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Carne Mechada served with arepas and rice
Traditional Venezuelan pulled beef dish

Carne Mechada

Author: Flavelo
Recipes Main Courses
Carne Mechada is the heart of Venezuela's national dish, 'Pabellón Criollo'. This slow-cooked, then shredded beef is a lesson in patience. The meat is first boiled, then shredded by hand (this is 'mechar'), and finally cooked again in a rich, tomato-pepper 'sofrito' sauce. The result is a juicy, intensely flavoured meat ragout, perfect filling for arepas or empanadas.
🕒 Prep Time 30 mins
🍳 Cook Time 3 hrs
⌛ Total Time 3 hrs 30 mins
🍽️ Servings 6 servings
🔥 Calories 450 kcal
🌍 Cuisine Venezuelan

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

  • Two forks: For shredding the meat.
  • Large pot: For cooking.

Allergen Information

⚠️ Fish (in Worcestershire sauce)

Instructions

1 ✓

Cut the meat into 3-4 large pieces. Place in salted water and cook until tender in approx. 2 hours (or 45 mins in a pressure cooker). Do not pour away the cooking liquid!

Tip: Long-fibre meats (like brisket) are best for this because they shred beautifully.
2 ✓

Remove the meat, let cool, then shred into thin strands using two forks (or by hand). Follow the direction of the fibres.

Tip: This is the lion's share of the work. The thinner you shred, the more sauce it absorbs.
3 ✓

Prepare the 'Sofrito': Heat oil and sauté the onion, pepper, and garlic until soft.

Tip: This base gives the dish its sweet-vegetable flavour profile.
4 ✓

Add the tomatoes, cumin, pepper, Worcestershire sauce. Cook for 5 minutes.

Tip: Cumin gives a distinctive Latin flavour.
5 ✓

Stir in the shredded meat. Pour in approx. 1 cup of the meat cooking liquid.

Tip: The cooking liquid is full of flavour and gelatin, don't dilute with tap water!
6 ✓

Cook until (approx. 20 mins) most of the liquid evaporates and the meat is 'dry' but juicy. Season with salt.

Tip: It shouldn't be soupy! The sauce must coat the meat fibres.

Recipe FAQ

Why won't the meat shred?
You probably didn't cook it long enough in the first phase. The connective tissues (collagen) need to soften completely. If the fork doesn't go in like butter, cook it longer!

Ingredients

  • 1 kg Beef (brisket or skirt - long-fibre meat needed)
  • 2 pcs Onions (finely chopped)
  • 1 pc Red pepper (diced)
  • 3 cloves Garlic (crushed)
  • 400 g Chopped tomatoes (tinned)
  • 2 tbsp Oil
  • 1 tsp Ground cumin
  • 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce (optional, but good)
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • 0.5 tsp Pepper
  • 1.5 l Water (for cooking)