Is beef salpicao Spanish or Filipino? Tapas or pulutan? Honestly, we're not sure. This recipe leans Filipino thanks to a rich sauce built on Worcestershire sauce and Knorr liquid seasoning—controversial for purists who insist on just garlic and olive oil. The sauces add a flash of rich umami to this fast-cooking dish.
What is salpicao?
Salpicao, often spelled as "salpicão," is a popular dish in several Latin American countries, plus Brazil and the Philippines.
Filipino salpicao has no definitive origin story. Some say the name comes from the Spanish word "salpicar," meaning "to sprinkle" or "to splash," referring to the way various ingredients are "sprinkled" or mixed together in this dish. Others claim it's Portuguese "salpicon", meaning "seasoned meat or fish".
What we can all agree on is the Pinoy concept of salpicao: tender cubes of beef—sirloin or tenderloin, usually—cooked quickly in tons of garlic and a savory brown sauce. Add chili flakes if you like it spicy!
Ingredients
Salpicao Sauce
- ¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- 1 tbsp brown sugar or honey
- ½ tbsp Knorr Liquid Seasoning
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- pinch of freshly cracked black pepper
Beef Salpicao
- 200g beef tenderloin or ribeye, cut into 1-inch cubes
- salt and pepper, to season
- 2 tbsp canola or olive oil
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- 1 ½ tbsp cold unsalted butter, cubed
- chopped chives, for garnish
- fried garlic, for garnish
Make salpicao sauce: Combine all salpicao sauce ingredients in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat and stir to incorporate the brown sugar or honey into the sauce, 1 minute. Once boiling, remove from heat and set aside.
Sear beef: Season beef cubes with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a pan over high heat. Once the oil is hot enough—you’ll know when it starts to shimmer—add the beef and sear undisturbed, until one side of the beef has browned and formed a crust.
Add garlic and sauce: Add minced garlic to the pan. Stir quickly for a few seconds to mix, then pour about 3-4 tbsp of salpicao sauce to the pan. (Add less or more sauce to taste.) Cook the beef and garlic in the sauce, about one minute.
Emulsify butter: Quickly add cold butter cubes to the pan. Slowly melt the butter into the sauce, either by stirring with a wooden spoon, or swirling the pan constantly. This emulsifies the butter into the pan sauce, creating a glossy sauce.
Serve: Transfer beef salpicao to a serving plate, or top on a bowl of rice. Garnish with chopped chives and fried garlic. Serve hot.
