Kare-Kare with Oxtail and Tripe
Slow-braised oxtail and tripe in a rich peanut sauce with traditional vegetables and bagoong alamang
Recipe Overview Cuisine: Filipino | Category: Main Course | Serves: 4 Prep Time: 45 minutes | Cook Time: 3.5 hours | Total Time: 4 hours 15 minutes
Why This Works
Kare-Kare with Oxtail and Tripe represents Filipino cooking at its most sophisticated – a dish that transforms humble cuts into something magnificent through patience and technique. This version respects the traditional annatto-peanut base while employing proper Western braising methods to extract maximum flavor from the oxtail and tripe. The key innovation here is the two-stage cooking process: first building a proper fond, then finishing with a carefully balanced peanut sauce that coats without cloying. Skip the jarred sauce – fresh ground peanuts and proper stock create depth that premade versions cannot match. The result justifies the time investment: silky, gelatinous meat with vegetables that retain their integrity in a sauce that’s both rich and clean.
Ingredients (Serves 4)
For the Braised Meat:
- 1.5kg oxtail, cut into 5cm pieces
- 500g beef tripe, cleaned and cut into 5cm strips
- 2 tbsp neutral oil (peanut or vegetable)
- 1 large yellow onion, quartered
- 6 cloves garlic, crushed
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tsp black peppercorns
- 2L beef stock (or water if stock unavailable)
For the Kare-Kare Sauce:
- 200g raw peanuts, shelled
- 3 tbsp annatto seeds (achuete)
- 60ml warm water
- 2 tbsp glutinous rice flour (malagkit flour)
- 1 large shallot, finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
For the Vegetables:
- 200g green beans, trimmed and cut into 7cm pieces
- 1 medium eggplant, cut into thick rounds
- 1 bunch bok choy (pechay), separated into leaves
- 200g banana heart (optional, if available)
For Service:
- 4 tbsp bagoong alamang (fermented shrimp paste)
- Steamed jasmine rice
Method
Mise en Place (45 minutes)
Prepare all vegetables and set aside separately – they cook at different rates. Toast peanuts in a dry pan until fragrant, then grind to a fine powder in a spice grinder or food processor. Steep annatto seeds in warm water for 30 minutes, then strain – you want deep orange liquid, not the seeds. Have rice flour ready to slurry. This dish rewards organization.
Step 1 – Build the Braising Base (30 minutes)
Heat oil in a heavy-bottomed Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Season oxtail and tripe with salt, then brown in batches until all surfaces develop color – this takes patience but creates the foundation flavor. Remove meat, reduce heat to medium, add onion and garlic to the same pot. Cook until softened and fragrant, about 8 minutes. Return meat to pot with bay leaves, peppercorns, and enough stock to cover by 5cm.
Step 2 – Long Braising (2.5-3 hours)
Bring to a gentle simmer, skim any foam, then partially cover and maintain the barest simmer. The liquid should barely bubble – aggressive boiling makes tough meat tougher. Test oxtail with a fork after 2.5 hours; it should yield easily but not fall apart. Tripe will be tender but still have slight chew. Remove meat and strain braising liquid – you need 1L for the sauce.
Step 3 – Build the Kare-Kare Sauce (20 minutes)
In the same pot over medium heat, sauté shallot and garlic until fragrant. Add ground peanuts and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly to prevent burning. Slowly whisk in annatto liquid, then gradually add 800ml of the reserved braising liquid. Simmer for 15 minutes until thickened slightly. Mix rice flour with remaining 200ml cold braising liquid to create a slurry, then whisk into sauce. Simmer 5 minutes more – the sauce should coat a spoon but remain pourable.
Step 4 – Final Assembly (15 minutes)
Return meat to the sauce and simmer gently for 10 minutes to marry flavors. In a separate pan, blanch vegetables in order of cooking time: green beans first (3 minutes), then eggplant (2 minutes), then bok choy (1 minute). I like my bok choy and eggplant charred so, you do what you do. Each should be tender but retain some bite. Add vegetables to the pot just before serving to prevent overcooking.
What You Need to Know
The braising liquid reduction is critical – it concentrates flavor and provides the sauce base. If your sauce feels thin, simmer longer; if too thick, add more braising liquid gradually. Ground peanuts can be substituted with 180g natural peanut butter, but fresh-ground provides superior texture. Make this dish a day ahead – flavors improve overnight, and you can easily remove any solidified fat from the surface.
The Result
Properly executed kare-kare delivers fork-tender meat in a velvety sauce that’s nutty without being heavy, with annatto providing earthiness rather than just color. The vegetables should offer textural contrast – still crisp enough to provide relief from the rich sauce. Each bite should balance the deep, savory meat with the clean vegetable notes and the funky depth of bagoong alamang.
Nutrition Information (Per Serving)
- Calories: 720
- Protein: 52g | Fat: 48g | Carbs: 18g | Fiber: 6g
Flavor Balance
Sweet (3/10): Natural sweetness from slow-cooked onions and peanuts Salty (6/10): Balanced between the braising liquid and bagoong alamang service Sour (2/10): Subtle acidity from proper stock reduction Bitter (1/10): Light vegetal notes from bok choy and eggplant Umami (9/10): Dominated by slow-braised meat, peanuts, and fermented shrimp paste
Wine Pairing
Recommended
Hunter Valley Semillon (aged 5-7 years)
Why: The wine’s developed lanolin and honeyed notes complement the rich peanut sauce while its natural acidity cuts through the dish’s richness. Aged Semillon’s complexity matches the depth of slow-braised oxtail without competing with the umami-forward profile.
Alternatives:
- Barossa Valley GSM Blend: The Mourvèdre component’s earthy, meaty character harmonizes with oxtail while Grenache adds fruit to balance richness
- Margaret River Chardonnay (unoaked): Clean mineral profile and bright acidity provide contrast to the dish’s weight while avoiding oak interference with delicate peanut flavors
