Beef Pares with Garlic Rice
Recipe Guy
Filipino | Comfort Food | Weeknight Dinner
Tender Filipino beef pares simmered with star anise, bay leaf, garlic, onion, and a glossy savory sauce.
Why make it: This version turns a useful flavor idea into a complete home recipe with clear shopping notes and a practical cooking process.
About This Recipe
Tender Filipino beef pares simmered with star anise, bay leaf, garlic, onion, and a glossy savory sauce.
Why You Will Love It
- Practical for U.S. kitchens: the shopping list uses ingredients that are realistic to find in Filipino, Asian, and mainstream grocery stores.
- Clear method: the process separates prep, cooking, finishing, and serving so each stage is easy to follow.
- Flexible but focused: variation posts keep one core method and show exactly where the flavors change.
- Complete recipe: the article uses the same recipe card, quick facts, table of contents, tips, and FAQ structure as the rest of the site.
Ingredient Notes
Beef cut
Chuck, brisket, or shank gives better sauce than lean steak.
Star anise
Use sparingly so it perfumes the broth without taking over.
Beef Pares with Garlic Rice Recipe
Tender Filipino beef pares simmered with star anise, bay leaf, garlic, onion, and a glossy savory sauce.
Shopping List
- beef chuck
- onion
- garlic
- star anise
- bay leaves
- soy sauce
- brown sugar
- pepper
- cornstarch
- green onions
- rice
Ingredients
Beef
- 2 pounds beef chuck, brisket, or shank slices
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 6 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 star anise pods
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon whole black pepper
Sauce
- 5 cups water or beef broth
- 1/3 cup soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- Salt to taste
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water
For Serving
- Garlic rice
- Toasted garlic
- Sliced green onions
- Clear beef broth, optional
Instructions
- Brown beef in batches.
- Saute onion and garlic in the same pot.
- Return beef with broth, star anise, bay leaves, and pepper.
- Simmer gently until the beef is tender.
- Season with soy sauce, brown sugar, and salt.
- Stir in cornstarch slurry until lightly glossy.
- Prepare garlic rice while the beef rests in the sauce.
- Serve with scallions, toasted garlic, and extra broth.
Nutrition Estimate
Approximate values per serving based on the listed ingredients and yield. Actual nutrition will vary by brand, exact portion size, and cooking changes.
Tips For The Best Beef Pares with Garlic Rice
- Brown first: Browning gives the sauce depth.
- Simmer gently: Hard boiling makes beef dry.
- Thicken last: Cornstarch should go in after the meat is tender.
- Serve with garlic rice: The rice is part of the pares experience.
How To Serve And Store
Serve with garlic rice and a small bowl of broth. Refrigerate up to 4 days.
Common Questions
Can I use thin beef slices?
Yes, but simmer less and watch tenderness.
Can I make it ahead?
Yes. It reheats well.
Can I skip star anise?
Yes, though the flavor will be less classic.
Can I pressure cook it?
Yes. Pressure cook beef until tender, then reduce and thicken sauce.
Cook's note: Taste as you go and adjust sweetness, salt, texture, and finishing time for your ingredients.
Recipe developed as an original Filipino-American Cooking recipe for home kitchens.
