CARNE MECHADA

beef chuck

🥗Healthier: lean beef

💰Cheaper: pork shoulder

Lean beef reduces fat content, while pork shoulder is often less expensive.

beef broth

🥗Healthier: vegetable broth

💰Cheaper: water + seasoning

Vegetable broth reduces calories and can be cheaper to make.

olive oil

🥗Healthier: avocado oil

💰Cheaper: canola oil

Avocado oil has a higher smoke point, while canola oil is often more affordable.

vinegar

🥗Healthier: lemon juice

💰Cheaper: lime juice

Lemon juice provides acidity and flavor, often at a lower cost.

Start by frying 4 strips of bacon in a skillet until crispy.

Prepare the beef by making a hole in the center without removing any meat.

Mix the fried bacon with chopped cilantro, oregano, bell peppers, garlic, cooking ham, and onion to create a filling.

Add a little seasoning and water to the filling mixture and mix well.

Stuff the filling into the hole of the beef, pressing it in firmly.

Season the outside of the beef with adobo and other seasonings of your choice.

Heat the skillet and brown the beef on all sides.

Transfer the beef to a pressure cooker and add the remaining bacon and any leftover bits from the skillet.

Add a chicken bouillon cube, fresh oregano, cilantro, chopped onion, garlic, bell peppers, and 1/2 cup of sauce.

Cover the beef with water and close the pressure cooker.

Cook on high heat until the cooker starts to release steam, then reduce to medium heat and cook for 45 minutes.

After 45 minutes, let the pressure release naturally for 10-15 minutes before opening the cooker.

While waiting, boil 1 sliced carrot and 2 potatoes in salted water until tender.

Remove the beef from the pressure cooker and place it on a cutting board to slice.

Prepare the sauce by blending the cooking liquid from the pressure cooker until smooth.

In a skillet, heat olive oil and add minced garlic and sofrito, then add the blended sauce and 1/4 cup of wine.

Let the sauce reduce, then add the boiled carrots, potatoes, and 1/2 cup of peas, cooking for an additional 2-3 minutes.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level: