PCAT - Beef Mechado

Oh well, enough of the drama - I have recovered from the driver's test failure already. I am going on with my life now. (Thanks to mom who took pity of me and agreed to bring me to work every morning.) So let's go back to my (mis)adventures in the kitchen.

For this post, I am going to share a simplified version of Beef Mechado, a Spanish dish that has evolved into a Filipino recipe. The name originally referred to the strips of pork fat that are threaded (mecha - wick) through thick pieces of lean beef to render them more tender and less dry. The simplified version, though, usually just makes use of slightly fatty beef pieces or if you are on a diet, lean beef pieces.

Here's what I used:

• 1 lb (~0.5 kg) beef stew meat
• 4 to 5 pieces medium Roma tomatoes, diced
• 1 large (Russet) potato, peeled and cut into 12 pieces
• 1/4 cup worcestershire sauce
• 2 tsp white vinegar (cane vinegar)
• 2 - 3 Tbsp soy sauce
• water
• 1 beef bouillon cube
• 1 medium red onion, chopped
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• black peppercorn
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp ground black pepper
• cooking oil

Here's how I cooked it:

1. Marinate the beef stew meat in the worcestershire sauce, garlic powder and  ground black pepper for about an hour.
2. Sear the beef stew meat, making sure that the cooking oil is hot.
3. Transfer the seared meat in a stockpot. Add in the garlic, tomatoes, vinegar, soy sauce, peppercorn, and bay leaves. Cook over medium to high heat for 10 to 15 minutes. Add half a cup of water and the beef bouillon cube.
4. Simmer over medium to low heat for one and a half hour, stirring occasionally. Add water as necessary, making sure that it doesn't dry up.
5. Put in the potatoes and onions. Continue simmering for another 30 minutes.
6. Serve with steamed rice.

Add in the potatoes earlier if you want it to be softer or later if you want it to be firmer. I like the potatoes just soft enough to be mashed with the rice.