What is peanut butter beef stew?

Peanut butter beef stew is a popular dish in the Pampanga province of the Philippines. As a kid, I remember my dad making the stew for special events such as birthdays, Christmas, and New Year's. It is a Filipino signature dish. It is known for its signature peanut butter taste which makes this dish unique and flavorful. Some provinces even have their version of this beef stew, which involves the banana heart and oxtail meat. There are many variations, but what makes this beef stew unique is the peanut butter ingredient added to it. That is all that matters.

But peanut butter and beef? Yes, I know some people would think the combination of peanut butter and beef stew does not sound too good, but it is not as weird as thinking about the famous Filipino pork stew mixed with pork blood. All in all, both dishes are very delicious! One spoonful of the peanut butter beef stew brings in the familiar taste of home for all Filipinos and the tasty satisfaction for all food enthusiasts out there.

As much as I wanted this recipe to be authentic, some ingredients are difficult to get here in the United States, so I will be using simple ingredients that you may find in your nearby grocery store. The taste is as flavorful as the authentic peanut butter beef stew regardless of the simple ingredients I will be using for this recipe. Are you ready to satisfy your curious taste buds? Let's go! Follow me as I share my recipe for this delicious beef stew.

Here are the ingredients we will be using for this recipe

1 pound of beef chuck (Cut beef in stew sizes)

6-ounce green beans (Slice into 2 inch sizes)

2 pieces of Chinese eggplants (Slice in stew sizes)

3 baby bok choy (Slice in halves)

1 1/2 cup of creamy peanut butter (any brand of peanut butter will do as long as it says "creamy")

4 cups of water

Vegetable oil

1 onion (chopped)

6 cloves of garlic (chopped)

salt (adjust the amount to your taste)

pepper (adjust the amount to your taste)

3 pieces of Thai chili peppers (chopped chili peppers. This ingredient is optional; but I do recommend to try the stew with this ingredient for added "kick" or spice.)

1 tablespoon of shrimp paste (you may find this ingredient at your local Asian store)

1 tablespoon of Annatto powder (Dissolve powder in 1 tablespoon of water)

Here are the steps in cooking the peanut butter beef stew

Step 1: Wash the beef stew pieces and strain them.

Step 2: Turn on the stove on medium heat.

Step 3: Drizzle pot with vegetable oil. Once the oil is warm enough, saute garlic for a few seconds.

Step 4: Add onions and keep sauteing until the garlic is golden brown and the onions are translucent.

Step 5: Add beef stew pieces in the pot and mix them with the onions and garlic for a few minutes until some sides of the beef stew pieces are brown.

Step 6: Add 4 cups of water and shrimp paste. Cover your pot and let it boil for an hour to soften the meat. Add more minutes of boiling time if the meat is not soft to your liking.

Step 7: Once the meat is tender, add some water as needed if there is not enough water left in the pot after the boiling process.

Step 8: Add peanut butter and stir until peanut butter dissolves. Let it simmer for 15 minutes.

Step 9: Stir beef stew. Do not panic if you see the sauce thickening.

Step 10: Add annatto mix and stir.

Step 11: Add eggplants and stir. Let it simmer for 10 minutes.

Step 12: Add green beans and stir again. Let it simmer for 10 minutes.

Step 13: Add baby bok choy and chili peppers. Stir beef stew, then let it simmer for 5 minutes.

Step 14: Add salt and pepper and keep stirring. I usually add 2-3 pinches of salt and one tablespoon of pepper but adjust the usage according to your taste.

Step 15: Once the taste is to your liking, turn off the stove and serve the beef stew.

There you have it! Filipinos serve peanut butter beef stew with freshly cooked white rice, so I highly suggest trying it with rice. For enhanced flavor, you may also saute some shrimp paste on the side for this dish. Each spoonful of this beef stew, rice, and a little bit of shrimp paste is so savory. I hope you like this recipe. Do not forget to share this dish with your family and friends.

Costway US $348.00 Modern Fabric Loveseat Sofa for with Metal Legs and Armrest Pillows-Peacock Blue Costway US $448.00 Patio Aluminum Loveseat Sofa Outdoor Furniture Set with Thick Back and Seat Cushions-Gray Costway US $458.00 4 Pieces Patio Rattan Furniture Set with Glass Table and Loveseat-Navy Costway US $225.00 2-Person Double Rocking Loveseat with Mesh Fabric and Center Tempered Glass Table-Brown Costway US $683.00 4 Pieces Outdoor Patio Rattan Furniture Set with Cushioned Loveseat and Storage Box-Brown Costway US $185.00 Outdoor Porch Steel Hanging 2-Seat Swing Loveseat with Canopy-Turquoise Costway US $323.00 Modern Loveseat Sofa with 2 Bolsters and Side Storage Pocket-Pink Costway US $210.00 Outdoor Loveseat Chair Set with Tempered Glass Coffee Table Costway US $171.00 Swing Glider Chair 48 Inch Loveseat Rocker Lounge Backyard-Gray Costway US $311.00 Modern Loveseat Sofa Couch with Side Storage Pocket and Sponged Padded Seat Cushions-Orange