add more stock if needed.
- Once your beef is tender enough to easily break apart with a fork, let the liquid cook down until it's reduced by about half. Stir in your tomato paste until it's well mixed. Now add your cubed potatoes and carrots, and let them cook for about 10 minutes. Add your bell peppers and pickle relish, then let everything simmer for another 5-7 minutes until the vegetables are cooked but still have a little bite to them.
- For the final touch, add your sliced hotdogs and let them warm through for about 3-5 minutes. This is when you want to taste your menudo and add salt and black pepper until it's just right for you. Let everything simmer together for a final 2-3 minutes to let all the flavors come together nicely.
- Serve your menudo hot with plenty of steaming white rice. If you want to make it extra special, set out some banana ketchup and calamansi on the side - these little touches make it even more delicious. Don't worry if you have leftovers - this menudo actually tastes even better the next day!
Tips from Lola's Kitchen
- Choose beef sirloin with some marbling for better flavor and tenderness
- Cut vegetables in uniform sizes for even cooking
- Don't rush the meat tenderizing process - slow cooking develops deeper flavors
- Add a bay leaf (dahon ng laurel) while simmering for extra aroma
- For extra richness, add a small pat of butter before serving
Nutrition
The Story Behind Beef Menudo
The story of menudo in Filipino cuisine shows how we've made foreign dishes truly our own. While many think menudo came from Mexico (where they make it with tripe in a spicy broth), our Filipino menudo has Spanish roots. During the Spanish colonial period, they brought their meat-and-potato stews to our shores. Over generations, Filipino cooks transformed these dishes, adding our own twists like pickle relish for that signature sweet-tangy kick that we all love.
Traditional Filipino menudo started as a pork dish, common in everyday homes and special gatherings alike. It was a practical dish - the cubed potatoes and carrots helped stretch the meat to feed more people, making it perfect for big Filipino families. The tomato-based sauce, rich with garlic and onions, became a favorite Sunday lunch feature, often served during family gatherings after church.
The switch to beef menudo happened naturally in Filipino kitchens. As beef became more available and affordable, home cooks started experimenting. They discovered that beef sirloin gave the dish a richer, more luxurious flavor. The longer cooking time needed for beef actually worked in its favor, allowing the meat to become incredibly tender while the sauce developed deeper flavors. This beef version became especially popular in urban areas, where families would often prepare it for special occasions.
The addition of hotdogs - a distinctly modern Filipino touch - shows how our cuisine keeps evolving. This simple addition made the dish more appealing to kids while adding another layer of flavor that's become beloved by Filipinos of all ages. It's a perfect example of how Filipino cooking isn't frozen in time but keeps adapting while staying true to its roots.
Today, both pork and beef versions of menudo are treasured recipes in Filipino households. Whether it's served at a birthday party, fiesta, or simple family lunch, menudo continues to bring people together around the table. In many homes, the secret recipe is passed down through generations, with each family adding their own special touch - some add liver, others include green peas, and many have their own secret ratio of pickle relish to tomato sauce.
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