POCHERO: FILIPINO BEEF STEW

Ingredients

• 1 pound beef (preferably bone-in, preferably shank), cubed
• 2 chorizo sausages
• 3 medium sized tomatoes, cut into large chunks
• 1 medium-sized yellow onion, cut into large chunks
• 1 1-inch knob of ginger, sliced into thick pieces
• 6 garlic cloves, pounded but not minced
• 4 cups water or broth
• 1 handful baby corn (optional)
• 2 Russet potatoes, cubed
• 1/2 cup green beans, cut into large pieces
• 4 bunches bok choy, halved or quartered
• 2 leaves Napa cabbage, cut into large pieces
• 2 teaspoons soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon patis, or fish sauce
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 2-3 tablespoons coconut oil
• 2 ripe saba or burro bananas (optional)

How to Make

Stage 1 - Pre-Fry Your Chorizo

1. Start by placing a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Once hot, add your chorizo without any oil and sear for ~5 minutes. If you'd like or if you think it is becoming too dry, add splashes of water occasionally
2. After 5 minutes, remove your chorizo from the Dutch oven and set aside

Stage 2 - Pre-Cook Other Ingredients

1. Pre-cooking the chorizo (along with a splash of water) leaves a flavorful oil in which to cook the rest of the ingredients
2. If cooking with burro bananas, add the bananas first and cook them in the oil. They should develop a nice red hue to them after 3-4 minutes, at which point you can take them out and set aside as they start to lightly brown
3. Next, add your potatoes into the oven and do the same thing. Saute for 5 minutes, occasionally flipping on each side so as to create an even brown. Once browned, take out of the pot and set aside

Stage 3 - Create the Basis for Pochero

1. Add your ginger chunks and pounded garlic to the Dutch oven as a means of "deglazing" what has stuck to the pan. Use a ladle to move around for about 1 minute as the garlic and ginger become fragrant
2. Throw your chunks of onion and saute for another 1 minute before adding the meat
3. As the onions start to sweat and become fragrant as well, add your meat in order to sear. You want as much of the meat's surface area to touch the bottom of the pan so as to help it brown. Sear for at least 3-4 minutes so that all sides of the meat get nice and evenly brown
4. As the meat starts to brown, add your tomatoes in with the same tactic. Move all ingredients to one side or another in order to let your tomatoes directly touch the bottom of your pot. Sear the tomatoes for at least 3-4 minutes as they start to soften
5. Once your tomatoes have seared, add your black pepper and 1 teaspoon of soy sauce then mix thoroughly
6. Add your water or broth and cover your pot. Let the liquid come to a boil
7. Once the liquid has begun boiling, add your next teaspoon of soy sauce and salt. Re-cover the pot and reduce the heat to a simmer. You're going to let everything in the pot simmer for 20 minutes

Stage 4 - Finishing the Pochero

1. After 20 minutes, check in on your pochero and see how it's going. By now, the meat should be halfway to the desired level of softness, and it's a good time to introduce your remaining ingredients
2. Add your potatoes and baby corn and mix into the dish. Re-cover your pot and bring it again to a boil. Once boiling, reduce again to a simmer for another 15 minutes
3. During this 15 minutes of simmering, take your chorizo and cut it into smaller slices. At the 15 minute mark, you're going to add your chorizo and simmer for another 5 minutes
4. Next, add your Napa cabbage, burro bananas, bok choy and green beans. Gently push the cabbage down to the bottom of the pot to submerge it under the juices. Re-cover the pot and continue to simmer for 3-5 minutes before turning off the heat
5. Let your pochero sit covered for another 5 minutes as it cooks in its residual heat, and you're done!