Last Updated on November 5, 2014 by Ed Joven

How to cook Beef Mechado

Beef Mechado Recipe is an appetizing tomato based, beef stew dish similar to other Filipino cuisine like the Beef Caldereta, Afritada, Menudo and Estofado because of the tomato sauce which is the common ingredient used in this recipe.

To have the best tasting and flavorful Beef Mechado is to use the beef stock, while cooking this dish take some time to tenderize the meat; you will need a pressure cooker to solve the problem. The beef is marinated with kalamansi juice mixture and soy sauce, and then the marinated beef is slow cooked with tomato sauce, carrots, bell peppers and potatoes.

Try and enjoy this Beef Mechado Recipe.

• 1 kilo of beef cut into chunks
• ⅛ kilo of pork fat cut into strips
• 4 onions, peeled and quartered
• 5 medium potatoes, quartered (optional: fried)
• 1 medium sized carrot, sliced in ½" sections
• 2 red bell pepper, sliced
• 2 cups beef stock or 2 bouillon cubes dissolved in water
• 3 bay leaves (laurel leaves)
• ¼ -cup vinegar
• 2 cups tomato sauce or ½ cup tomato paste
• 1 cup soy sauce
• salt & pepper to taste

• Cut an incision on the beef chunks and insert a pork strip in the middle (mitsa)
• In a casserole, combine the beef (with the fat), tomato sauce, soy sauce, bay leaves and beef stock. Bring to a boil and simmer until the beef is almost tender
• Add the vinegar and let boil for a minute or two
• Add the potatoes, onions, carrot, and bell pepper
• Let simmer until potatoes and carrots are cooked - occasionally stir to thicken sauce
• Serve hot with white rice

• Pressure cook the beef with the beef stock for faster cooking time.
• Fry the potatoes before adding to the casserole.
• Add 2 to 3 tablespoons of olive oil and stir when the mechado dish is almost done for added flavor.