Pork Ribs Caldereta Recipe
This Pork Ribs Caldereta Recipe is a classic Filipino dish, made with tender pork ribs then simmered in a savory tomato-based sauce infused with spices and vegetables like carrots, bell peppers and potatoes.
More Filipino recipes? Here are my favourites, beef giniling, chicken sinigang, pork binagoongan sa gata, and coconut chicken adobo.
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What is Caldereta?
"Caldereta" is a Spanish-influenced dish that originated in the Philippines. The term "caldereta" itself comes from the Spanish word "caldera," which means cauldron or cooking pot.
In Filipino cuisine, caldereta refers to a hearty meat stew typically made with tomatoes, potatoes, bell peppers, and green peas or other vegetables. This often cooked with either beef, pork, or chicken, depending on personal preferences.
Caldereta is often enhance by the adding liver spread for it's rich and savory flavor making it popular in the Philippines.
Popular variations of kaldereta/caldereta: beef caldereta, chicken caldereta, and goat caldereta.
Ingredients Needed
Here are lists of ingredients in making pork ribs caldereta:
- Pork Ribs: The star of the dish. It provides the meaty flavor and texture. If pork ribs/ spareribs are unavailable or if you prefer a different type of meat, you can substitute with beef ribs.
- Tomatoes: This recipe uses canned tomato sauce.
- Potatoes: Feel free to use any variety of potatoes such as russet, yukon gold, or red potatoes.
- Carrots: Peeled and sliced.
- Bell Peppers: This provide color and flavor to the dish. You can use green bell pepper, red, yellow, or orange bell peppers, or a combination of these.
- Green Peas: About ¼ cup of green peas.
- Bay leaves: For aromatics.
- Onion: White, Red or Yello Onion works great.
- Garlic: 3 cloves of garlic.
- Pickles: Sweet gherkins or sweet pickle relish for extra flavor.
- Liver Spread or Liver Paste: This ingredient adds richness and depth of flavor to the sauce.
- Fish sauce: For umami, you can substitute with soy sauce.
Please see the recipe card at the end of the post for the complete ingredient list exact measurements and instructions.
How to make it
Step 1. Pan fry veggies for 5 minutes until tender. Set them aside.
Step 2. Sautè aromatics, in a medium heat pot sautè garlic and onion until fragrance. Add ribs and stir fry for 3-5 minutes or until no longer pink.
Step 3. Pour in tomato sauce and water. Add bay leaves and fish sauce. Simmer for 1 hour until meat is tender.
Step 4. Add pan fried potatoes, carrots and bell peppers back in.
Step 5. Add greens peas, liver spread and pickles. Stir in sugar and season with salt and black pepper to taste.
How to serve
Once the pork ribs are tender and the sauce has thickened, remove caldereta from the heat. Serve the spareribs kaldereta hot with steamed white rice.
Cooking Tips
- It's important to sear the pork before simmering them in the sauce. This helps lock in the juices and enhances the flavor of the meat.
- Pan Fry vegetables adds a delightful texture and creates a slightly crispy exterior.
- Cover the pot when simmering the pork to helps tenderizing the meat.
Storing & Reheating
Transfer spareribs caldereta in airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. If you want to store them for a longer period, you can freeze it. Transfer caldereta into freezer-safe containers and freeze up to 2 weeks.
To Reheat. Reheat in a pot on the stovetop over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until heated through. You can also reheat it in the microwave, stirring at intervals to ensure even heating.
Recipe FAQ's
Yes, you can use other cuts of pork such as pork shoulder or pork belly. Cooking time may vary accordingly.
For a creamy pork caldereta you can add cheese with it.
Traditional caldereta uses liver spread. However, you can skip them if you want. Make sure to adjust the seasonings for a flavor.
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Recipe
Pork Ribs Caldereta Recipe
Ingredients
- 800 grams pork ribs sliced
- 2 tablespoon oil
- 2 medium potato peeled and sliced
- 2 large carrots peeled and sliced
- ½ piece green bell peppers sliced
- ½ piece red bell peppers sliced
- 1 medium onion
- 4 cloves garlic
- 3 pieces bayleaves
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1½ tablespoon sugar
- ¼ cup green peas
- ¼ cup sweet gherkins sliced
- 1 cup tomato sauce
- 2 cups water more if needed
- 1 piece knorr pork cube
- ¼ cup liver spread
- salt and black pepper to taste
- red chili optional
Instructions
- Pan fry potatoes, carrots and bell peppers for 3-4 minutes until tender. Set it aside.
- In a large skillet, heat the cooking oil over medium-high heat. Saute onion and garlic until aromatics. Add the pork ribs and sear them on all sides until browned and no longer pink.
- Pour tomato sauce and water. Add pork cubes, bayleaves, chili peppers (if using) and fish sauce. Simmer for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until meat is tender.
- Add pan fried potatoes, carrots and bell peppers back in. Simmer for additional 3-4 minutes.
- Add greens peas, liver spread and pickles. Stir in sugar and season with salt and black pepper to taste. Cook and simmer for another 10 minutes.
- Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper as needed.
- Serve with steamed rice and enjoy!
Notes
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- It's important to sear the pork before simmering them in the sauce. This helps lock in the juices and enhances the flavor of the meat.
-
- Pan Fry vegetables adds a delightful texture and creates a slightly crispy exterior.
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- Cover the pot when simmering the pork to helps tenderizing the meat.
- Fo a spicy caldereta you can add chili flakes or thai chili peppers.
