Filipino Mechado Recipe

Phil513

Phil513

Kick Henry Jackassowski
Staff member
OK, i keep getting interrupted, but i try to get this in. Its very very good, sort of a filipino stew.

First, i cut up a couple good-sized potatoes into large cubes, and brown them for a bit to keep them from falling apart in the stew.

I saute a good 8-10 crushed and chopped cloves of garlic, and two large onions until they get nice and soft

Put in about 2 pounds of cubed beef roast.

I put in 2 tablespoons of fish sauce, or patis. You can get it from an asian market. If the smell is too much for you, you can use soy sauce.

Pour in 2 cans of tomato sauce, and 1 can of water, and add in the previously browned potato.

Toss in a bay leaf, salt and pepper to taste. Honestly, i use MSG too, but i know some folks are freaked by that, so its ok to leave out.

Stir it all together well, and let simmer on medium heat for about an hour and a half or so, the meat should be nice and soft when done.


Serve over rice.
 
Good for you! Dont rush it, let it cook long and slow, so the meat is tender and all the flavors blend.

I hope you like it.
 
That does sound really good....

I'll just skip the MSG because my wife is allergic to it (gives her a nasty headache and upset stomach). I may toss a few chilis as well..
 
Oh absolutely. I know some people are sensitive to it, i just know im not. hahaha.

And yes, i have put in both some of that shiracha or whatever (rooster) hot sauce, and/or a decent handful of crushed red pepper right at the beginning, with the garlic and onion.
 
Wow!! sounds so good. Although beef is so darn high here, can pork be substituted for beef ::)
 
Absolutely, pork can be substituted.

Some variations,

After i brown the potatoes, i saute garlic, onion, and ginger

Put in the pork and patis, then a can of coconut milk.

To that, i add some curry paste.

Serve that over rice, its yummy. But you can do the mechado recipe just as it is with pork instead of beef i do that often.
 
Just to clarify, if you do the ginger/coconut milk version, dont use tomato. Just doesnt really go well.

Chicken is great with the ginger/coconut version also.
 
Phil, do use botan calrose rice or Philipino rice?

The coconut milk, thai or Philipino?

Really sounds like we might take that receipt to the stove some time soon. Thanks

Hey, I wrote a song about me living in the PI jungles with some wild :)woman :) , maybe we should do a collaboration this. Your lady friend may >:( well just a thought.
 
Hahahaha. Well my lady friend is pretty realistic, and is pretty fun, she doesnt get too twisted up about stuff. She came from Makati, which is a very nice area, and went to a very exclusive catholic school. She has practically zero accent, and speaks english better than i. im very proud of her. ;D

I use just long grain rice from the local market. Im not sure of the kinds, but i avoid the "sticky" rice, as it doesnt work as well with the sorta soupy filipino cuisine.

And i have used both kinds of coconut milk, it doesnt seem to make a difference. Here in america we also have a "low fat" version, which i avoid like the plague. blech.
 
Magandang umaga sa inyo, Phil.

Well, actually it probably is night time there. Botan Calrose is the sticky rice. It's the kind they use in the sushi bars.

They song I wrote is actually about poverty in the PI. Living there I experienced it first hand. Life there at the time was all about survival and kids as young as 7 were selling Juicy Fruit gum on the streets just to help out their families. If you are interested in the lyrics, PM and I'll send them over to ya.
 
Kamusta po, uncle sam. Magandang gabi.

I have not travelled there yet, but she does tell me stories, In fact she just returned from a trip there. The plight of many there does weigh heavy on me.

And she returned with a harrowing story of corrupt cops too.

We in america have no idea how spoiled we are.
 
Phil051300 said:
Pour in 2 cans of tomato sauce, and 1 can of water, and add in the previously browned potato.
Click to expand...
got the goods today....gonna make it this weekend....what size cans of tomato sauce did you use?

ww
 
Oh excellent! Good for you!

I use 2 cans of 8 oz i think, i dont have any here right now, but i think thats what they are.
 
Phil051300 said:
Oh excellent! Good for you!

I use 2 cans of 8 oz i think, i dont have any here right now, but i think thats what they are.
Click to expand...

cool....that's what i thought!

ww
 
Awesome! Im really glad, i hope you enjoy it.

You are making me hungry. hahaha
 
Honestly, garlic onion tomato is sorta the holy trinity of a lot of filipino cooking. Its a very common base.

If you take and cut up garlic, onion and tomatoes, you can toss just about anything else in with it. I have put in the large cut sardines, canned corned beef, anything really. Its all good.

The sardines one i especially like.
 
it's a good combination....i actually added some cut up very ripe tomatoes i had and also some carrots i needed to use....

thanks again for the recipe!

ww
 
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