Recipes

Humbà Beets

This meatless riff on Filipino red braised pork is redolent with garlic, miso, and star anise.

  • Serves

    4–6

  • Time

    2 hours 45 minutes

Humbà Beets
BOB CROSLIN

By Jamilyn Salonga-Bailey and Lordfer Lalicon


Published on November 15, 2024

Red braised pork (hong-bah), brought to the Visayas Islands by Hokkien Chinese traders, gave humbà its name. Though traditionally made with meat, this humbà beet recipe is equally decadent. Jamilyn Salonga-Bailey’s great grandmother Leoncia was known for the pork humbà she made during fiesta time, but she was vegetarian—so this recipe is a tribute to her. The leftover sauce (which will keep for two weeks in the fridge) is great over grilled or roasted vegetables.

Featured in “Make Your Next Dinner Party a Kamayan” by Jasmine Ting.

Ingredients

For the beets:

  • 1 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
  • 1½ tsp. kosher salt
  • 1½ tsp. sugar
  • 2 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
  • 1 rosemary sprig
  • 1 thyme sprig
  • 2½ lb. beets, cleaned and dried
  • 2 cups coarse sea salt

For the sauce:

  • 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
  • 1½ tsp. black peppercorns
  • 20 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped (about ½ cup)
  • 2 medium onions, coarsely chopped
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 whole star anise
  • 1½ cups light brown sugar
  • ½ cup fermented black beans
  • 3 Tbsp. plus 1½ tsp. red miso
  • 1 cup cane vinegar, such as Datu Puti brand, or rice vinegar
  • ¼ cup plus 3 Tbsp. Filipino soy sauce, such as Datu Puti brand, or other soy sauce
  • Kale chips and chopped pili nuts, for garnish (optional)

Instructions

Step 1

Make the beets: Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350°F. In a large bowl, stir together the vinegar, kosher salt, sugar, garlic, rosemary, and thyme. Add the beets and toss, then transfer to a large sheet of foil, cover with another sheet, and fold tightly to make a packet. In a 9- by 13-inch ­baking dish, spread the coarse salt, then place the packet on top. Bake until the beets are ­tender when pierced with a knife, about 2½ hours, then set aside to cool.

Step 2

Meanwhile, make the sauce: In a medium pot over medium heat, cook the oil, peppercorns, garlic, onions, bay leaf, and star anise, stirring frequently, until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the brown sugar, fermented beans, and miso and cook, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, about 5 minutes. Stir in the vinegar and soy sauce, turn the heat to medium-low, and simmer, stirring ­occasionally, until reduced, about 25 ­minutes more.

Step 3

In a blender or food processor, pulse the sauce until smooth, then strain through a fine-mesh strainer into a medium bowl.

Step 4

When the beets are cool enough to ­handle, peel and cut them into wedges. Transfer to a bowl, add ½ cup of the sauce, and toss to coat. On a platter, spread another ½ cup of the sauce, then top with the beets. Garnish with kale chips and pili nuts if desired.

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