Instant Pot Venezuelan Shredded Beef
Andrea Potischman
Feb 29, 2024
This Instant Pot Venezuelan shredded beef recipe is a family favorite and one my husband has been making for a while now. This is not my recipe, I have adapted it lightly, but the original can be found here. This is the first Instant Pot recipe on my blog, and it’s an easy one I think you’ll love. In my house, we typically serve this dish with rice and vegetables, but the recipe’s creator suggests it’s great for making tacos, arepas, burritos, empanadas, quesadillas, and sliders making this recipe about as versatile as you can imagine.
Carne Mechada
Originating from the heart of Venezuela’s culinary landscape, Venezuelan shredded beef is a delightful fusion of flavors and textures that brings warmth to any table. This dish, also known as “Carne Mechada,” holds a special place in classic Venezuelan cuisine, boasting tender, succulent beef infused with aromatic spices.
Traditionally this dish is prepared by slowly simmering beef for hours until it’s fork-tender and infused with the flavors of onions, bell peppers, garlic, and a hint of sweetness from tomatoes, Carne Mechada is a celebration of simplicity and depth of flavor.
The Genius of An Instant Pot
With its multifunctional capabilities, the Instant Pot serves as a pressure cooker, slow cooker, rice cooker, steamer, sauté pan, and more, all in one convenient device. This means you can sauté onions and garlic, brown meat, and pressure cook your favorite ingredients to perfection – all in the same pot making it a vastly popular choice for home cooks in recent years.
One of the standout features of the Instant Pot is its ability to significantly reduce cooking times without compromising on flavor or texture. Whether you’re cooking meats, soups, stews, or even desserts, the Instant Pot delivers consistent results every time, allowing you to enjoy homemade meals without the hassle.
For busy individuals and families, the Instant Pot can be a game-changer, enabling you to create delicious meals with often minimal effort. I am late to the game and don’t use an Instant Pot often, but I’ll admit, it can be extremely handy at times.
The beauty of this recipe lies not only in its rich heritage but also in its ease and convenience, thanks to the quick cooking method, making it a perfect choice for busy weeknights. With the magic of the Instant Pot, tenderizing the beef becomes a breeze, significantly cutting down on cooking time without compromising on flavor. In just a fraction of the time, you can enjoy the tender, melt-in-your-mouth goodness of this iconic dish. Served alongside rice, beans, and vegetables you create a comforting and satisfying meal the whole family will love.
Instant Pot Venezuelan Shredded Beef
Ingredients:
- 2 pounds beef skirt steak, trimmed
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 4 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 large yellow onion, finely diced
- 2 cups red bell pepper, chopped into medium dice
- 8cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1 cups beef broth
- 1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
- 1 (16-ounce) can of petite diced tomatoes, drained
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 tablespoon fresh parsley, finely chopped, for garnish
Directions:
- Trim some of the visible fat off of the meat, as needed. Cut the meat into small more manage pieces to fit in the pan and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Turn the Instant Pot on and select “Sauté” mode, adjust to more. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil. Sear the meat in batches until golden-brown, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a large plate and set aside.
- Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil to the pot. Add the onion, pepper and garlic; sauté, stirring constantly, until tender and fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add 1/4 cup of the broth and scraping the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon to loosen the browned bits. Press “Cancel”.
- Add the remaining beef broth, tomato paste, tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, cumin, oregano and bay leaves; mix until well combined. Return the meat and any accumulated juices to the pressure cooker and nest in the tomato mixture. Secure lid and close pressure-release valve.
- Select “Manual” or “Pressure Cook” and adjust time to 45 minutes. When the time is over, let the pressure release on its own for 5 minutes. Then, carefully turn the valve to “Venting,” to release any extra pressure that might still be in there. Then remove the lid. Press “Cancel” and discard the bay leaves.
- Use 2 forks to shred the meat and place with some of the sauce in a large serving bowl. You will not need all of the sauce. Garnish with chopped parsley.
- Optional: If you prefer, you can reduce the cooking juices, is desired. After the meat is shredded select “Sauté” mode, adjust to normal, and cook for 10 – 15 minutes until the juices are reduced and thicken to your liking.
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