Boiled Chuck Shoulder Roast with Vegetables (Nilagang Baka)

I’ve got exciting news I want to share with ‘all.  Cafe Munchkin is one of 12  blogs chosen to participate in  FoodBuzz’s Tastemaker Program in partnership with the Texas Beef Council.  My assignment is to share 4 healthy  recipes featuring any of the 29 cuts of lean beef.  To make the recipes come to life, the Texas Beef Council is providing yours truly with a stipend.

I’ve decided to feature Asian recipes, recipes I am most at home and familiar with. I’m kicking-off this 4-part recipe series with a popular dish from the Philippines, Nilagang Baka – Boiled Chuck Shoulder Roast with Vegetables.

This has got to be one of the easiest of Philippine dishes to cook.  One just needs to be patient specially in the absence of a pressure cooker.  I do have a pressure cooker but I decided to go old-school with the dish.  That is, I boiled the beef until very tender, which took 2 1/2 to 3 hours.  Boiling also happens to be one of the healthiest methods of cooking.

There are many interpretations for this dish. At the barest minimum, I usually cook it with napa cabbage and some potatoes.  But I wanted vibrant colors for this assignment so in addition to napa cabbage, I added some carrots, sweet corn on the cob, and instead of just regular potatoes, I used red potatoes.

Here’s the recipe:

INGREDIENTS:

2-3 lbs. chuck shoulder roast, cut into 2-inch cubes

1 medium onion, quartered

1 large carrot, cut into 1/2-inch thick pieces,

2 ears of corn, cut into thirds

10 pcs red potatoes, cleaned (with a vegetable brush) and halved

1 nappa cabbage, cut off the core and separate the leaves from each other

10 pcs. peppercorns

sea salt

For the dipping sauce:

1 lemon

fish sauce

jalapeno or chili  peppers, sliced

DIRECTIONS:

1.  Put the beef cubes, peppercorns, and onion in a stock pot.  Fill the pot with water until it is about 2-inches above the beef.  Add some sea salt then boil.  Skim the scum that rises.  Turn down the heat and let the beef simmer until it is fork tender (about 2 to 3 hours).  Add water as needed, keeping the water level 2-inches above the pieces.

2.  Add the potato halves and carrots during the last 30 minutes of boiling and the corn during the last 10 minutes of cooking.  The nappa cabbage can be added during the last 2 minutes of cooking.  Adjust seasoning then serve with steamed brown rice and dipping sauce.

3.  For the dipping sauce, mix the juice of one lemon, fish sauce then add the jalapeno/chili pepper slices. :)

The hour after hour after hour of boiling brought out the natural flavors and goodness of the beef.  The broth, in spite the use of only a handful of seasonings (if not less!) was really good and flavorful.  The beef and the vegetables were all oh-so-tender.  The number 1 beef fan in the house (hubby!) couldn’t be more pleased.  As for me, I was very well pleased, too.  After all, this was a meal that took me back to my Nanay’s (grandma’s) kitchen, back when I could eat anything I want and not worry about things like fat burner, metabolism, calorie count, etc. *sigh*

Mabuhay, y’all!  Cheers to meals that take us “home”!