📝 About This Recipe
A soul-warming Spanish-influenced Filipino stew, this Puchero is a masterclass in balancing savory, sweet, and umami flavors. Tender chunks of beef brisket are pressure-cooked with salty chorizo, earthy chickpeas, and sweet saba bananas in a rich, tomato-infused broth. It is a vibrant, one-pot celebration of textures that brings a touch of Manila’s colonial culinary heritage straight to your modern kitchen.
🥗 Ingredients
The Proteins
- 2 lbs Beef Brisket or Chuck (cut into 2-inch cubes)
- 2 links Chorizo de Bilbao or Spanish Chorizo (sliced into rounds)
Aromatics and Base
- 5 cloves Garlic (minced)
- 1 large Yellow Onion (diced)
- 8 oz Tomato Sauce (plain)
- 4 cups Beef Broth (low sodium)
- 2 tablespoons Fish Sauce (Patis) (for depth of flavor)
- 1 teaspoon Black Peppercorns (whole)
Vegetables and Sweetness
- 3 pieces Saba Bananas or Plantains (sliced diagonally; ensure they are ripe)
- 15 oz Garbanzo Beans (Chickpeas) (1 can, drained and rinsed)
- 2 medium Potato (peeled and quartered)
- 1/2 head Cabbage (cut into wedges)
- 1 bunch Bok Choy (ends trimmed, leaves separated)
- 1 cup Green Beans (trimmed)
👨🍳 Instructions
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1
Set your Instant Pot to 'Sauté' mode on high. Once the display reads 'Hot', add a tablespoon of oil and sear the beef cubes in batches until browned on all sides. Remove beef and set aside.
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2
In the same pot, add the sliced chorizo. Sauté for 2-3 minutes until the reddish oils are released, adding incredible smoky flavor to the base.
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3
Add the onions and garlic to the chorizo oils. Sauté until the onions are translucent and the garlic is fragrant, about 3 minutes.
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4
Deglaze the pot by pouring in a splash of the beef broth. Use a wooden spoon to scrape up all the brown bits (fond) from the bottom to prevent a 'Burn' notice and maximize flavor.
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5
Return the beef to the pot. Stir in the tomato sauce, fish sauce, peppercorns, and the remaining beef broth.
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6
Secure the lid and set the pressure valve to 'Sealing'. Select 'Pressure Cook' or 'Manual' on High Pressure for 35 minutes.
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7
While the beef cooks, pan-fry the sliced saba bananas in a separate skillet with a little oil until golden brown. This prevents them from becoming mushy in the pressure cooker and enhances their sweetness.
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8
Once the timer beeps, allow a natural pressure release (NPR) for 10 minutes, then carefully quick-release the remaining steam.
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9
Open the lid and add the potatoes and garbanzo beans. Close the lid again and pressure cook on High for an additional 3 minutes.
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10
Quick release the pressure immediately. Switch back to 'Sauté' mode on low.
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11
Gently stir in the cabbage and green beans. Simmer for 2-3 minutes until the vegetables are tender-crisp.
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12
Add the bok choy and the fried saba bananas on top. Let them steam in the residual heat for 2 minutes until the greens are bright and wilted.
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13
Taste the broth. Adjust seasoning with more fish sauce or salt if needed. Serve hot in deep bowls.
💡 Chef's Tips
Always sear the beef first; that caramelization is the secret to a deep, dark broth. If you can't find Saba bananas, use very ripe plantains or even a firm Fuji apple for that essential touch of sweetness. Don't skip the fish sauce—it provides the 'umami' backbone that salt alone cannot achieve. For a thicker sauce, mash one or two of the cooked potato chunks back into the broth at the end. Make sure to scrape the bottom of the pot thoroughly after sautéing to avoid the 'Burn' error during pressure cooking.
🍽️ Serving Suggestions
Serve alongside a bowl of steaming jasmine rice to soak up the savory tomato broth. Provide a small side dish of fish sauce with a squeeze of calamansi or lime and crushed chili for dipping the beef. A side of eggplant salad (Ensaladang Talong) provides a nice smoky contrast to the rich stew. Pair with a cold lager or a crisp, dry Riesling to cut through the richness of the beef and chorizo.