Beef Morcon to Celebrate the New Year

Welcome to the new year! Keep the holiday festivities going with a celebratory Filipino-style morcon. This beef roll gets its name from a type of Spanish chorizo, but it uses a different set of ingredients and follows a distinct cooking method. This morcon recipe keeps it traditional: it starts with a layer of thinly cut beef, then eggs, hot dogs, carrots, and pickles go on top.

Everything is rolled and seared until the meat develops a flavorful brown crust. It comes with a slightly tangy, umami-filled tomato sauce for balance. With all the textures and flavors in this dish, your taste buds are in for a treat. Think of it as starting the year with more fireworks!

Tips

Marinate your beef for longer to effectively tenderize it.

150 min.
6 People
Medium
Average

Ingredients

2 tbsp calamansi juice
1/4 cup Knorr Liquid Seasoning
2 kg beef, cut thinly into one big piece
3 pcs hot dogs, sliced lengthwise
2 pcs hard-boiled eggs, quartered
3-4 pcs whole pickles, sliced into thick strips
1 pc carrot, peeled and sliced into thick strips
1/4 cup canola oil
2 pcs onions, sliced
1 cup canned diced tomatoes
1 cup tomato sauce
1 cup water
1 Knorr Beef Cube
2 pcs bay leaves
2 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp ground black pepper

Cooking Method

Prepare beef: combine calamansi juice and Knorr Liquid Seasoning. Fully coat and marinate beef in the mixture. Refrigerate for 15-20 minutes.
Once ready, separate beef from the marinade using a strainer. Reserve marinade for sauce preparation.
Add stuffing: lay beef on a baking tray. Arrange hot dogs, eggs, pickles, and carrots on top. Roll beef and secure with a roasting string or toothpicks.
Heat oil in a pan over high flame. Sear beef on all sides until a brown crust is formed. Avoid overcrowding the pan to prevent the meat from steaming. Transfer beef to a separate plate and set aside.
In the same pan, sauté onions until tender. Add tomatoes, tomato sauce, water, Knorr Beef Cube, and reserved marinade. Mix well.
Place beef in the sauce. Add bay leaves. Lower heat, cover, and simmer until the beef is tender. Remove from the sauce and transfer to a clean cutting board.
Adjust seasoning of the sauce with sugar and pepper. Continue simmering until the desired consistency is achieved.
Remove roasting ties or toothpicks before slicing the beef roll into ½-inch-thick pieces. Arrange beef on a platter and pour sauce on top. Serve hot.

Other morcon recipes add cheese for creaminess and a slightly saltier bite. Queso de bola is the usual choice since everyone has it on hand during Christmas. Feel free to use boxed processed cheese if that's more accessible to you. It'll make your beef morcon more nostalgic, too! You can also coat the beef rolls in breadcrumbs and deep-fry them for extra crunch, then serve the sauce on the side. When you apply these tweaks, you'll get something like cordon bleu – another party favorite.