(No Ratings Yet)
Loading...Filipino Oxtail Peanut Stew is a rich, nutty braise built on slow-cooked oxtail, toasted rice flour, and achuete oil, finished with crisp vegetables and a side of pungent fermented shrimp paste. The deep, savory-sweet peanut sauce is balanced by tender eggplant, string beans, and banana blossom for an authentic Kapampangan-style meal.
Prep Time20 mins
Cook Time180 mins
Total Time200 mins
Servings6
Yield6 servings
Nutrition Facts
Per serving (estimated)
- 620 kcalCalories
- 38 gFat
- 11 gSaturated Fat
- 22 gCarbs
- 6 gFiber
- 8 gSugar
- 45 gProtein
- 780 mgSodium
- 950 mgPotassium
- 120 mgCalcium
- 5.5 mgIron
- 18 mgVitamin C
- 250 mcgVitamin A
Ingredients
For the oxtail and broth
- 3 lbs oxtail pieces, trimmed and cut 2-inch thick
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 large yellow onion, sliced
- 6 cloves garlic, smashed
- 2 tablespoons annatto (achuete) seeds
- 8 cups water or low-sodium beef broth
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
For the peanut sauce
- 1 cup unsweetened smooth peanut butter
- 1/4 cup toasted rice flour (or plain rice flour, dry-toasted)
- 1/4 cup water
- 2 tablespoons annatto oil (reserved from seeds)
For the vegetables and to serve
- 1 small banana blossom (optional), sliced and soaked in salted water
- 1 Chinese eggplant, sliced 1-inch thick
- 8 oz yard-long string beans, cut 3-inch lengths
- 1 small bunch pechay (bok choy), trimmed
- 1/2 cup shrimp paste (bagoong alamang), for serving
- Steamed jasmine rice, for serving
Directions
- Rinse oxtail under cold water and pat dry. In a large heavy pot, heat oil over medium-high and brown oxtail in batches, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate and pour off all but 2 tablespoons of fat.
- Lower heat to medium. Add annatto seeds to the pot and stir 30 seconds until the oil turns deep orange-red; remove seeds and reserve the colored oil. Add onion and garlic and cook 4-5 minutes until softened and lightly browned.
- Return oxtail and any juices to the pot. Pour in water or broth, add bay leaves, fish sauce, and peppercorns. Bring to a boil, skim foam, then reduce to a gentle simmer. Cover and braise 2 to 2 1/2 hours, until the meat is fork-tender and pulling from the bone.
- Strain 1 cup of the braising liquid into a bowl. Whisk in peanut butter and toasted rice flour until smooth, then stir this mixture back into the pot. Add the reserved annatto oil and simmer uncovered 10 minutes to thicken, stirring occasionally so the sauce does not stick.
- Add eggplant and banana blossom; simmer 5 minutes. Add string beans and pechay; cook 3-4 minutes more until vegetables are tender but still bright. Taste and adjust with fish sauce.
- Ladle stew into shallow bowls over rice, drizzle extra annatto oil if desired, and serve with a small dish of shrimp paste on the side for dipping.
- Leftovers keep refrigerated up to 3 days; the sauce thickens as it cools, so loosen with a splash of broth when reheating.
Cook’s Notes
- Toast rice flour in a dry skillet over medium heat, stirring constantly for 3-4 minutes, until lightly golden and fragrant; this adds a deep nutty backbone to the sauce.
- Pressure-cooking the oxtail cuts braising time to about 45 minutes at high pressure with a natural release.
- Always serve shrimp paste (bagoong) on the side, never stirred in; guests season each bite to taste, which keeps the stew balanced.
- For a richer color without annatto seeds, substitute 1 to 2 teaspoons of achuete powder bloomed in hot oil.
