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Balbacua Recipe

Balbacua

A flavorful and savory stew dish featuring ox feet, pineapple chunks, pork and beans, and bell peppers.
Cook Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Filipino
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 3 pounds ox feet ox tail, skin, or a mix of them
  • water for blanching
  • 8 cups water
  • 1 piece ginger thumb-sized
  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons oil
  • 1 tablespoon achuete seeds
  • 1 tablespoon margarine
  • 1 onion medium
  • 5 cloves garlic
  • 3 green long chilies
  • 3 pieces star anise
  • 1 can fermented black beans drained (180 grams)
  • ¼ cup tomato paste or ¾ cup of tomato sauce
  • cup unsweetened peanut butter
  • 1 can pineapple chunks drained (137 grams)
  • 1 can pork and beans 390 grams
  • 1 red bell pepper medium and cut into strips
  • 1 piece chili labuyo chopped
  • Fish sauce or salt to taste

Instructions
 

  • Start by giving your ox feet a quick blanch. Place them in a pot or pressure cooker and add enough water to submerge them. Bring it to a boil over high heat, leaving it uncovered for about 10 minutes. After that, remove the pot from the heat, discard the water, and rinse the meat well.
  • Next, in the same pot or pressure cooker, add 8 cups of water, ginger, and salt. Bring it to a boil over high heat. Put the ox feet back in and close the lid. Pressure cook for 45-60 minutes or simmer in a regular pot for 2 hours, or until the meat is tender. Once it's done, remove the meat from the broth and set it aside, reserving about 2 cups of broth.
  • In a wide wok or pot, heat the oil over medium heat and add the achuete seeds. Cook for about 1 minute until the oil turns a deep orange color, and then remove the seeds using a slotted spoon.
  • Melt the margarine in the same pot and sauté the onion, garlic, and green chilies until they become aromatic.
  • Add the ox feet, star anise, and black beans. Give it all a good stir until everything is nicely distributed.
  • Pour in 2 cups of the reserved broth and add the tomato paste and peanut butter. Stir until they're well dissolved.
  • Now, it's time to add the pineapple chunks, pork and beans, bell pepper, and chili labuyo. Season with fish sauce or salt according to your taste. Let it simmer for 5 minutes or more.
  • Turn off the heat, and your delicious Ox Feet and Peanut Stew is ready to be served. Enjoy it with a side of steamed rice!