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1
Braise the beef until it shreds
120 mins
Gentle simmer, about 95°C (200°F)
Put the seasoned flank steak in a large pot with the beef broth, Worcestershire sauce and enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, skim off any foam, then lower the heat to the gentlest simmer, cover, and cook for about 2 hours until the meat pulls apart easily with two forks. Keep the braising liquid — it becomes part of the sauce.
A pressure cooker cuts this to about 45 minutes at high pressure; the beef should still fall apart in long strands.
Done when: The beef shreds into long strands with almost no resistance.
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2
Cook the black beans until creamy
60 mins
Gentle simmer, about 95°C (200°F)
While the beef braises, drain the soaked beans and put them in a second pot with fresh water to cover by about 5 cm, the chopped onion, half the garlic, the bay leaves and the cumin. Simmer gently for 50–60 minutes until the beans are tender and the liquid has thickened slightly. Season with salt only in the last 10 minutes, so the skins stay soft. Remove the bay leaves.
Salting beans early can keep the skins tough — wait until they are nearly tender, then season and taste.
Done when: Beans crush easily between two fingers and the cooking liquid coats a spoon.
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3
Cook the rice
20 mins
Low heat, about 90°C (195°F)
Rinse the rice, then cook it in a covered pot with 450 ml of lightly salted water: bring to a boil, stir once, cover, and cook on the lowest heat for 15 minutes. Take off the heat and rest, still covered, for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork. The rice should be separate and fluffy, not sticky.
Do not lift the lid while the rice steams — the trapped steam is what finishes the grains.
Done when: Grains are separate, tender and fluffy, with no water left in the pot.
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4
Shred the beef and finish it in sofrito
15 mins
Medium heat, about 175°C (350°F)
Lift the beef out of its liquid and shred it along the grain into thin strands. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a wide pan, soften the sliced onion and peppers for 5 minutes, then add the remaining garlic, the chopped tomatoes, tomato paste and oregano. Stir in the shredded beef and about 120 ml of the braising liquid and simmer for 8–10 minutes until the sauce clings to the meat and the beef is steaming hot, at least 74°C (165°F).
Shred while the beef is still warm — cold beef tears into short, dry pieces instead of long strands.
Done when: The beef is glossy, saucy but not soupy, and hot all the way through.
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5
Fry the plantains and the eggs
10 mins
Oil at about 175°C (350°F)
Heat the remaining oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Fry the plantain strips for 2–3 minutes per side until deep golden and caramelised at the edges, then drain on paper. In the same pan, fry the eggs sunny-side up for 2–3 minutes until the whites are fully set and the yolks are still runny; season lightly.
Do not crowd the plantains — they steam instead of caramelising if the pan is packed.
Done when: Plantains are deep gold and sweet-smelling; egg whites are fully set with no clear jelly left.
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6
Plate the pabellón
5 mins
Serve hot, above 60°C (140°F)
On each warm plate, set a mound of white rice next to a spoonful of black beans, a portion of shredded beef and the fried plantain strips along the side, like guard rails. Lay a fried egg over the rice and scatter the grated white cheese over the beans. Serve at once, while everything is hot.
Keep the four parts side by side and unmixed — the separate piles are what make a pabellón a pabellón.
Done when: The plate shows four distinct piles plus the egg, all steaming hot.
auto_awesome Finishing Touches & Plating
Eat it the Venezuelan way: a forkful of beef with a little rice and beans, then a bite of sweet plantain to reset the palate. The runny yolk is meant to spill over the rice, so break it last.
Venezuela
40m
Italy
Thailand