Mechado (Filipino Beef Stew)

Mechado - made August 26, 2019 from Serve with Rice

I still had some beef chuck roast from the Costco pack I used to make Beef Tapa so I used it to try this Mechado recipe. Mechado is another name for Filipino beef stew. As with many dishes, there are a variety of different mechado recipes to choose from. I went with this one for its relative simplicity.

10 minutes before it's finished, add the bell peppers and fish sauce

Which meant the only vegetable I had to add was a red bell pepper. I'm not fond of bell peppers and although the recipe called for two, I only used one. No sense in wasting more than I have to and I'm not particularly fond of bell peppers anyway. I could probably have left it out altogether but I was actually trying for some authenticity so decided to compromise on one for the flavor.

I was pleasantly surprised that this turned out, more that the beef got tender like it was supposed to if you cooked it long enough. I don't always have very good luck with beef and its texture. This one worked. It used the same "trick" my mom uses when she cooks Filipino beef dishes: keep adding water to the base sauce and let it boil/simmer/cook until the meat is tender. Add water as needed to keep the sauce from drying out before the beef is the consistency you want.

As for flavor, I didn't love the bell pepper addition to the flavor of the dish itself but that's my personal preference. Otherwise, this was a good "beef stew".

2-3 pounds beef chuck roast, chopped into chunks
salt + pepper + garlic powder to taste
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup lemon juice
8 ounces tomato sauce
1 large onion, chopped
2 bay leaves
1-3 cups water
2 large red bell peppers, sliced
1 tablespoon fish sauce

1. Season the beef with salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste. Mix in the tomato sauce, soy sauce and lemon juice. Coat the beef well, cover and marinate for at least 1 hour.
2. Heat oil in a dutch oven on high heat. Drain off excess marinade from the beef; reserve. Fry the beef over high heat until lightly seared on all sides. Remove to a plate or large bowl.
3. Lower the heat to medium high and drain all but 1 tablespoon of oil. Saute the onion until fragrant and slightly soft, about 3-4 minutes. Add the beef back and toss with the onions.
4. Pour in the remaining marinade. Add enough water to cover 3/4 of the beef. Add the bay leaves. Bring to a oil. Lower to medium high heat and let simmer until beef is tender, about 45 minutes.
5. In the last 10 minutes of boiling, add the red bell pepper and fish sauce. Bring to a simmer again and continue cooking through. Once the meat is tender and the peppers are cooked, turn off heat. Serve warm with rice.