How to Cook Balbacua

5 from 1 vote

Balbacua is a slow-cooked Filipino stew, rich in tender meat, collagen, and spices, simmered for hours to create a deeply flavorful, comforting dish popular in the Visayas and Mindanao regions.

Prep Time10

Cook Time7 15

Total Time7 25

Course: Beef Recipe

Cuisine: Filipino

Keyword: balbacua, balbacua recipe, barbacoa, chicken pastil panlasang pinoy, oxtail stew

Servings: 10 servings

Calories: 439kcal

Author: Manny

Ingredients

1 kilo ox tail cut in serving size (or you can use half kilo of ox skin or ox feet and half kilo of beef ribs)
1/2 kilo beef briskets cut in serving size
150 grams raw peanuts shelled and peeled or ground peanuts
1 small can black salted beans drain and rinse in running water then drain again
1 small can pork and beans
1 red onion bulbs peeled and quartered
3 cloves garlic minced
1 pc fresh tumeric or luyang dilaw , about 3 inches
2 stalks baby leeks sliced (optional)
3 cloves star anise
2 pcs chili peppers
1 Tbsp. annato oil
Patis or fish sauce to taste

Instructions

How to cook Balbacua:

Boil ox tail in salt and water for 15 minutes, drain.
Boil ox tail again in water with tumeric, anise, garlic and onion then simmer for about 2-3 hours, or until semi-tender.
Add beef briskets and peanuts then continue boiling over low fire for another 2-3 hours.
When tail and briskets are almost tender, add chili peppers, salted black beans, pork and beans, leeks and annato oil.
Cook for another 30 minute to 1 hour and season with patis to taste. Serve hot.

To Make The Annato Oil:

Make annato oil by combining 1 1/2 Tbsp. cooking oil and 1 Tbsp. annato seeds.
Or you can just fry it in oil in a frying pan for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the seeds and set aside the annato oil.

Video

Notes

Cooking Tips:

Choosing the Right Cuts of Meat

For the best results, select ox tail, which provides a rich, gelatinous texture perfect for the dish. If ox tail is unavailable or too expensive, use a combination of ox skin and beef ribs to mimic its texture. This ensures the dish remains authentic and flavorful without compromising quality.

Utilizing a Pressure Cooker

To save time while maintaining flavor, use a pressure cooker to tenderize the meat before simmering. Cook the ox tail and beef briskets in the pressure cooker for about an hour. This reduces the overall cooking time significantly, allowing you to enjoy the dish faster without sacrificing its signature tenderness.

Enhancing Flavor with Annatto Oil

Infusing your cooking oil with annatto seeds adds a distinctive color and depth of flavor to the dish. Heat the oil with the seeds until it turns a vibrant orange, then remove the seeds. This simple step not only enhances the visual appeal of the dish but also enriches its taste, making it even more delectable.