Beef Kare-Kare

What Is Kare-Kare?

Kare-Kare is the Filipino peanut stew: beef simmered until tender, then finished in a thick, nutty sauce built from ground peanuts and toasted rice. Vegetables — typically eggplant, string beans and bok choy — are folded through so each spoonful has texture against the sauce.

The sauce itself is deliberately mild and slightly sweet. The seasoning comes at the table from bagoong, the salty fermented shrimp paste served on the side. A little goes a long way, and it is what turns Kare-Kare from comforting to unforgettable.

How We Cook It at Mar's Sisig

We braise the beef slowly before it ever meets the sauce, so it stays tender rather than stringy, and we keep the peanut sauce thick enough to coat rice without turning pasty. Vegetables go in late so they hold their colour and bite.

It is one of the dishes guests most often describe as tasting like home — the sort of Filipino cooking you would find at a family Sunday lunch rather than a restaurant.

How to Order Beef Kare-Kare

Beef Kare-Kare is $19.99, listed under Mar's Main Dish. Serving suggestions:

• With plenty of steamed rice — the sauce is the point
• With bagoong on the side, added a little at a time
• Alongside Crispy Pata for a crisp-and-creamy contrast
• Try the Crispy Liempo Kare-Kare ($18.99) if you prefer pork belly instead of beef

Where to Get Beef Kare-Kare in Winnipeg

Mar's Sisig serves Beef Kare-Kare from three Winnipeg locations, so there is almost always one close by. We deliver and take orders from Garden City, The Maples, Jefferson, Mynarski, Inkster Gardens, Luxton and the surrounding neighbourhoods, and you can also see every Mar's Sisig location or browse the full Filipino menu.