Carne Mechada (Venezuelan Shredded Beef)
4 servings
servings15 minutes
active time2 hours 45 minutes
total timeIngredients
2 lb skirt steak, or flank steak*
1 onion, quartered
1 Tbsp oil
1 onion, quartered and sliced
2 red bell peppers, quartered and sliced
3 garlic cloves,
2 tomatoes, diced (about 3 c)
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp salt
½ tsp ground black pepper
¼ tsp cumin
2 c reserved beef cooking broth
Directions
Trim the meat, if necessary, and cut it into 4 pieces. Place the pieces in a medium soup pot and cover them with water. Add 1 quartered onion and simmer for 2 hours, removing any foam that may float to the top.
Once cooked, remove the beef from the water and let it cool slightly. (Reserve 2 c of the cooking broth.)
Once cool enough to handle, shred the meat with two forks. Set aside.
Heat the oil in a large sauté pan with high sides over medium heat. Add the onion, peppers, and garlic. Sauté for 4-5 min until the onions are soft.
Add the diced tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, and cumin. Mix well.
Add the shredded meat and 2 c of the meat broth. Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 20 min. (If you are serving your carne mechada with rice and beans, classic Venezuelan style, go ahead a leave the meat a little brothy. If you will be using it to fill arepas or empanadas, you will want to cook it until nearly dry, stirring often so it doesn’t stick.)
Nutrition
Serving Size
1/6 of recipe
Calories
678
Total Fat
-
Saturated Fat
-
Unsaturated Fat
-
Trans Fat
-
Cholesterol
-
Sodium
-
Total Carbohydrate
-
Dietary Fiber
-
Total Sugars
-
Protein
-
4 servings
servings15 minutes
active time2 hours 45 minutes
total time