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From Freezer Fiasco to a Delicious Dish: My First Beef Adobo

On our first weekend back from our Christmas holidays in Germany—and right after we had stocked up on groceries for the week ahead—I heard a beeping sound in our apartment.

Beep. Beeeeep. Beeeeeeeeeeeep.

Those who know me know I loathe repetitive sounds—whether it’s a clock ticking, water dripping, or kids’ toys singing the same tune. My patience wears thin quickly, so I enlisted my husband, Tobi, to track down the source of the irritating sound.

We found the culprit in the kitchen: our freezer. Its temperature had climbed from -18°C to 3°C. Not good. We reset the fridge and hoped for the best.

The next day was Sunday, and the freezer had climbed even higher to 4°C. While it was still cold, it was clear that things were beginning to defrost. Being a Sunday, there wasn’t much we could do—not even call our landlord, as their office was closed. So, we waited. First thing Monday morning, Tobi called the landlord’s office, and the lady advised us to move the contents of our freezer outside, as the daytime temperatures hovered close to 0°C. We were lucky it was winter, but it was still a hassle to move everything.

By Tuesday, the technician arrived to inspect the fridge. After a quick check, he delivered the verdict: the compressor had died, and the fridge was beyond repair. A new one was needed, but it would take two weeks to arrive. In the meantime, we were loaned a replacement fridge. Relief, right? Not quite.

When the replacement fridge arrived, I couldn’t help but laugh—mostly out of disbelief. The thing was tiny. Not just small, but ridiculously small. The freezer could barely hold anything, and the fridge itself was narrow and deep, which meant I had to shove things into the back and practically go on a treasure hunt every time I needed something. Naturally, there still wasn’t enough space. So, we had to use our balcony as a makeshift back-up fridge. It felt like juggling groceries in a game where the odds were stacked against me.

Old fridge vs loaned one; right photo, watercolor of Beef Adobo*

And then came the next challenge: eating through all the defrosted meat. I had beef cubes, steaks, chicken thighs, chicken nuggets, fish sticks, lumpia, longanisa, and chorizo. The sheer variety was overwhelming, but I didn’t want anything to go to waste. So, I sat down with my weekly meal plan and figured out how to incorporate everything.

For the beef cubes, I decided to try something new—adobo. I’d never made it before, but I thought it would work well for rice bowls or even tortillas. To my surprise, it turned out wonderfully. It was such a hit that I knew I had to share the recipe:

BEEF ADOBO

Note: Garlic is packed with antioxidants, and its most active ingredient, allicin, is known for its health benefits. However, heat deactivates allicin. To preserve its properties, let minced garlic rest for 10 minutes before cooking.

Ingredients:

1 kilo beef cubes

Salt, to taste

10 garlic cloves, minced

1/3 cup soy sauce

1/2 cup cane or coconut vinegar

1 tbsp brown sugar (or more, to taste)

2 bay leaves

Black pepper, to taste

Enough water to cover the beef

Instructions:

  1. Marinate the beef: Salt the beef cubes and set aside.
  2. Preserve the garlic’s health benefits: Mince the garlic cloves and let them rest for 10 minutes.
  3. Brown the beef: Heat a heavy-bottomed pan with cooking oil over high heat and sear the beef cubes in batches. Once seared, lower the heat to medium and sauté the garlic until fragrant.
  4. Simmer: Add the beef back to the pot. Pour in the soy sauce and stir. Add the vinegar, but do not stir until it comes to a boil. Once boiling, add enough water to cover the beef, along with brown sugar and black pepper to taste. Bring it back to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer.
  5. Cook until tender: Cover the pot and simmer for 1.5–2 hours, or until the beef is tender. Check occasionally and add more water if needed to prevent drying out.

Season and serve: Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt, pepper, or a bit of sugar, if desired. Serve over steamed rice or in tortillas for a fun twist.*

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