Venezuelan Pabellón

Prep 30 min
Total 2 hr 30 min
Ingredients 20
Servings 4

Pabellón Criollo is the Venezuelan national dish and is without a doubt my family’s favorite. I must confess, I don't prepare is as often as I would like, but every time I do it's a huge success! Looking at the recipe you might think this dish is a little complicated, but it doesn't have to be. For example, the meat can be cooked and shredded the day before. I use canned beans, something my mom disapproves of, but it saves me tons of time. Serve the pabellón with arepitas and cream, it's delicious! MORE + LESS -

Ingredients

Shredded meat

flank steak, approximately 2 lbs

to 8 cups Progresso™ beef flavored broth

Salt and pepper to taste

tablespoons olive oil

large onion finely diced

cup green pepper, chopped into small cubes

cloves garlic, finely chopped

can (6 oz) Muir Glen™ organic tomato paste

can (8 oz) Muir Glen™ organic tomato sauce

tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

tablespoon dried oregano

bay leaves

Black beans

1/2

cup corn oil

medium onion

cloves of garlic

can black beans

Salt to taste

Fried plantains

cup oil for frying

ripe, peeled and chopped, sliced bananas

cups white rice, cooked to your liking

Directions

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1

Shredded beef: Cut the steak into 4 pieces.
2

Place the broth into a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the chicken at first boil and let cook for 15 minutes. Test the seasoning and alter the salt and pepper to taste. Cover and let cook for about 2 hours or until the meet is completely cooked and tender. Keep an eye on the meat to prevent it from soaking up all the broth and add more as it becomes necessary. When the meat is ready, remove it from the pot carefully and leave on a dish to cool. Save the broth, about 3-4 cups of broth.
3

Once the meat is cold enough, shred it with the help of two forks or your hands.
4

Add the oil to a medium pan and let cook a bit. Sauté the onions and pepper for 3-5 minutes or until the onion is translucent. Add the garlic and let sauté for one more minute. Incorporate the shredded chicken to the mixture and mix well.
5

Mix the tomato paste, tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce and oregano in with the beef stew; mix well until everything is well combined. Add this mixture to the meat and mix well. Add the bay leaves, cover and let cook for 20 minutes, or until most of the liquid has been absorbed.
6

Black beans: Place the oil, onion and garlic in a blender. Mix at medium velocity until everything is well combined.
7

Sauté the onions and garlic for 3 minutes in a large saucepan over medium heat, stir constantly. Add the can of black beans and mix well. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Cover and cook on low for 15 to 20 minutes.
8

Fried plantains: Add oil to a medium pan and heat. When the oil is hot, fry the plantains in batches of 5 for 2-3 minutes on each side or until they're softened and browned. Remove from the pan carefully and place over paper towels to absorb the excess oil.
9

Serve: Add a generous amount of shredded beef to a dish, then rice, beans and fried plantains. Serve hot.

Expert Tips

When you're shredding the beef and remove as much of the fat as possible.

Nutrition Information

No nutrition information available for this recipe

More About This Recipe

Pabellón Criollo is the Venezuelan national dish and is without a doubt my family’s favorite. I must confess, I don't prepare is as often as I would like, but every time I do it's a huge success! Looking at the recipe you might think this dish is a little complicated, but it doesn't have to be. For example, the meat can be cooked and shredded the day before. I use canned beans, something my mom disapproves of, but it saves me tons of time. Serve the pabellón with arepitas and cream, it's delicious!