Instant Pot: Beef Mechado Roast

One thing I love about food is that there is usually a good handful of dishes that can be found on multiple cuisines. Take for example a pot roast. Growing up, I had pot roast that incorporated tomato sauce and soy sauce. It wasn’t until I got older that I soon realized there was a difference between the classic American pot roast and the Filipino pot roast my mom made. Her Beef Mechado Roast is a delicious twist to the American version where a beef roast slowly simmers in a sweet tomato sauce with a touch of soy sauce and then served sliced with potatoes and rice. If you want a taste of Filipino comfort food, read on!…

This is a dish my mom makes during the winter because it’s so comforting. You can’t really go wrong with slow cooked beef and potatoes! Sometimes she’ll use cubed beef and add sliced bell peppers and carrots, making it more of a stew. Other times she’ll make it as a roast as reflected below. Regardless, the beauty of the dish is the sauce and how it develops a great umami with the balanced sweetness from the tomato sauce and ketchup, along with the saltiness of the soy sauce mixed with the natural juices of slow cooked beef.

2 tablespoons oil
8 cloves garlic, minced
1 large onion,chopped
3 pounds boneless chuck roast, cut in large chunks to fit in IP
1 tablespoon garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste
1 1/2 cups beef broth
1/4 cup soy sauce or GF tamari
1 bay leaf
4 medium potatoes, peeled and quartered
1/2 cup tomato sauce
1 cup ketchup