Vinegar-Braised Beef with Garlic and Bay Leaves
A hearty Filipino beef stew braised in a tangy vinegar and garlic broth, infused with aromatic bay leaves for a rich and comforting flavor. This Filipino-inspired beef recipe, ready in about 135 minutes, pairs beef chuck, cut into 1-inch cubes, white vinegar, water for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 400 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds beef chuck, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1/2 cup white vinegar
- 1 cup water
- 8 garlic cloves
- 4 bay leaves
- 1/3 cup soy sauce
- 1 tsp black peppercorns
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 2 tbsp cooking oil
- to taste salt
The Dutch oven we’d braise this in → Best Dutch Ovens for 2026: Top Picks + Buying Guide
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Equipment for this recipe
Tools this recipe's steps call for, with a link to each on Amazon.
Instructions
- Step 1: Peel and crush 8 garlic cloves roughly. In a large bowl, combine 1/2 cup white vinegar, 1 cup water, 1/3 cup soy sauce, 1 tsp black peppercorns, and 4 bay leaves. Add 2 pounds beef chuck cubes and marinate for 1 hour in the refrigerator.
- Step 2: Heat 2 tbsp cooking oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Remove beef from marinade (reserve marinade) and sear cubes in batches, turning until browned on all sides, about 5 minutes per batch.
- Step 3: Return all beef to the pot and pour in reserved marinade. Add 1 tbsp brown sugar and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer gently for 1.5 to 2 hours until beef is tender and sauce thickens.
- Step 4: Taste and season with salt as needed. Remove bay leaves before serving. Serve hot with steamed jasmine rice.









