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.

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


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
Traditional Serving Suggestions
- Steaming white rice (kanin)
- Banana ketchup on the side
- Fresh calamansi for squeezing
- Crusty pan de sal
- Fresh tomato and onion ensalada
Troubleshooting
- Tough Meat: Cook longer on low heat, adding more stock as needed
- Watery Sauce: Simmer uncovered to reduce liquid
- Bland Taste: Add more tomato paste and adjust seasonings
- Vegetables Too Soft: Add them later in the cooking process
- Sauce Too Thick: Add hot beef stock gradually while stirring
Ingredient Alternatives
- Beef: Use pork, chicken, or goat meat (adjust cooking time accordingly)
- Hotdogs: Substitute with Vienna sausages or chorizo
- Beef Stock: Can use chicken stock or water with beef bouillon
- Pickle Relish: Finely chopped pickled cucumber or green peas
- Fresh Tomatoes: Canned diced tomatoes (reduce amount by half)
Storage & Reheating
- Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days
- Freezer: Can be frozen for up to 2 months
- Reheating:
- Stovetop: Heat slowly with a splash of water
- Microwave: Heat in 1-minute intervals, stirring between
- Tip: Add fresh herbs or a squeeze of calamansi when reheating
Variations
- Spicy Beef Menudo
- Add chopped siling labuyo or red pepper flakes
- Liver Menudo
- Add beef liver cubes in the last 5 minutes
- Veggie-Loaded
- Add green peas, mushrooms, and corn
- Chinese-Style
- Add star anise and five-spice powder
FAQs
Q: Why use beef instead of traditional pork? A: Beef provides a richer flavor and more robust texture. It also contains more iron and B-vitamins. Q: Can I cook this in a pressure cooker? A: Yes! Cook under pressure for 30-35 minutes instead of the 2-hour simmer. Q: Why add pickle relish? A: It adds a sweet-tangy flavor that balances the rich sauce. This is a traditional ingredient in Filipino menudo. Q: Can I make this ahead for a party? A: Yes! It actually tastes better the next day as flavors develop further. Q: How do I know when the beef is tender enough? A: It should easily break apart when pressed with a fork.
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.
