Mechado (Filipino Braised Beef Stew)
Mechado (Filipino Braised Beef Stew)
Ingredients
For the Mechado
- 2 pounds beef chuck, cut into 2-inch chunks
- 4 garlic, cloves, minced
- 1 yellow onion, sliced
- 2 roma tomatoes, chopped
- 2 potatoes, medium, peeled and sliced into 1-inch chunks
- 2 carrots, medium, peeled and sliced into 1/2-inch chunks
- 1 red bell pepper, sliced into 1-inch chunks
- 1 green bell pepper, sliced into 1-inch chunks
- 2 tablespoons beef tallow, or preferred cooking oil
- 1/4 cup soy sauce, good quality
- 1 lemon, juiced (or 2 tablespoons calamansi juice)
- 1 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground, plus more as needed
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 3 cups water
- 2 dried bay leaves
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce, good quality, plus more as needed
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar, plus more as needed
For Serving
- 4 cups white rice, steamed
Instructions
- 1
Cut the beef chuck into 2-inch chunks. Mince the garlic, slice the onion, and chop the roma tomatoes. Peel and slice the potatoes into 1-inch chunks, carrots into 1/2-inch chunks, and bell peppers into 1-inch chunks.
⏱️ 20 min
- 2
Heat beef tallow or cooking oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the minced garlic and sliced onion and sauté until fragrant, about 3-4 minutes.
⏱️ 4 min
- 3
Add the chopped tomatoes to the pot and sauté for 1 minute, stirring occasionally.
⏱️ 1 min
- 4
Add the beef chunks to the pot. Pour in the soy sauce and lemon juice (or calamansi juice). Season with 1 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper. Increase heat to high and 'sangkutsa' (sauté) everything together, stirring frequently, until the beef is browned on all sides and some fat has rendered, about 8-10 minutes.
⏱️ 10 min
- 5
Stir in the tomato paste and sauté for 1 minute, ensuring it's well combined with the beef and aromatics.
⏱️ 1 min
- 6
Pour in the water and add the dried bay leaves. Stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a boil.
⏱️ 5 min
- 7
Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and simmer for 90 minutes, or until the beef is very soft and tender and the sauce has reduced and thickened. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
⏱️ 90 min
- 8
Stir in the fish sauce and granulated sugar. Taste the sauce and adjust seasonings as needed, adding more fish sauce, sugar, or black pepper to your preference.
⏱️ 2 min
- 9
Add the sliced potatoes and carrots to the pot. Cover and cook for another 7 minutes, or until the potatoes and carrots are tender.
⏱️ 7 min
- 10
Finally, add the sliced red and green bell peppers. Stir them into the stew and continue to cook, uncovered, for another 5 minutes, or until the bell peppers are tender-crisp.
⏱️ 5 min
- 11
Remove the bay leaves before serving. Serve the Mechado hot with steamed white rice, ensuring to include plenty of the rich, luscious sauce (sarsa).
⏱️ 5 min
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Mechado (Filipino Braised Beef Stew)
For the Mechado
- 2 pounds beef chuck, cut into 2-inch chunks
- 4 garlic, cloves, minced
- 1 yellow onion, sliced
- 2 roma tomatoes, chopped
- 2 potatoes, medium, peeled and sliced into 1-inch chunks
- 2 carrots, medium, peeled and sliced into 1/2-inch chunks
- 1 red bell pepper, sliced into 1-inch chunks
- 1 green bell pepper, sliced into 1-inch chunks
- 2 tablespoons beef tallow, or preferred cooking oil
- 1/4 cup soy sauce, good quality
- 1 lemon, juiced (or 2 tablespoons calamansi juice)
- 1 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground, plus more as needed
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 3 cups water
- 2 dried bay leaves
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce, good quality, plus more as needed
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar, plus more as needed
For Serving
- 4 cups white rice, steamed
Instructions
- 1
Cut the beef chuck into 2-inch chunks. Mince the garlic, slice the onion, and chop the roma tomatoes. Peel and slice the potatoes into 1-inch chunks, carrots into 1/2-inch chunks, and bell peppers into 1-inch chunks.
⏱️ 20 min - 2
Heat beef tallow or cooking oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the minced garlic and sliced onion and sauté until fragrant, about 3-4 minutes.
⏱️ 4 min - 3
Add the chopped tomatoes to the pot and sauté for 1 minute, stirring occasionally.
⏱️ 1 min - 4
Add the beef chunks to the pot. Pour in the soy sauce and lemon juice (or calamansi juice). Season with 1 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper. Increase heat to high and 'sangkutsa' (sauté) everything together, stirring frequently, until the beef is browned on all sides and some fat has rendered, about 8-10 minutes.
⏱️ 10 min - 5
Stir in the tomato paste and sauté for 1 minute, ensuring it's well combined with the beef and aromatics.
⏱️ 1 min - 6
Pour in the water and add the dried bay leaves. Stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a boil.
⏱️ 5 min - 7
Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and simmer for 90 minutes, or until the beef is very soft and tender and the sauce has reduced and thickened. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
⏱️ 90 min - 8
Stir in the fish sauce and granulated sugar. Taste the sauce and adjust seasonings as needed, adding more fish sauce, sugar, or black pepper to your preference.
⏱️ 2 min - 9
Add the sliced potatoes and carrots to the pot. Cover and cook for another 7 minutes, or until the potatoes and carrots are tender.
⏱️ 7 min - 10
Finally, add the sliced red and green bell peppers. Stir them into the stew and continue to cook, uncovered, for another 5 minutes, or until the bell peppers are tender-crisp.
⏱️ 5 min - 11
Remove the bay leaves before serving. Serve the Mechado hot with steamed white rice, ensuring to include plenty of the rich, luscious sauce (sarsa).
⏱️ 5 min