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Cooking Culmination

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Sample recipes are home-cooking guides and have not been professionally tested. Nutrition values are rough estimates. Always check ingredient labels for allergens.

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Citrus Soy Braised Beef Mechado · Cooking Culmination

Discover / Filipino

Editorial sample recipeFilipinointermediatedairy-free

Citrus Soy Braised Beef Mechado

Name: Citrus Soy Braised Beef Mechado
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 1 h 15 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Filipino
Ingredients: 600 g boneless beef chuck, cut into 1.5-inch cubes, trimmed of excess fat; 3 tbsp soy sauce; 2 tbsp calamansi juice, or fresh lime juice; 1 cup tomato sauce; 1.5 cups halal beef broth; 2 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cubed; 1 medium red bell pepper, sliced into strips; 4 cloves garlic, minced

A savory Filipino beef stew braised in rich tomato sauce, brightened with calamansi juice and soy sauce, and cooked with tender potatoes and bell peppers.

Prep: 15 min
Cook: 60 min
Total: 75 min

AI-generated illustration of Citrus Soy Braised Beef Mechado

AI illustration

Ingredients

Servings

600 g boneless beef chuck, cut into 1.5-inch cubestrimmed of excess fat
3 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp calamansi juiceor fresh lime juice
240 ml tomato sauce
360 ml halal beef broth
2 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 medium red bell pepper, sliced into strips
4 cloves garlic, minced

Allergen information

This recipe contains or may contain:

gluten
soy
wheat

Based on ingredient names only. Brands differ and cross-contact can happen — always check labels.

Technique to learn

Citrus-Acid Braising

Braising tough cuts of beef in an acidic medium breaks down collagen faster while infusing deep flavor throughout the meat.

Instructions

Step 1: Marinate beef cubes in soy sauce and calamansi juice for 15 minutes at room temperature.
Heat 1 tablespoon cooking oil in a heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.

Step 2:

Step 3: Brown beef cubes on all sides in batches for 5 minutes, then transfer to a plate.

Step 4: In the same pot, sauté minced garlic over medium heat for 1 minute until fragrant.

Step 5: Return beef to pot, add tomato sauce and halal beef broth, then bring to a gentle boil.

Step 6: Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 45 minutes until beef is fork-tender.

Step 7: Add cubed potatoes and red bell pepper strips, then simmer uncovered for 15 minutes until potatoes are soft and sauce thickens.

Cooking tips

Cutting potatoes into uniform medium cubes ensures they finish cooking at the same time without turning mushy.
If calamansi is unavailable, fresh lime juice mixed with a dash of lemon juice makes a great substitute.
Original home-cooking adaptation inspired by Filipino; regional versions vary.
Use halal-certified meat, poultry, stock, sauces, cheese and other processed ingredients. Check labels and avoid cross-contamination. Recipe screening is not halal certification.