Instant Pot: Kare Kare Recipe

Name: Instant Pot: Kare Kare by Nic & Rei
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 1 h 10 min
Total time: 1 h 20 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 2-3 lbs Oxtail; 1 Large Onion; 4 Garlic Cloves, Minced; 2 tsp Salt; 1 tsp Pepper; 2-3 tbsp Oil; 2 tsp Annatto Powder; 1 Chinese Eggplant; 3 Bunches Baby Bok Choy; 1/2 Cup Creamy Peanut Butter; Instant Pot

Instant Pot: Kare Kare by Nic & Rei

Rated 3.8 stars by 43 users

Servings

Prep Time

10 minutes

Cook Time

70 minutes

Kare Kare, a quintessential Filipino comfort food, is one of those recipes that few home cooks dare to make because of the amount of time it takes to prepare the dish. Thanks to the Instant Pot however, even the busiest professionals and families with young kids can make this dish very quickly. The richness of flavor from the peanut butter and annatto combined with the oxtail and veggies provide a meal that soothes the soul. Just don't forget the bagoong! See more pro tips at the bottom of the recipe.

Thank you to Nic and Rei for providing a very easy to follow recipe.

Author:

Nic & Rei

Ingredients

2-3 lbs Oxtail
1 Large Onion
4 Garlic Cloves, Minced
2 tsp Salt
1 tsp Pepper
2-3 tbsp Oil
2 tsp Annatto Powder
1 Chinese Eggplant
3 Bunches Baby Bok Choy
1/2 Cup Creamy Peanut Butter

Special Equipment

Instant Pot

Directions

Take your oxtail and cut slits parallel to the bone on the medium to large pieces.
Place the oxtail into your Instant Pot. Followed by 2 teaspoons of salt, 1 teaspoon of pepper, 1/2 a large onion cut into fourths, and 5 cups of water.
Secure the lid and set the steam release to the “sealing setting.”
Set the Instant Pot at high pressure on the "meat / stew" setting for 45 mins.
When it is done, quick release the steam release until the float valve unlocks so that you can safely remove the lid. (Be very careful at this step, some hot liquid may spew out of the vent. We recommend you use oven mitts and slowly turn the valve until only steam is coming out of vent.)
Julienne cut the other half of the large onion and sauté it in 2-3 tbsp of oil in a separate pan.
Once the onions are translucent, add 4 minced cloves of garlic to the pan and sauté them until they’re fragrant.
Add in 2 teaspoons of annatto powder in pan, and mix until the powder is dissolved.
Transfer all of the oxtail into the pan and coat them with the sautéed ingredients. Once coated, remove the oxtail from the pan and set aside for later.
Add about 4 cups of oxtail broth left over in the Instant Pot to the pot with the sauté, and let it simmer over medium high heat. Submerge 1 Chinese eggplant (cut into 1 inch pieces), and 3 bunches of baby bok choy (with the stems cut off).
Place the lid over the pan and cook the vegetables for about 2 mins. Then remove the bok choy and set aside. Continue to cook the eggplant for an additional 3 mins. Then remove and set them aside as well
Once all the vegetables are removed from the pan, you can add salt to taste the remaining broth, if needed.
Add 1/2 a cup of creamy peanut butter to the broth and mix over medium heat until your sauce thickens to your liking.
When the sauce is done, add the oxtail back in and coat them in the peanut sauce. And then add in your eggplant and bok choy as well. And you’re done!

Recipe Video

Recipe Note

Nic & Rei's "Pro Tips":

Kare Kare is always eaten with rice and usually, if not always, eaten with Bagaoong (shrimp paste)! Bagoong is used as somewhat of a “dipping sauce” or extra seasoning. It’s used to compliment the savory peanut sauce in the dish.

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Pour some of the peanut sauce on top of your rice and mix it in when you eat it.

You can use Chinese long beans in the recipe as well.

If you, want your oxtail to be a little more tender (almost fall off the bone) after the 45 minute timer is up, leave it in the Instant Pot for another 15-20 minutes before “quick releasing” the steam release.