Classic Beef Mechado

This mouth-watering beef mechado (shredded beef) recipe takes its roots from more than 53 years ago when my dearest husband requested for a beef dish for Christmas Eve. Through the weekends and succeeding Christmas Eves, I have learned to take it to perfection by considering the comments of my family and relatives, until it became a staple request in holiday gatherings, birthday celebrations, reunions and the like.

My classic beef mechado may also be paired with chicharon or fried pork belly/rind the way my husband Bino likes it best. This dish becomes more satisfying to the palate after days of re-heating and when beef cubes start to easily pull away and transforms to how it should be - shredded beef dish.

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Classic Beef Mechado Recipe

Ingredients

1 kilo beef cubes

5 medium calamansi

Half cup soy sauce

1 tbsp pepper

3 cloves minced garlic

1 bell pepper, sliced thinly into strips

5 medium-sized tomatoes, cut into half with seeds removed

3 large red onions, cut into quarters

1 large potato, cut into medium-sized cubes

1 carrot, cut into medium-sized cubes

Bay leaves

Olives

Procedure

1.

Marinate beef cubes with calamansi juice and freshly ground pepper (30 minutes).

2.

Cut tomatoes in half and remove the seeds. Blend with a little bit of water together with onions cut into quarters.

3.

When 30 minutes is over, sauté garlic in medium hot oil until slightly brown. Add thinly sliced bell pepper.

4.

Add the beef cubes mixture to the pan.

5.

Add blended tomatoes and onions.

6.

Bring to a boil and lower down heat until beef is tender.

7.

Add medium-sized cubed potatoes and carrots.

8.

Once potatoes and carrots are cooked, add bay leaves and olives. You may wish to add boiled whole eggs and simmer until ready to serve.