📝 About This Recipe
Experience the soul of Filipino comfort food with this luxurious oxtail stew, traditionally simmered for hours but perfected here in the Instant Pot. This celebratory dish features a velvety, golden peanut sauce that balances savory and nutty notes, coating tender meat and crisp indigenous vegetables. Served with a side of pungent bagoong (shrimp paste), it offers a masterful interplay of flavors that defines the Filipino feast.
🥗 Ingredients
The Meat and Aromatics
- 2 lbs Oxtail (cut into 2-inch pieces)
- 1/2 lb Beef Tripe (cleaned and sliced into strips (optional))
- 1 large Onion (yellow or white, sliced)
- 5 cloves Garlic (minced)
- 4 cups Beef Broth (low sodium)
- 2 tablespoons Fish Sauce (Patis)
The Signature Sauce
- 3/4 cup Creamy Peanut Butter (unsweetened is best)
- 1/4 cup Roasted Peanuts (finely ground into a paste)
- 2 tablespoons Annatto Seeds (steeped in 1/4 cup hot water to extract color)
- 1/4 cup Toasted Rice Flour (dissolved in 1/2 cup water to make a slurry)
Vegetables and Serving
- 2 medium Eggplant (sliced into rounds)
- 1 bunch String Beans (Sitaw) (cut into 3-inch lengths)
- 2 heads Bok Choy (ends trimmed, leaves separated)
- 1 piece Banana Blossom (sliced (optional))
- 1/2 cup Fermented Shrimp Paste (Bagoong Alamang) (sauteed, served on the side)
👨🍳 Instructions
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1
Turn the Instant Pot to 'Sauté' mode (High). Once hot, sear the oxtail pieces in batches until browned on all sides. Remove meat and set aside.
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2
In the same pot, sauté the onions and garlic until the onions are translucent and fragrant, about 3 minutes.
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3
Return the oxtail (and tripe, if using) to the pot. Add the beef broth and fish sauce. Ensure the meat is mostly submerged.
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4
Secure the lid and set the pressure valve to 'Sealing'. Select 'Manual/Pressure Cook' on High for 45 minutes.
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5
While the meat cooks, prepare the annatto water by straining the seeds from the liquid. Discard the seeds; keep the vibrant orange water.
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6
Once the timer beeps, allow a Natural Pressure Release (NPR) for 15 minutes before venting the remaining steam.
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7
Carefully remove the tender meat from the pot and set aside. Switch the Instant Pot back to 'Sauté' mode.
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8
Whisk in the creamy peanut butter, ground peanuts, and the strained annatto water into the simmering broth until fully incorporated.
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9
Slowly pour in the toasted rice flour slurry while whisking constantly. Simmer for 3-5 minutes until the sauce thickens to a gravy-like consistency.
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10
Add the string beans and eggplant to the sauce. Simmer for 3 minutes. Then, add the bok choy and banana blossoms, cooking for another 2 minutes until tender-crisp.
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11
Return the meat to the pot, gently folding it into the sauce to warm through without breaking the vegetables.
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12
Taste and adjust seasoning, though keep in mind the saltiness will primarily come from the bagoong served on the side.
💡 Chef's Tips
Toasting your own rice flour in a dry pan until golden brown adds a significantly deeper, nutty aroma than store-bought versions. If the sauce is too thick, splash in a little extra broth; if too thin, simmer for a few more minutes with an extra teaspoon of rice flour slurry. For the best vegetable texture, you can steam them separately and arrange them on top of the stew just before serving to prevent overcooking. Always use 'Natural Pressure Release' for oxtail; a quick release can cause the meat fibers to seize up and become tough. If you cannot find annatto seeds, 1/2 teaspoon of annatto powder or a drop of yellow-orange food coloring can provide the signature hue.
🍽️ Serving Suggestions
Serve steaming hot alongside a large bowl of fluffy white jasmine rice. A side of sautéed spicy shrimp paste (Bagoong) is mandatory for the authentic salty-sweet contrast. Pair with a cold glass of Calamansi juice or iced tea to cut through the richness of the peanut sauce. For a traditional feast, serve family-style in a large clay pot (Palayok). Leftovers are even better the next day as the peanut flavors deepen and the sauce thickens.