Try Callos for dinner tonight! Slow-cooked in a paprika-infused tomato sauce with beans, smoky sausage, and bell peppers, this classic ox tripe stew is hearty, flavorful, and delicious with steamed rice!
Oh, my good friends, this Filipino-Spanish stew got to be the most delicious dish I've cooked for the blog.
I couldn't get enough of the melt-in-your-mouth beef tripe and ox feet meat, the thick and slightly spicy sauce, the smoky sausages, and the tender-crisp peppers; I ate far more than I should. Two hefty ladles of this and three cups of rice.
What is Callos
Callos was one of the influences of Spanish colonization on Filipino cuisine. It was probably adapted from the Callos Madrillenos, a traditional dish in Madrid often served in public houses and at family dinners.
The hearty stew is made of beef tripe, ox feet, smoked meats such as ham or sausages, garbanzo beans, green peas, and bell peppers slow-cooked in a paprika-infused tomato sauce.
How to prepare ox tripe
- The backbone of the stew is the full-flavored broth and nothing will ruin it more than the malodor of beef tripe. I like to soak the tripe in a solution of vinegar and salt to rid it of its barnyard stench.
- I also like to discard the first boil and start again with a fresh pot of water to ensure that the resulting stock is free of sediments and unpleasant smell.
Pressure cooker
The ox feet and tripe take about 1 ยฝ to 2 hours to cook to tenderness. If you're pressed for time, you can use an Instant Pot. Pressure cook the meat for about 45 to 50 minutes and use it in the recipe as directed.
How to serve
Callos makes a delicious main dish for lunch or dinner. Enjoy with steamed rice or crusty bread to sop up the thick, flavorful sauce!
Serving and reheating suggestions
Due to the high collagen from the skin, the sauce might congeal when cold.
Reheat in a saucepan over medium heat to 165 F or microwave at 2 to 3-minute intervals, stirring well to prevent scorching and distribute heat.
More stew recipes
Ingredients
- 1 pound honeycomb tripe
- ยผ cup vinegar
- 3 tablespoons rock salt
- water
- 2 pounds ox feet, cut into pieces
- 1 onion, peeled and quartered
- 4 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1 teaspoon peppercorns
- 2 bay leaves
- 3 strips bacon, chopped
- 1 onion, peeled and chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
- 2 pieces Thai chili peppers, stemmed and minced
- 5 ounces (about 2 pieces) Chorizo de Bilbao, cut in a bias into ยผ-inch thick pieces
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1 cup tomato sauce
- 3 cups beef broth, reserved from boiling tripe and ox feet
- 1 cup garbanzo beans, drained
- ยฝ red bell pepper, seeded, cored and cut into cubes
- ยฝ green bell pepper, seeded, cored and cut into cubes
- salt and pepper to taste
- ยฝ cup frozen green peas, thawed
Instructions
- With a knife, cut and discard any yellowish fat or loose membrane attached on the flat side of the tripe.
- In a bowl, combine vinegar and rock salt. Add tripe and enough cold water to cover. Soak for about 1 hour. Drain and rinse well under cold running water.
- In a pot over medium heat, add beef tripe, ox feet and enough water to cover. Bring to a boil for about 10 to 15 minutes.
- When scum begins to rise, drain the meat in a colander and discard liquid. Rinse tripe and ox feet. Rinse pot. Place meat in the clean pot and add enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, skimming scum that floats on top.
- When broth clears, add quartered onions, crushed garlic, peppercorns, and bay leaves.
- Lower heat, cover, and cook for about 1 ยฝ to 2 hours or until meat are tender but not falling apart.
- In a colander, drain tripe and ox feet. Discard aromatics and reserve about 2 to 3 cups of the broth.
- Allow the meat to cool to touch. Cut meat off ox bones and slice into 1-inch thick strips.
- Cut tripe into 1-inch thick strips.
- In a wide pot over medium heat, add bacon and cook, stirring occasionally.
- When bacon begins to render fat, add chopped onions, minced garlic and chili peppers and cook until softened.
- Add Chorizo de Bilbao and cook for about 2 to 3 minutes or until lightly browned and begins to release color.
- Add meat from ox bones and the beef tripe. Cook for about 1 to 2 minutes, stirring regularly.
- Add paprika and cook for about 1 to 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add tomato sauce and 3 cups of the reserved broth. Bring to a boil.
- Lower heat, cover and cook until meat is fork-tender and liquid is slightly reduced.
- Add garbanzo beans and cook until heated through.
- Add bell peppers and green peas. Cook for about 1 to 2 minutes or until bell peppers are tender yet crisp and green peas are heated through.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot.
Notes
Video
Nutrition Information
โThis website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.โ
mikemaia says
Soaking in vinegar and boiling for 15 minutes seems to get rid of the nasty aftertaste. Thank you for this recipe! It reminds us of the callos we used to order at Mingoy's Restaurant back in the Philippines.
Claire says
Miss Lalaine, can I use andouille sausages in place of chorizo de bilbao?
Lalaine Manalo says
Yes, you can ๐
Claire says
I cooked this for the first time today and sooo yummy! Since I didn't have bacon, I just sauteed the andouille a bit longer to draw out the flavor. Thank you!
Lalaine Manalo says
You're welcome. I'm glad the recipe worked well for you. Yes, the andouille sausage have enough flavor to make up for the bacon ๐
Greg Gregorio says
I've done this before.. Went to Queens NYC to buy saffron and add a little to it..My sisters lean towards the Madrileno version (they're a little hoity-toity LoL) Then red wine..
My daughter in CA ( Mission Viejo) wants me to cook this when I fly off to her on June 11 '21.
Now I'll print out and try your version.. Looks good too.
Gloria de Castro says
Looks sooo delicious
Dinna says
I just tried this recipe for the first time and I am so bowled over by how delicious it is! I did reduce the ox feet by half but kept all the other ingredients as specified. I also skipped the Thai chili because the chorizo was spicy enough as it is. Well worth all the effort from start to finish! Thanks for sharing...
Lalaine Manalo says
Thanks for the feedback. Glad you enjoyed it.
Virna says
Best callos recipe. I like the prep work with the trip. More work but worth it. I also added half a cup of sliced sun dried tomatoes which gave it a deeper taste.
Lalaine Manalo says
Thank you! Sun-dried tomatoes sound like an interesting addition. Need to try next time ๐
lev bautista says
a delicious food that can eat by all filipinos....
jeric miguel says
yes,can you please teach me how to cook callos?
Corazon DS. Macairan says
I find it helpful and so delicious!
Lalaine Manalo says
Thank you, Corazon!
BRENDAN RIORDAN says
Hi Lalaine, really interesting to hear that the Spanish took Callos to the Philippines. I'm not Spanish but I'm addicted to this stuff. You should check out Tripa alla Romana, a very simple, yet incredible delicious, Italian recipe using tripe. If you come to Europe be sure to taste thr local dishes using offal, most regions have their particular way of preparing them.
Lalaine Manalo says
A tour of Europe is definitely on my bucket list. Maybe someday ๐
Jennifer says
Can you substitute the ox feet for something else?
Lalaine Manalo says
You can omit it if you like and just add more tripe.
dolly says
Hi Lalaine, when you say ox feet, what is it exactly? is this the meat off the shin bone? I really want to try your recipe because it reminded me of that callos they serve in Casa Marcos. that was so delicious. perhaps yours is better.
Lalaine says
Hi Dolly
Ox feet is the beef foot, the shin is more the leg. If you go to Asian stores, you'll usually find it already cut and it's color white probably from bleaching.
Raymund says
One of my favourite Filipino dishes, yum!
Lalaine says
Mine, too ๐
LAURA says
HOLA! GRACIAS POR SUS RECETAS, MUY BUENA ESTA DE CALLOS,PERO ME GUSTARIA SABER QUE ES PIES DE BUEY, DESDE YA AGRADECIDA, FELICITACIONES ,ABRAZOS
Rocio Tureau says
Manitas de becerro, manitas de vaca? Dependiendo de donde seas en Latinoamรฉrica o Espaรฑa le llaman diferente.