Callos or Calyos is a Filipino stew made with oxtail, tripe, pork hock, chorizo de Bilbao and vegetables on a light tomato sauce base. A hearty meal that is easy to prepare yet so decadent. This dish was introduced by Spaniards when we were colonized by Spain. We were under Spanish rule for over 300 years and Filipinos have adapted the Spanish language, culture and many of their cuisine. This dish is very similar to Callos Madrid style also known as callos a la madrileña.
You can make it without tripe, but if you do, clean it thoroughly and boil it twice to get rid of the impurities. It is best when chewy so don't overcook. I am lucky, the Asian store where I get the tripe, they have it already clean. Even though it is clean, I still wash and boil it twice. I wash all the meat before cooking. The pork oxtail and pork hock are also boiled until tender.
Some stores allow customers to choose the meat. If that's the case, medium oxtail would be my preferred size since I like serving it whole. Other stores have it already packaged with mixed sizes. When you boil it, remove the smaller pieces when tender and continue boiling the bigger oxtail until tender.
Callos is usually serve in gatherings or during the holidays, but it is so easy to make that it can be an everyday dish. Be sure to have fish sauce and lots of rice when having this dish, it is so yummy. Also, it is best to fry the potatoes, carrots, red and green peppers so it stays crisp with vibrant colors instead of mushy. One of the things in cooking I learned from my mom.
Can you cook Callos in an Instant Pot?
Yes, you can but I only use the instant pot to tenderize the oxtail and pork hock. If their size ranges from medium to large, set it to pressure cook mode for 25 to 28 minutes. I still prefer to fry my vegetables and saute the other ingredients in a pan or skillet then I add it all in the instant pot.
Before adding all the ingredients in the instant pot, remove some broth. Set the instant pot to Saute mode until it simmers. Add all the ingredients and simmer for about 3 to 5 minutes. Keep your vegetables crisp.
How to Cook Callos with Oxtail and Tripe
This dish is even tastier on the second day so it doesn't hurt to make extra servings. As much as possible, I don't like having leftovers but when making Callos I purposely make more. If you’ve never cooked this before, try it today.
Also, if you've never tried it with smoked pork hock, try it. It gives this dish so much flavor.
Watch my video and see how simple this dish is. Magluto na tayo!
Check out these other Tomato Base Recipes
Callos with Oxtail and Tripe
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons cooking oil
- 2 medium yellow onion diced
- 6 cloves garlic crushed and minced
- 1 ½ pounds oxtail
- 1 pound beef tripe cooked
- 1 big piece smoke pork hock (optional but adds so much flavor)
- 3 pieces smoked sausage kielbasa or chorizo de bilbao cut diagonally and sliced in half
- 4 oz. can tomato sauce (1/2 of the smallest can)
- 2 cups oxtail/smoked pork hock broth
- ½ teaspoon sweet paprika
- 2/3 cup garbanzos
- 1 medium red potato cut
- 1 medium carrots cut
- 1 small green pepper cut
- 1 small red pepper cut
- 15 pieces of whole black peppercorn
- Fish sauce or salt to taste (I use fish sauce)
Instructions
Step 1 - Cook Tripe
- Boil 5 cups of water and add tripe.
- Cook for ½ to an hour till tender. Don’t overcook tripe since it is good gooey or chewy.
- When done, slice tripe 1 ½ inch x 1 inch. Put aside.
Step 2 - Cook Oxtail
- In another pot, boil 6 cups of water and add oxtail.
- When it start boiling, remove scum (white foamy stuff) from meat. Lower heat between medium-low.
- Toss-in 15 pieces peppercorn.
- Add smoked pork hock. Again, this is optional.
- Cut 1 medium onion into 4 pieces (quartered) and add to mixture.
- Simmer till oxtail & pork hock are tender.
- Cut pork hock to 6 pieces.
- Leave the meat in the broth. Set aside.
Step 3
- Heat oil in pan over medium heat.
- Fry carrots and potatoes at the same time till golden. Set aside.
- On the same pan, fry sausage. Set aside.
- Add oil if needed.
- Saute onion for 3 minutes or till soft.
- Toss-in garlic and cook for 3 minutes.
- Add tomato sauce & paprika.
- Stir in cooked oxtail, smoked pork hock and tripe.
- Saute 3 - 4 minutes.
- Stir-in sausage.
- Pour oxtail/smoked pork hock broth.
- Simmer for 10 - 15 minutes.
- Add garbanzos, carrots,potatoes, green and red pepper. Stir.
- Simmer for 1 to 2 minutes.
- Season with fish sauce or salt. I use fish sauce.
- Serve hot.
Notes
- If you like to use Instant Pot, read my post above.
- If you have never tried smoked pork hock with Callos, try it as it adds so much flavor to this dish.
- Fry vegetables to keep it crisp and vibrant.
Nutrition
Updated: Sept. 8, 2019
i will try this definitely! still have to figure out how to purchase smoked pork hock
Pork hock will definitely add flavor. If you are in the US, Walmart and Asian stores carry it. But if you have a hard time finding it, you may disregard it. FYI, it takes forever to get it tender. Let me know how you like it! Thanks.