Carne Mechada in Slow Sofrito Tomato

Dice the yellow onions and bell peppers into small, uniform pieces. Roughly chop the garlic cloves and cut the tomatoes into quarters.

Heat the olive oil in your Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook slowly, stirring with your wooden spoon, until it becomes translucent and sweet, about 8 minutes.

Add the bell peppers and continue cooking for another 5 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute more.

Add the quartered tomatoes, season with half the salt, and let everything cook down into a rich, jammy sofrito for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

While the sofrito simmers, pat the beef steak dry with paper towels. Season generously on all sides with the remaining salt, cumin, and black pepper, pressing the spices into the meat.

In a separate hot skillet, sear the seasoned beef steak for 3-4 minutes per side until deeply golden and caramelized. Do not crowd the pan — sear in batches if needed.

Sear the seasoned beef pieces in a separate hot skillet for 2-3 minutes per side until deeply golden and caramelized. Do not crowd the pan — sear in batches if needed.

Pour the tomato sauce and water around the beef. The liquid should come about halfway up the sides of the meat.

Bring everything to a gentle simmer, then reduce the heat to the lowest setting. Cover tightly with a lid and let the beef braise slowly for 2 hours, turning halfway through.

Check occasionally and give the pot a gentle stir. The sofrito should bubble lazily — if it reduces too quickly, add a splash of water and reduce heat further.

Check occasionally. The braise should bubble lazily — if it reduces too quickly, add a splash of water and reduce heat further. Do not stir the beef directly as this may break it apart unevenly.

After 2 hours, the beef should be fork-tender and falling apart. Transfer it to a cutting board and use two forks to shred it into loose, delicious strands.

Return the shredded beef to the pot and toss it well in the remaining sofrito braising liquid. Let it simmer together for 5 more minutes so the meat absorbs all those beautiful juices and spices.

Taste and adjust seasoning with a pinch more salt or cumin if needed. Serve the carne mechada warm over white rice with a side of black beans and sliced avocado.