Pork Mechado
Filipino Recipe

Pork Mechado
Filipino Recipe

In the traditional Philippine cuisine, there are a lot of tomato sauce-based stew dishes that the names and distinctness gets mixed up with something else. Different provinces or regions also have their own way of fixing these dishes. The popular ones are the Menudo, Estofado, Afritada and Caldereta.

Mechado is of Spanish origin, and comes from the word mecha, meaning wick. The Spanish people thread the pieces of pork’s back fat through cheap lean beef to make them less dry and more tender. The meat pieces are then marinated in spices and seasonings, and browned in oil. It is then braised in the marinade along with onion, soup stock and tomato sauce to produce gravy.

You can also use beef for Mechado. It is commonly served during holidays and special occasions. It seems like a difficult and expensive dish to prepare but it really isn’t. It is quite easy and quick to cook.

The recipe presented here is Pork Mechado because pork is relatively cheaper than beef, but tastes as good. So, start gathering those utensils and ingredients, and get ready to whip up this flavorful and savory dish. Rest assured, this won’t be the last time that you will cook this dish.

Enjoy your Pork Mechado Filipino Recipe!

Preparation Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 1 hour
Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients:
½ kilo pork, cut into serving pieces
1 green or red bell pepper, squared
2 medium sized carrots, cubed
3 medium sized potatoes, cubed
3 pcs hotdog, sliced
1 small can pineapple juice
1 large onion, sliced
5 cloves garlic, minced
2 pcs bay leaves
8 oz tomato sauce
½ tsp ground pepper
salt or patis (fish sauce) to taste
¼ cup soy sauce
cooking oil
1 cup water

Cooking Directions:
1. In a large bowl, marinate the pork in pineapple juice, soy sauce, pepper and half of the garlic for about an hour. Set it aside. Save the marinade for later use.
2. Heat the cooking oil, and sauté the rest of the garlic and the onion until soft and tender.
3. Add the marinated pork, and stir until it turns light brown. Add the marinade, water and bay leaves. Bring to a boil and cook for 10 minutes.
4. Add the carrots, potatoes and hotdog, and pour the tomato sauce. Let it simmer for 5 minutes or until the potatoes are soft.
5. Add the bell peppers and salt or patis. Let it simmer for another two minutes.
6. Transfer to a serving dish and serve hot with rice.
7. Enjoy!

Pork Mechado Filipino Recipe