Beef Pares
Beef Pares is the beloved ‘meal for two’ of Philippine street food — tender beef braised in a sweet-savory soy and star anise sauce, always served with a side of garlic fried rice and a warm bowl of clear beef broth. It’s the specialty of roadside ‘paresan’ stalls that stay open into the early morning, especially popular after a night out. The combination of sweet glazed beef, fragrant rice, and light soup is what makes it endlessly comforting.
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Instructions
- In a pot, combine beef, water, onion, half the garlic, ginger, and peppercorns. Bring to a boil, skim off scum, then cover and simmer for 1.5 hours until the beef is tender.
- Strain the broth and reserve it; set the beef aside. Keep the broth for the side soup.
- In a separate pot, heat oil and sauté the minced garlic until golden. Add soy sauce, brown sugar, star anise, and 2 cups of the reserved broth.
- Add the cooked beef and simmer for 15-20 minutes until the sauce reduces and deepens in color.
- Stir in the cornstarch slurry and simmer until the sauce thickens and glazes the beef.
- Serve the braised beef with garlic fried rice, a small bowl of the reserved clear broth, and a soy-vinegar-chili dipping sauce.
Cook's Tip
Keep the beef-boiling broth separate from the braising sauce — straining it out before you build the sweet soy glaze is what gives pares its signature side of clear, garlicky soup instead of one muddy pot.