Filipino Beef Kamto Recipes

Beef kamto is a lean beef cut in the Philippines that has very little fat, but lots of flavors when cooked properly. The meat comes from an area on the cow's body where there isn't much to work with or very little marbling which makes it tough and not as tasty if you try cooking this beef for Filipino dishes like menudo.

Beef kamto can form part of the sirloin, which means it comes from beef cattle's body between its ninth rib to twelfth rib. It also forms part of lower back region under loin primal cuts. The muscles in this beef cut are mainly used for standing/walking thus creating firm lean meat with less fat marbling than other beef cuts like tenderloin or strip steak.

Also spelled "camto", beef kamto has more connective tissues but contains high collagen concentration making them ideal for long hours of cooking to make it tenderized even more over time. You can try beef kamto in all sorts of recipes. Even if you don't feel like cooking a Filipino beef dish, the beef cut is versatile enough to add to many other types of dishes as well.

Because it has a long grain and is a tough cut of meat, the beef kamto benefits highly from a marinade. It's fantastic when grilled or seared like steak. You can also braise it to make beef stew if you overcook the dish which will result in flavorful beef dishes. You could also stir-fry the beef with vegetables for an easy meal that's filled with healthy ingredients from nature! The grains are very thick so be careful not to overcook this cut of meat as you'll end up with an unappealing meal.

The beef cut can be sliced thinly and cooked as part of the main dish or kept whole and just have it cooked longer until tender enough. Flank steak tends to work better if prepared this way. Just remember not to slice against the grain since doing so will make it tough instead of soft and can turn an otherwise delicious meal into something else entirely. Slice too thickly or wrong way? You may end up with beef better off as part of a rich stew than served as its own dish.

It's not very common in the US so you may need to go online or ask your butcher if they have this beef cut available for purchase. To sum it up, here are our tips should you have the fast cooking skills and steady hand to try cooking this beef cut:

• Marinate beef kamto before cooking to tenderize the meat.
• Use high heat when searing beef kamto, do not overcook it.
• Slice beef against grain prior to serving.

Make Beef Fajitas

Fajitas are composed of bell peppers and onions, with more spicy chili powder added, to create a Tex Mex fusion dish. It's simple enough where you only need to cook them on your stovetop over high heat or you can even let your oven do all the cooking for you. Try this recipe: https://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/steak_fajitas/ 

Classic Beef with Broccoli

Kamto cut beef has less fat than other beef cuts but still lends rich beefy flavors full of umami to a dish with broccoli. Oyster sauce also provides most of the flavor for this dish, so do not use any other type of soy sauce or else it will alter the taste and texture. Achieving that perfect balance between sweet, salty, bitter, and sour requires brown sugar as well as fish sauce/patis. With these tips on hand, making your favorite beef with broccoli recipe using kamto cuts will be a breeze! Try this recipe: https://panlasangpinoy.com/beef-with-broccoli-recipe-knr-kls/ 

Go for sweet and sour combo

You'll love to know that beef kamto can be marinated in pineapple juice overnight. Pineapples are full of bromelain which helps break down beef strands, making beef kamto easier to chew on when cooked. Make sure the meat rests for at least 12 hours before cooking so that marinade has enough time to work its magic into the beef. Try this recipe: https://www.yummy.ph/recipe/sweet-and-sour-beef-recipe-a157-20200124 

Now that you know a little bit more about beef kamto beef recipes from the Philippines, what do you want to try cooking first? Share in the comments below or tag us on social media with your Filipino beef kamto creations so we can see them too!