Carne desmechada, Colombian shredded beef
Beef braised until it shreds, then tossed in a soft tomato, pepper and onion sauce, in under two hours.
- Time1 hr 40
- LevelEasy
- Costabout £1.67 a head
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Estimated nutrition per serving
- 502kcal
- 18.8gcarbs
- 9.6gof which sugars
- 28.2gfat
- 11.6gsaturates
- 41.1gprotein
- 5.4gfibre
- 1.0gsalt
A rough estimate worked out from the ingredients, for the serving size above. It is a guide only and not medical advice. If you count carbs or manage diabetes, check with your own tools and your care team.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Put the beef, quartered onion, half the garlic, the bay leaves and the stock in the pot. Season with 1 tsp salt and black pepper. Lock the lid and set the valve to sealing.
- 2
Cook at high pressure for 45 minutes. It takes about 10 to 15 minutes to come up to pressure first.
45 min - 3
Leave the pressure to drop naturally for 15 minutes (natural release), then open the valve. Natural release keeps the meat moist, where quick release can make it dry and stringy.
15 min - 4
Lift the beef onto a board and shred it with two forks. Strain the broth and keep about 250 ml, discarding the onion quarters and bay leaves. Tip out the rest of the broth for another use, such as soup.
- 5
Wipe out the pot, heat the oil on Sauté and soften the chopped onion and peppers for 6 minutes. Add the remaining garlic, tomatoes, spring onions, tomato purée, cumin, paprika and oregano and cook for 8 minutes into a soft sauce.
14 min - 6
Return the beef with the reserved broth and simmer on Sauté for 8 to 10 minutes until the sauce clings to the meat. Stir in the lime juice and coriander and adjust the seasoning.
9 min - 7
No pressure cooker? Simmer the beef in a covered pot for 2 hours 30 minutes to 3 hours until a fork shreds it easily, then finish the sauce as above. Serve with rice, avocado and fried plantain.
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.
