Mechado

Traditionally Mechado is cooked using cheap parts of meat, just put them all in 1 pot and boil the hell out of them. But now its a different ballgame, we sometimes use high end cuts of meat, we also use beef, poultry or game. Mechado was a Spanish influence in the Philippine Culinary.

Ingredients

• 1 Kg of Pork (Preferably Pork Shoulder w/ Fat)
• 2 cups of Tomato Sauce
• 1/4 Cup of Vinegar
• 1/2 Cup of Tomato Paste
• 1 Onion, minced
• 2 Green Bell Peppers, Chopped
• 4-5 Cloves of Garlic, minced
• 3 Bay Leaves
• 2 Large Potatoes, Cut in cubes
• 2 Carrots, Cut in cubes
• Pork Stock
• 1/4 Cup of Soy Sauce
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• Long Green Chillies, chopped (Optional)

Procedure

• In a large pan, saute garlic and onion
• Add the pork let it brown
• Add the Vinegar, bay leaf, salt and black pepper, let it simmer for about 5-10mins (low fire), do not stir
• Add Soy Sauce, Tomato Sauce & Tomato paste, let it boil
• Add 1 cup of Pork Stock, let it boil (Add pork stock accordingly, just balance the sauce not too saggy not too thick)
• Add the Potatoes and Carrots, Let it simmer til potatoes and carrots softens
• Secret ingredient.... 1 tbsp of Sugar. Believe me, when you are cooking using tomato sauce sugar really helps bring out the flavor.
• Add Green Bell Peppers and Long green Chillies, let it simmer for another 3-5mins. Ready to serve! :)

Best eaten with a mix of fish sauce w/ chillis on the side.