Traditional Beef Mechado Recipe - Foxy Folksy (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between beef mechado and beef Caldereta? ›

Each dish uses a different choice of meat: Afritada features chicken, Menudo uses pork with chopped hotdogs, and both Kaldereta and Mechado use beef or goat meat. However, Mechado is recognized by its thicker sauce, while Kaldereta incorporates liver spread into the recipe.

Mechado is a tomato-based Filipino stew made with chunks of tender beef, onions, bell peppers, carrots, and potatoes. Serve this rich, hearty beef stew over a bed of white rice for a filling comfort meal.

The name mechado is derived from the Spanish term mecha, meaning "wick", due to the way the larded beef resembles a candle. The term was adopted in the Filipino language as mitsa, though the spelling mitsado for the dish is unorthodox and rarely seen.

Afritada —derived from the Spanish word 'fritada' meaning to fry — features chicken in pure tomato sauce, and embellished by carrots, potatoes and bell pepper. Mechado meanwhile has either pork or beef in tomato sauce, plus vinegar, soy sauce, carrots and potatoes.

The best beef parts for caldereta include chuck, sirloin, and short ribs. They're tough, lean cuts with a bit of fat and lots of connective tissues. These work well for stewing because the proteins in their tissues turn into gelatin that makes the beef tender.

The History of Beef Mechado

Mechado has deep roots in Spanish cuisine, as it was introduced to the Philippines during the colonial era. The word "Mechado" actually comes from the Spanish word "mechar," which means to stuff or lace with pork fat.

Pinangat is a popular Filipino stew that is prepared in two main versions. The sour version is prepared with fish, bilimbi, tamarind, and vinegar, while the Bicol region version is prepared with coconut milk, taro leaves, hot chili peppers, and fish (sardines, catfish, or tuna).

Dinuguan (Tagalog pronunciation: [dɪnʊgʊˈʔan]) is a Filipino savory stew usually of pork offal (typically lungs, kidneys, intestines, ears, heart and snout) and/or meat simmered in a rich, spicy dark gravy of pig blood, garlic, chili (most often siling haba), and vinegar.

Etymology. The name afritada is derived from Spanish fritada ("fried"), referring to the first step of the preparation in which the meat is pan-fried before simmering in the tomato sauce.

Another part of the front limb is the shin (kenchi beef), considered the boneless version of the beef shank. Kenchi beef is a lean cut made of dark meat, lending intense beefy flavor to soups and braised dishes.

What is Kenchi beef in English? ›

What is beef kenchi? Beef kenchi is the boneless variety of bulalo or beef shank taken from either the front or back of the knee joints. This dark meat is not fatty and has a burst of flavor.

It was derived from the Spanish term for wick or mecha augmented by the suffix ado which in English is the equivalent of the suffix ful. The pork fat being larded in the beef resembles the wick of a candle and a literal English translation of mechado is "wickful" or "full of 'wick'" – which it is.

Kaldereta, menudo, mechado, afritada and pochero are all visually similar. Can you tell which is which? At any Filipino birthday, baptism or Christmas party, tomato-based meat stews in chafing dishes will undoubtedly make an appearance.

Like kare kare, kaldereta is a stew of sorts and always served with white rice. But where kare kare is traditionally made with oxtail, kaldereta is usually made with beef or goat. And here's the interesting, nutty twist: In Cebu and Mindanao, peanut butter is also added to the sauce for an extra kick of flavor.

Beef Kaldereta is a main stay in any Filipino Kitchen. It is a type of beef stew cooked with tomato sauce and liver spread. Ingredients such as potato, carrots, bell peppers, and olives are also utilized when cooking this dish. This is a popular dish is served during special occasions.