Shredded beef sandwich

Ingredients

• 1 kgpollo ganso (Chilean beef cut)
• 1carrot, cut into batons
• 1celery stalk, cut into batons
• 3garlic cloves
• 30 ml (2 tablespoons)oil
• 1onion, diced
• ½red pepper, diced
• 2tinned tomatoes, diced
• 5 ml (1 teaspoon)ají de color (paprika)
• 2.5 ml (½ teaspoon)dried oregano
• 1bay leaf
• to tastesalt and pepper
• 1 litrewater
• to tastebread of your choice, such as pan amasado
• to tastemayonnaise
• to tasteavocado
• to tastetomato
• to tastemantecoso cheese

Instructions

1. 1

   Stuff the beef

   Use a thin knife to make slits in the beef, then fill them alternately with the carrot, celery and garlic.

2. 2

   Season and sear

   Season the beef with salt. Heat the oil in a frying pan and brown the meat on every side, then set it aside.

3. 3

   Fill the cooker

   Put the onion, red pepper, tomatoes, oregano, ají de color, bay leaf, salt and pepper into a pressure cooker. Add the water, then place the beef in the centre.

4. 4

   Cook the beef

   Cook over a low heat for about 30 minutes in a pressure cooker. If using a regular pot, cook over a medium-low heat for about 1 hour.

5. 5

   Prepare the sauce

   Blend the cooking liquid to make a sauce, or serve it as it is with the vegetables left whole.

6. 6

   Slice the beef

   To serve the beef on its own, slice it and serve with rice or mashed potatoes and the cooking juices or sauce.

7. 7

   Open the bread

   For sandwiches, open your chosen bread; a freshly toasted marraqueta is suggested.

8. 8

   Add the spreads

   Spread on homemade mayonnaise, followed by a layer of mashed avocado.

9. 9

   Layer the beef

   Add a generous portion of juicy shredded beef.

10. 10

    Add the tomato

    Top with tomato slices and, if you like, a little salt.

11. 11

    Melt the cheese

    If using cheese, add a slice of mantecoso and heat the sandwich for a few minutes, until the cheese melts.

What is a Chilean shredded beef sandwich?

Mechada is beef cooked with vegetables and seasoning until tender enough to slice or pull apart. In Chile, it is often served in a sandwich, with bread and toppings that make a hearty meal.

This version stuffs the beef with carrot, celery and garlic before cooking it with a tomato-and-onion mixture. That builds flavour into the meat while leaving a savoury cooking liquid to spoon over the filling.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 850 calories, 58g protein, 50g carbs, 45g fat.

The beef provides most of the protein, while the bread and vegetables supply carbohydrates; avocado, mayonnaise and optional cheese contribute much of the fat. For a more balanced plate, serve the sandwich with a simple side salad or extra vegetables.

Choosing and stuffing the beef

Pollo ganso: this Chilean beef cut is used here as a whole piece that can be slit and cooked until tender. Ask a butcher for the same cut if available, or for a suitable whole roasting joint.

Thin slits: make openings deep enough to hold the vegetable batons, but avoid cutting all the way through. Alternating carrot, celery and garlic distributes their flavour through the meat.

Sear before simmering

Hot oil: brown the beef on all sides before it goes into the cooker. This gives the outside colour and adds browned flavour to the cooking juices.

Pressure cooker: keep to the method’s low-heat cooking time of about 30 minutes. A regular pot takes longer—about 1 hour at medium-low heat—so check the beef for tenderness before assembling the sandwiches.

Making the cooking juices work

Blended sauce: blend the cooking liquid if you prefer a smooth, easy-to-spoon sauce. Take care with hot liquid and follow your blender’s instructions for blending warm ingredients.

Whole vegetables: leave the liquid unblended for a more rustic finish, with the vegetables intact. Either way, add some of the juices to the beef so the sandwich stays moist.

Building a balanced sandwich

Bread and spreads: use bread sturdy enough to hold the juicy filling, and spread on mayonnaise followed by mashed avocado. Toasting the bread, as suggested for marraqueta, gives it a firmer bite.

Toppings: add the beef, tomato and optional mantecoso cheese in that order. If adding cheese, heat the assembled sandwich for a few minutes until it melts.

Serving and timing

Sandwiches: serve as soon as they are assembled, while the beef is juicy and the bread is still warm. Keep some cooking liquid nearby to moisten the meat as needed.

Without bread: the recipe also suggests serving sliced beef with rice or mashed potatoes and the cooking juices or sauce.

Recipe notes & tips

• Cut the carrot and celery into batons narrow enough to fit inside the slits.
• Brown the beef on every side before transferring it to the cooker.
• Keep the beef covered with the cooking liquid as directed, and check tenderness before serving.
• Let the beef rest briefly before slicing or pulling it apart for sandwiches.
• Add the cooking juices gradually so the filling is moist without making the bread soggy.
• Toast the bread just before assembling for a sturdier sandwich.

Variations

• Rustic sauce: leave the cooking vegetables whole instead of blending the juices.
• Smooth sauce: blend the cooking liquid and spoon it over the beef.
• No cheese: leave out the mantecoso for a simpler avocado-and-tomato sandwich.
• Extra tomato: add more sliced tomato for a fresher, juicier filling.
• Rice or mash: serve the sliced beef with rice or mashed potatoes instead of bread.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Slits cut right through: make openings deep enough to hold the vegetables without dividing the beef.
• Uneven browning: turn the meat so every side gets seared before it goes into the cooker.
• Beef still firm: cook it longer until tender, allowing for the longer time needed in a regular pot.
• Dry sandwich filling: spoon some cooking liquid over the beef before adding it to the bread.
• Soggy bread: toast the bread and add the sauce sparingly.
• Cheese not melted: heat the assembled sandwich for a few minutes, checking until the cheese has melted.

How to store

Refrigerate leftover beef and cooking juices in a covered container and use within 3 days. Reheat the beef with some of its juices until piping hot, then assemble fresh sandwiches; store bread and toppings separately.

Frequently asked questions