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Pabellón Criollo

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Pabellón Criollo is a deeply satisfying, balanced plate that brings together savory shredded beef, creamy black beans, fluffy white rice, and sweet caramelized plantains. Each component is cooked separately and then served side by side, allowing contrasting flavors and textures to shine in the same bite. The richness of the beef and beans is offset by the lightness of the rice, while the plantains add a gentle sweetness that ties everything together. It is comforting without being heavy, simple without being bland, and represents the kind of everyday cooking that becomes meaningful through repetition and memory.
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours

Ingredients

Carne Mechada

  • 2 lb beef chuck or flank
  • 1 onion finely diced
  • 1 green bell pepper finely diced
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 tomatoes finely chopped (or 1 cup crushed tomatoes)
  • 2 tbsp oil
  • Salt and black pepper
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • Optional: 1 bay leaf

Caraotas Negras

  • 1 cup dried black beans
  • 1/2 onion
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 1 tbsp oil
  • Salt

White Rice

  • 2 cups long-grain white rice
  • 2 1/2 cups water
  • 1 tbsp oil
  • Salt

Plátano Maduro Frito (Tajadas)

  • 2 ripe plantains black-spotted skin
  • Oil for frying

Instructions

  • Start the beans (best done first): Soak black beans overnight. Drain, add to a pot, cover with fresh water, add 1/2 onion and 1 garlic clove. Simmer 1 1/2 to 2 hours until soft. Remove onion and garlic, salt to taste. In a small pan, sauté a spoonful of diced onion in oil, stir into beans, simmer 10 more minutes.
  • Cook the beef: Place beef in a large pot, cover with water, salt generously. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook 2 to 2 1/2 hours until very tender. Remove beef and reserve about 1 cup of cooking liquid. Shred beef into thin strands.
  • Build the carne mechada base: In the same pot, heat oil. Sauté diced onion and bell pepper until soft. Add garlic briefly, then tomatoes, cumin, pepper, and bay leaf if using. Return shredded beef and splash in reserved broth until juicy. Simmer uncovered 15 to 20 minutes, stirring, until moist but not soupy.
  • Cook the rice: Heat oil in a pot, add rice and stir briefly. Add water and salt, bring to a boil, cover, reduce to low, cook 15 minutes, then rest off heat 10 minutes.
  • Fry the plantains: Peel and slice plantains diagonally. Fry in shallow oil until golden and caramelized, drain.
  • Assemble: Plate rice, beans, shredded beef, and plantains together. Eat them in the same bite whenever possible. That is the whole point.

Video

Notes

  • Shred the beef finely: Traditional carne mechada is pulled into thin strands, not chunky pieces. This texture allows the beef to better absorb the tomato and aromatic base and keeps it juicy rather than dry.
 
  • Beans should be creamy, not thick: The black beans are meant to be tender and lightly saucy. If they begin to dry out, add a splash of cooking liquid to maintain a smooth, spoonable consistency.
 
  • Use very ripe plantains: The plantains should have black spots or nearly black skins. Underripe plantains will not caramelize properly and will lack the sweetness that balances the savory elements of the dish.