MECHADONG BAKA RECIPE ( Filipino Beef Mechado)

Mechadong Baka (Beef Mechado)

 is a Filipino delicious dish, that will definitely satisfy your cravings. It is a beef tomato stew with potatoes, carrots, and onions. Usually in the pinoy tradition,  the stew was made using cheap and lean cuts of meat that had very little fats on it. To help add flavor, an incision was made into each piece of meat and a strip of pork fat was inserted, as described at Kawaling Pinoy. This technique is what gave the stew its name- Mecha meaning wick for the strip of pork fat sticking out of the beef like a candle.

Here are the ingredients for this filipino dish:

Ingredients

   

• 1 pound stew beef ( Chuck round) ,chopped into 1 and 1/2 pieces
• 3 crushed cloves garlic 
• 1 medium onion sliced in thin pieces
• 1 carrot ( peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces)
• 1 large potato ( peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces)

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup tomato sauce
• 3 tablespoons calamansi or lemon juice
• 2-4 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 bay leaves
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 cup water

Now let me tell you the simple steps in cooking this delicious filipino meal:

Instructions

1. In a large pot, put the oil over medium heat. Once hot, add the onions and cook, stir it once in a while until softened. Add the garlic and cook until just fragrant, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Add the beef and cook,mix it occasionally, until it turn brown on all sides.
2. Add the water, tomato sauce, calamansi juice, soy sauce, and bay leaves. Stir to combine and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover, and cook over low heat for 1 1/2 hours.
3. Add the potato and carrot. let it  boil/cook until the vegetables are tender. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
4. Serve hot and Enjoy!