 | |
| Alternative names | Balbakwa, Balbakoa |
|---|---|
| Course | Main course |
| Place of origin | Philippines |
| Region or state | Visayas,Mindanao |
| Serving temperature | Hot |
| Main ingredients | Beef |
Balbacua, also spelledbalbakwa orbalbakoa, is aFilipinobeef stew made from beef,collagen-rich beef parts (oxtail, skin, and joints), and various spices cooked for several hours until very tender. It is typically served withwhite rice ormisua ormiki noodles. It originates from theVisayan regions of theVisayas andMindanao islands.[1]
The namebalbacua is derived from theLatin American dishbarbacoa (which is also the source of the English word "barbecue"), though they are very different dishes. Whilebalbacua is a beef stew,barbacoa is instead meatroasted in a pit. The dish was probably named by the Spanish due to the similarity in the length of time in cooking and the tenderness of the meat.[2][3]
Balbacua has numerous variations when it comes to the spices and secondary ingredients used. A common aspect of the dish, however, is the use ofcollagen-rich parts of beef, includingoxtail, skin, knuckles, and othercartilaginous beef cuts in addition to regular beef cuts. These are cooked for around four to six hours until the meat is falling off the bones and is very tender. The collagen from the skin and cartilage thickens the soup into a gelatinous consistency.[4][5][6]
Common spices used include garlic, onion, black or white pepper,labuyo chilis,ginger orturmeric, annatto (achuete) oil,star anise (sangke),fermented black beans (tausi),bay leaves,coconut vinegar (sukang tuba),lemongrass (tanglad), fish sauce (patis),leeks orscallions, soy sauce or salt,calamansi, and so on. Secondary ingredients are similarly variable, includingpechay, groundpeanuts,baked beans,tomatoes, andsaba bananas. Based on the ingredients,balbacua has sometimes been described as being a cross betweenpuchero andkare-kare dishes.[3][7][8][9][10]
Balbacua is typically served with white rice or withmisua ormiki noodles (the latter variants are differentiated asbalbacua con misua andbalbacua con miki, respectively).[1]
