Pork Caldereta – A Spicy Savory Comforting Dish

Pork Caldereta is a very rich and hearty Filipino pork stew made on tender cooked pork, carrots, potatoes, bell peppers, and liver spread simmered in a savory and spicy tomato-based sauce. A true taste of the Philippines, this dish brings the warmth and nostalgia in each bite!

At our place, when kaldereta is cooked, it means inuman na (drinking time)! The very first time I has a taste of kaldereta was when I was still a child and my lolo is having a drink with his friends at our porch. During that time, the kaldereta was their pulutan. It has too many bones and is too spicy but I loved it! I really wanted to ask for some but since it was there as a pulutan, I got shy. That kaldereta was made with mutton or goat meat. I was surprised because I never knew that goat can be cooked! #TooInnocent But that’s when I started to drool everytime I remember the taste of the kaldereta.

When we moved places, my lolo relieves his homesickness by cooking Pork Caldereta while reminiscing memories of him and his friends. And at this point, the kaldereta is not a pulutan anymore! I was too happy because I can finally eat it with rice! My lolo knew that it was my favorite food that’s why the occasionally-prepared kaldereta now became a daily dish for us. Since goat meat was hard to find at our new place, we started trying out kaldereta with chicken, pork and beef. All of them tastes good! But my favorite is with pork ribs. Some of the versions of kaldereta I know uses cream for their creamy kaldereta. It tastes good too! You may use any type of meat, add some creams or cheeses, but the most important ingredient is the liver. Caldereta is not caldereta without mashed liver.

And now I’m sharing with you my lolo’s recipe of pork kaldereta—the best kaldereta ever!

Pork Caldereta Ingredients :

• Pork ribs – our main choice of meat for this recipe.
• Pineapple juice – tenderizes the meat as well as add a refreshing sweetness into the recipe.
• Soy sauce – adds umami and deepens the color if the dish.
• Black pepper – a flavor enhancer.
• Potatoes – for color and is great for absorbing the sauce, making it thick from the starch.
• Onion and Garlic – favorite Filipino aromatics.
• Liver spread – the ingredient that differentiates kaldereta from mechado, menudo or afritada. Enhances the flavor and texture making the sauce creamier.
• Tomato paste – deepens the savory flavors of the dish as well as give it a nice color.
• Fish sauce – adds a nice depth of flavor and strong umami taste.
• Banana ketchup – gives the dish it’s nice reddish tint and sweetness.
• Peanut butter – adds nuttiness and helps thicken the sauce naturally.
• Bell pepper – for color and subtle sweetness.
• Chili – for the spice, add as much as you like.
• Oil – for searing.
• Margarine or Butter – to add richness, and make the sauce’s texture silky smooth.

Pork Kaldereta Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 kilo pork ribs
• 1/3 cup pineapple juice
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 medium potatoes, quartered
• 1 medium-sized onion, chopped
• 4 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 small can of liver spread
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce
• 2 tablespoons banana ketchup
• 2 tablespoons peanut butter
• 1 medium bell pepper
• 2 pieces chili (optional)
• oil (for searing)
• 1 tablespoon margarine or butter (optional)

Directions

1. Prepare the pork ribs. Cut them into large chunks of serving pieces and place them in a bowl.

2. In the same bowl, add the pineapple juice, soy sauce and black pepper. Mix and marinate the pork ribs for at least 1 hour.

3. Heat some oil in a pan and fry the potatoes until cooked and light brown. Set aside.

4. In the same pan, melt some butter or margarine. Sauté the onion and garlic for a few seconds until light brown and aromatic. Separate the pork from the marinade. Sauté the pork ribs until it changes in color, add the liver spread and tomato paste. Mix well.

5. Add some water and then cover the pan. Simmer the kaldereta for 40 to 45 minutes using low-medium heat until pork is fork-tender.

6. Add the sweet pickles, banana ketchup, fish sauce and peanut butter. Mix until well-combined. Add the bell pepper, fried potatoes and chillies. Stir until well-incorporated.

7. Cook for another 3 to 4 minutes until the sauce is creamy and thick. Transfer the pork caldereta to a serving plate and enjoy with a lot of hot steaming rice!

Don’t be intimidated with the long list of ingredients. Cooking a Caldereta will not involve any complicated steps. They said that the success of the caldereta lies in the meat.

Pork Caldereta Tips:

• There are really no rules on what meat cut to use in caldereta but based on my experience, the buto-buto is the best one for this.
• Marinate the meat for at least one hour but it is better if you can marinate it overnight.
• We traditionally used mashed chicken liver for kaldereta but canned liver spread is more convenient and will give you the same results.
• You can actually use tomato sauce if tomato paste is not available. But with the more concentrated tomato paste, the rich tomato flavor can be incorporated with the dish.
• If you have a pressure-cooker at home, it will be helpful for you this time to lessen cooking time. For the mean time, just chill while waiting for the kaldereta to tenderize.

When all of the ingredients come up together, it’s time to party! Grab your big bowl of rice. Or… beer may be? Enjoy!

Try our other Yummy Pork Recipes :

How to Cook Pork Caldereta (TAGALOG)

Mga Sangkap:

• 1 kilo buto-buto
• 1/3 tasa ng pineapple juice
• 2 kutsara ng toyo
• 1 kutsarita ng paminta
• 2 piraso ng patatas (hiniwa sa apat)
• 1 sibuyas (hiniwa)
• 4 butil ng bawang (hiniwa ng maliliit)
• 1 maliit na lata ng liver spread
• 1 kutsara ng tomato paste
• 3 tasa ng tubig
• 1 kutsara ng patis
• 2 kutsara ng banana ketchup
• 2 kutsara ng peanut butter
• 1 piraso ng bell pepper
• 2 piraso ng sili (optional)
• mantika pang prito
• 1 kutsara ng margarine o butter (optional)
• dahon ng sibuyas ( pang dekorasyon )

Paano Lutuin:

1. Ihanda ang mga buto-buto. Hatiin ito sa malalaking piraso at ilagay sa isang malaking bowl.
2. Sa parehas na bowl, ilagay ang pineapple juice, toyo at paminta. Haluin at i-marinate ang mga buto buto ng di bababa sa 1 oras.
3. Magpainit ng mantika at iprito ang mga patatas hanggang maging light brown. Isangtabi pagkatapos.
4. Sa parehas na kawali, maglagay ng butter o margarine at tunawin. Igisa ang sibuyas at bawang hanggang maging light brown. Ihiwalay ang buto buto sa marinade. Igisa ang mga buto buto. Kapag nag-iba na ang kulay, ilagay ang liver spread at tomato paste. Haluin ito ng mabuti hanggang malagyan ng sauce ang lahat ng karne.
5. Lagyan ng tubig at takpan ang kawali. Hayaan itong kumulo ng 40 hanggang 45minuto gamit ang mababang katamtamang apoy hanggang maging malambot ang karne.
6. Ilagay ang sweet pickles, banana ketchup, patis at peanut butter. Haluin ng mabuti. Ilagay ang bell pepper, pinritong patatas at sili. Haluin ng mabuti hanggang lahat ay malagyan ng sauce.
7. Hayaan itong maluto ng 3 hanggang 4 minuto hanggang maging creamy at malapot ang sauce. Ilipat ang pork kaldereta sa isang serving plate at ihain kasama ng maraming mainit na kanin. Enjoy!