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Mechado Filipino Beef Stew

Comfort in the form of a hearty stew can be found in nearly every country’s cuisine, and the Philippines is no different. Mechado is the Philippine version of the ubiquitous comfort food with a wonderful depth of flavor that comes from browned garlic, marinated beef, and a rich tomato sauce kissed with the complex flavors of patis, or fish sauce. Serve it over rice for the most comforting meal. Mechado can also be prepared with the aid of an instant pot/pressure cooker or slow cooker. See notes below.
Mechado (Filipino Beef Stew) served over rice in a white bowl, with a large pot of mechado in the background.
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4.92 from 34 votes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Filipino
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 50 minutes
Servings 4 servings
Calories 567kcal
Author Liren Baker

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 lbs beef for stew
  • juice of half a lemon
  • 1/4 cup good dark soy sauce I like Silver Swan, found in Asian markets
  • freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • 3 tablespoons canola oil
  • 3 cloves garlic minced or crushed
  • 1 medium onion diced
  • 1 teaspoon fish sauce (patis)
  • 1 cup tomato sauce
  • 1 1/2 cups water
  • several dashes of Tabasco
  • 2-3 cups beef stock
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 red bell pepper sliced
  • 2 russet potatoes peeled and cut into 2 inch chunks
  • 2 carrots peeled and chopped in 2 inch pieces
  • kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

  • Marinate beef in soy sauce, lemon, and black pepper for at least 30 minutes.
  • Brown garlic in oil and set aside.
  • Brown beef, working in batches if necessary (reserve the marinade).
  • Return beef to pot, add onions and season with fish sauce (patis).
  • When the onions are wilted, add tomato sauce and water and stir.
  • After about two minutes, add Tabasco, beef stock, 2 tablespoons of reserved marinade, bay leaves and bell pepper.
  • Let come to a boil, then lower heat to simmer. Add reserved garlic. Cover the pot with the lid, and let it stew for about 1 1/2 hours (see notes), stirring occasionally.
  • When the meat is tender, add potatoes and carrots. Continue cooking until the potatoes are fork tender, about 20 minutes more. The starch from the potatoes will thicken the sauce, giving it a silky texture.
  • Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve over rice.

Video

Notes

Note on simmering the stew: In general, it takes about 45 minutes for the meat to just start getting tender. Check the beef at this time and continue cooking as necessary. I usually try to simmer for about 45 minutes to an hour, longer if I want it really tender – the longer it cooks, the better it tastes.
Using a pressure cooker (e.g. Instant Pot): Mechado is delicious when made in a pressure cooker. At the point where it is time to simmer the stew, cook in a pressure cooker for 30 minutes at high pressure. Then add the potatoes and carrots and cook again for about 10-15 minutes on high pressure. Allow the mechado to simmer in your pressure cooker, uncovered, afterward to reduce the liquid a bit more.
Using a slow cooker: The slow cooker is a handy tool for hands-off cooking! When it is time to simmer the stew, set the slow cooker to cook on HIGH for 3-4 hours or LOW for 6-8. Add the potatoes and carrots towards the final hour of the cook time to prevent the potatoes softening too much.

Nutrition

Calories: 567kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 54g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 132mg | Sodium: 1581mg | Potassium: 1486mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 6290IU | Vitamin C: 52.9mg | Calcium: 68mg | Iron: 6.6mg
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