Chilean Mechada Italiana Sandwich — Homemade Braised Beef Sandwich Recipe

Versión en Español

The Chilean sandwich de carne mechada italiana is a marraqueta filled with slices of braised beef, larded with carrot, celery, and garlic and cooked in red wine and tomato, topped with tomato, mashed avocado, and mayonnaise. It takes 30 minutes of preparation plus 60 minutes of cooking and serves 4 people.

It is another classic of Chilean sandwich shops, known for the intense flavor of the braised beef balanced by its toppings.

How to Make a Chilean Mechada Sandwich?

A mechada sandwich is one of the best ways to eat this traditional braised beef, ideally a juicy eye of round. The meat can be cooked ahead, sliced, kept in its juice, and assembled into sandwiches whenever you want.

Nutritional Information

Each mechada italiana sandwich contains approximately 650 kcal, 50 g of carbohydrates, 40 g of fat, 30 g of protein, 6 g of fiber, 8 g of sugars, 100 mg of cholesterol, and 900 mg of sodium. These values are estimates and may vary depending on ingredients and portion sizes.

Homemade Chilean Mechada Italiana Recipe

Preparation: 30 minutes
Cooking: 60 minutes
Servings: 4 people

Ingredients

For the mechada

• 1.5 kg (3.3 lb) of beef (eye of round or loin)
• 200 ml (7 fl oz) of red wine
• 150 g (5.3 oz) of tomato sauce
• 5 garlic cloves
• 2 carrots, cut into sticks
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
• 2 onions, thinly sliced
• 2 tomatoes, diced
• 1 tablespoon of oregano
• 1 tablespoon of aji de color
• 1/2 red bell pepper, in strips
• Water
• Olive oil
• Fine salt
• Pepper

For the sandwiches

• 4 marraquetas
• 2 avocados, mashed
• 2 large tomatoes, sliced
• Homemade mayonnaise
• Chili cream (optional)

Instructions

1. On a cutting board, trim any excess fat from the beef. With a long, thin knife, make small holes all over the meat and insert the carrot sticks, the celery, and the whole garlic cloves.

2. In a pressure cooker, heat the olive oil over medium heat and sear the beef evenly until lightly browned. Add the onions, the bell pepper, the diced tomato, the oregano, the aji de color, the tomato sauce, and salt and pepper to taste, stir with a wooden spoon, and cook for about 10 minutes uncovered.
3. Add the wine and then enough water to cover, close the cooker, and cook over low heat for 60 minutes from when it comes to pressure. Turn off the heat and let it rest for 10 minutes before opening. Transfer the beef to a board, slice it 1/2 cm thick with a sharp knife, and keep the slices submerged in the cooking juice.

4. Warm the marraquetas in the toaster until lightly crisp and lay 2 or 3 slices of mechada with its juice on the bottom half, then a slice of tomato, a generous portion of avocado, and mayonnaise to taste. Cover with the top of the bread, press gently, and serve right away.

Additional Tips

Serve the juice on the side

Reheat the cooking broth just before serving and offer it in small cups for dipping.

Skip ketchup and mustard

They mask the flavor of the mechada. If you want heat, add a little chili of your choice instead.

Make it the day before

Mechada tastes even better the next day. Keep it in its juice in the refrigerator and reheat gently before slicing.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Do I have to use red wine?

Red wine gives the broth its depth, and its acids and tannins help soften the meat. To avoid alcohol, use beef stock with a tablespoon of red wine or balsamic vinegar for acidity.

2. What is it called without avocado?

With only tomato and mayonnaise it is called mechada tomate mayo. The green avocado, red tomato, and white mayo together make the italiana, after the colors of the Italian flag.

3. Can I prepare the mechada ahead?

Yes, and it is the best way. It improves the next day; keep it in its juice in the refrigerator and reheat slowly before slicing.

4. Can I make it without a pressure cooker?

Yes. Braise it covered in a heavy pot over low heat for about 2 to 2.5 hours, until very tender.

What Is Carne Mechada?

Carne mechada is a Chilean braised beef, usually eye of round, larded with strips of carrot, garlic, and sometimes bacon, and cooked slowly in wine and vegetables. It is eaten with rice or mashed potatoes or, very often, in sandwiches.

Chilean Sandwich Culture

Chile has a strong sandwich tradition in its fuentes de soda and sangucherias, where the mechada italiana sits alongside the chacarero, the lomito, and the Barros Luco as a favorite order.

Did You Know?

Carne mechada gets its name from the mechas, the strips of vegetables inserted into the meat, often compared to the fuses used for blasting rock in Chilean mining.

Recommended

• Chilean Carne Mechada Recipe
• Chilean Chacarero Sandwich Recipe
• Chilean Completo Recipe
• Chilean Pan Frica Recipe