Beef Mechado
Beef Mechado is a tomato based stew that is an ultimate comfort food! Tender beef in thick and tangy sauce with carrots and potatoes that goes best with steamed rice or even bread.
I can’t remember how many times I asked my husband not to snatch a piece of beef whenever I cook mechado. He can’t control himself forking a cut of beef or dipping a slice of baguette in the sauce. Well, that just shows how good this mechado recipe is.
This classic Filipino dish features succulent beef chunks simmered to perfection in tomato-based sauce infused with a symphony of spices. Bursting with the warmth of soy sauce, bay leaves, and the tangy twist of calamansi, Filipino Beef Mechado is a hearty feast that embodies the essence of Filipino comfort food.
What is Mechado?
Called mitsado locally, it is a classic Filipino beef stew dish. Inspired by culinary techniques of Spain where the beef is braised in calamansi and soy sauce.
The Spanish word mechado is derived from “mecha” that translate to wick. As most of you know, beef quality greatly depends on its marbling or flecks of fat in each cut. And marbled beef do not come cheap, so during those times people will buy cheaper, lean cuts and insert lard.
This process mimics a flavorful marbled beef cut but also resembles a candle. The lard or or strip of pork fat sticks out from the beef and looks like a wick or mitsa, thus the name mechado.
Notes on Ingredients
Tips for best results.
How to Serve and Store
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Beef Mechado
Ingredients
Marinate
- 1 kg beef brisket (cut into chunks)
- ½ cup soy sauce
- 2 slice lemon (key lime or calamansi)
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp pepper
For cooking Mechado
- 2 tbsp cooking oil
- 2 medium carrots (sliced)
- 4 medium size potatoes (cut into wedges)
- 1 small red bell pepper (cut into cubes)
- 1 small green bell pepper (cut into cubes)
- 4 large tomatoes (chopped into small pieces)
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 medium onion (sliced)
- 3 cloves garlic (chopped)
- 2 pcs bay leaves
- 1 cup water (add more if needed)
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Marinating the beef
- In a bowl, pour the soy sauce, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Add the beef chunks then mix until all the beef chunks are coated with marinate sauce. Set aside and marinate for a minimum of 20 mins.½ cup soy sauce, 2 slice lemon, ½ tsp salt, ½ tsp pepper, 1 kg beef brisket
Cooking the Mechado
- In a pot, heat oil over medium. Fry the carrots and potatoes until half-cooked. Remove the vegetables and set aside.2 medium carrots, 4 medium size potatoes, 2 tbsp cooking oil
- Using the same pot, sear the beef until brown in color and set aside. NOTE: Save the marinating sauce for later use.
- Turn down the heat and sauté onion and garlic until onions are translucent. Tip in chopped tomatoes and cook until the tomatoes are soft and the juice is released. Add tomato paste and mix well.4 large tomatoes, 1 medium onion, 3 cloves garlic, 2 tbsp tomato paste
- Add the beef and simmer for a few seconds until the beef absorbs the sauce. Then add water, bay leaves, and the marinate sauce, mix well and cover with a lid.1 cup water, 2 pcs bay leaves
- Cook in low-medium heat for 1 hour or until the beef is soft and tender. If the beef still hard, you can add more water.
- When the beef is cooked, add the bell pepper, carrots, and potatoes. Simmer until the bell pepper is cooked. Adjust the taste with salt and pepper if needed.1 small red bell pepper, 1 small green bell pepper, salt and pepper to taste
- Remove from heat then transfer in a serving dish. Serve with rice and enjoy. Bon appetit!