Filipino Beef Asado

Prepare the beef by sprinkling it with salt and pepper; place it aside momentarily.

Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat; sauté the diced onion and minced garlic in the hot oil until they become tender, approximately 5 minutes. Transfer the cooked onion and garlic to a large 6-quart pot. Brown each piece of beef individually on all sides in the skillet and add it to the pot. Add the tomatoes, crushed peppercorns, pitted olives with their juice, quartered onion, bay leaves, and bouillon cubes to the pot; bring it to a boil. Stir the ketchup into the mixture, lower the heat to medium-low, and let it simmer for 1 hour.

Take the beef out of the pot and set it aside temporarily. Add the red bell pepper to the mixture and continue simmering for another 30 minutes.

While the mixture continues to simmer, heat 2 tablespoons of oil in the skillet. Cook the sliced potatoes in the oil until they turn golden brown; immediately add them to the simmering mixture.

Slice the cooked beef against the grain and add it to the pot; stir. Cook together for another 5 minutes before serving. If the sauce is too thin, mix the corn flour and water together and stir it into the sauce to thicken.