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–+ servings
Filipino Beef Morcon

Filipino Beef Morcon

Morcon is a festive Filipino beef roulade where thinly sliced beef is marinated, rolled around a colorful medley of hard-boiled eggs, cheese, carrots, pickles, and sausages, then slow-braised in a rich tomato-liver gravy until fork-tender. This Spanish-influenced dish transforms humble ingredients into an elegant centerpiece that graces Filipino celebration tables, particularly during Christmas and New Year festivities.
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Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Marination Time 30 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 35 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Filipino
Servings 8
Calories 450 kcal
Difficulty Intermediate

Equipment

  • Kitchen twine (pantali) For securing the meat roll
  • Meat mallet (pamukpok) For tenderizing and flattening the beef
  • Heavy-bottom pan or Dutch oven (makapal na kawali) For even cooking and braising
  • Sharp knife [Matalas na kutsilyo] For clean slicing
  • Cutting board (Sangkalan) Preferably large for rolling the meat
  • Kitchen scale (timbangan) For accurate measurements
  • Measuring cups and spoons (Panukat) For precise ingredients
  • Kitchen string scissors (gunting) For cutting twine cleanly

Ingredients
 

For the Beef Roll:

  • 2 pounds 1 kg beef bottom round or top round (kalitiran), sliced morcon-style
  • Juice of 1 lemon katas ng dayap
  • ½ cup soy sauce toyo
  • Ground black pepper paminta to taste
  • 12 slices bacon tapa ng baboy
  • 1 medium carrot karot, peeled and cut into strips
  • 2 hotdogs sliced lengthwise
  • 4 pieces sweet gherkin pickles atchara
  • 4 ounces cheddar cheese cut into strips
  • 4 hard-boiled eggs itlog na nilaga, halved lengthwise
  • ½ cup all-purpose flour harina
  • ¼ cup cooking oil mantika

For the Tomato Gravy:

  • 1 large onion sibuyas, finely chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic bawang, minced
  • Reserved marinade
  • 1 cup tomato sauce
  • 2 cups beef broth sabaw ng baka
  • 1 bay leaf dahon ng laurel
  • Salt asin at paminta to taste
  • ½ cup liver spread

Instructions
 

  • Start by marinating the beef slices in a mixture of lemon juice, soy sauce, and black pepper for 30 minutes in the refrigerator (Ibabad ang karne sa pinaghalong katas ng dayap, toyo, at paminta ng 30 minuto sa refrigerator). Reserve the marinade for later use.
  • While the beef marinates, cook bacon until just soft but not crispy (Lutuin ang bacon hanggang lumambot pero hindi malutong). Prepare the filling ingredients: cut carrots into strips, slice hotdogs lengthwise, cut cheese into strips, and have the hard-boiled egg halves and pickles ready.
  • Lay the marinated beef flat on a clean surface. Layer in this order: bacon, carrot strips, hotdog slices, pickle strips, cheese strips, and egg halves (Ilatag ang mga sangkap sa ibabaw ng karne sa ganitong pagkakasunod-sunod). Roll the beef tightly like a jelly roll. Secure with kitchen twine every inch (Talian ng pantali bawat isang pulgada). Coat the entire roll with flour.
  • Heat oil in a heavy-bottomed pan over medium-high heat (190°C/375°F). Brown the beef roll on all sides, about 2-3 minutes per side (Iprito ang morcon sa lahat ng gilid hanggang maging golden brown). Remove from pan and set aside.
  • Reduce heat to medium (165°C/330°F). In the same pan, sauté onions until soft (Igisa ang sibuyas hanggang lumambot). Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds (Idagdag ang bawang at igisa). Add the reserved marinade, tomato sauce, beef broth, and bay leaf. Stir in liver spread until smooth.
  • Return beef roll to the pan. Reduce heat to low (140°C/285°F). Cover and cook for 1 hour and 20 minutes (Pakuluan ng mahina ng 1 oras at 20 minuto), turning the roll every 20 minutes (Baliktarin ang morcon bawat 20 minuto). Test tenderness with a fork - if not yet tender, cook for an additional 15 minutes.
  • Let the morcon rest for 10 minutes before removing the strings (Palamigin ng 10 minuto bago tanggalin ang tali). Slice into 1-inch rounds and serve hot with the sauce poured over (Hiwahin ng 1 pulgada at ihain na mainit kasama ang sarsa).
  • When reheating, ensure internal temperature reaches 165°F/74°C (Kapag iinitin, siguraduhing umabot sa 165°F/74°C ang init sa loob ng karne).

Tips from Lola's Kitchen

  • Choose beef with some marbling for better flavor
  • Don't skip the flour coating - it helps thicken the sauce
  • Let the roll rest for 10 minutes before slicing
  • Use sharp knife and gentle sawing motion when cutting
  • Cook bacon until just limp - if too crispy, it will break when rolling
  • Keep the twine loose enough to allow for meat expansion
 

Nutrition

Calories: 450kcalCarbohydrates: 12gProtein: 35gFat: 28gSaturated Fat: 9gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5gMonounsaturated Fat: 13gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 180mgSodium: 980mgPotassium: 293mgFiber: 2gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 418IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 132mgIron: 2mg
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