Beef Mechado

When I made this Beef Mechado dish, hubby said that it is very similar to a Cuban dish called Boliche. The only thing missing are olives. Makes you think that food is like a universal language that might have different interpretations but mean the same thing.

This dish is so delicious, in fact hubby practically inhaled it. The meat is so juicy and tender, I'm sure you'll like it too.


What you need:

• 2 lbs whole beef roast
• 6 strips of bacon, cut into 1 inch
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
• 1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon peppercorns
• 2 cups beef broth
• 2 tablespoons fine bread crumbs
• 2 small red potatoes, quartered

What to do:

Make slits through the beef along the grain with a boning knife. Insert the bacon pieces through the slits in different places. Place meat in a saucepan. Add all other ingredients except breadcrumbs. Cover and simmer for 2 to 2 1/2 hours or until tender. Turn the meat once while cooking to cook and season it evenly.

Transfer the meat and potatoes to a serving dish and slice crosswise.

Strain the sauce. Place it over medium heat and stir in 3 tablespoons of fine bread crumbs. Cook stirring for 2 minutes. Pour sauce over meat slices. Serve with hot rice.


Tips, Tricks and Tweaks:

1. Instead of bacon, you can use salt pork to stuff in the slits.
2. For a thinner sauce, cut the amount of bread crumbs to half.
3. Add olives for added flavor.