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Salpicao has roots in Spanish cuisine, where the term “salpicao” can refer to a marinated meat dish of pork and beef, even chicken and seafood. In the Philippines, it’s short for beef salpicao. Adapted to suit Filipino tastes and pantries, the dish is made of beef cubes, often tenderloin or sirloin, sautéed in garlic, olive oil, and a glug of Worcestershire sauce.
It’s the garlic that makes salpicao so Filipino. This recipe adds it threefold with roasted garlic, garlic oil, and crispy garlic bits for the boldest, most hardcore garlic beef salpicao you’ll ever make.
Adding garlic three ways isn’t just a gimmick. Garlic has plenty of dimensions, and each method unlocks a different flavor profile:
- Roasted garlic, slow-cooked in the oven, has jammy cloves with a caramelized sweetness.
- Crispy garlic bits, the go-to garnish of many Filipino and Asian dishes, delivers a sharper garlic flavor in a crunchy medium.
- Garlic oil is almost like liquid garlic. Fat is one of the best carriers of flavor!
Tips for perfect crispy garlic bits
Crispy garlic bits need your full attention. You want to fry them until perfectly golden brown; any darker than that will make them bitter and acrid. Easier said than done, but here’s our tips to pull it off:
- Mince evenly. Try to mince your garlic as uniformly as possible. Even mince = even cooking.
- Start with a cold pan. Combine the minced garlic and oil in a saucepan first, then set it over your stove.
- Don’t use high heat. No one wants bitter garlic bits. Work with low to medium-low heat, and fry your garlic bits gently and patiently.
- Keep stirring. This encourages even cooking and prevents your garlic from sticking to the bottom of your pan.
- Aim for pale golden brown. Pull and drain your garlic once you hit that pale golden color. Your garlic will continue cooking from the residual heat, and reach that perfect golden color on its own. Trust!
Once you have your crispy garlic bits, you can store them in an airtight container at room temperature for about 1 month.
