Pabellón Criollo (Venezuelan Shredded Beef)

Pabellón Criollo (Venezuelan Shredded Beef) is saucy, smoky-sweet, and ridiculously satisfying. Get the plate, tips, and fixes so you’ll want to make it again.

Confession: I once ate this pabellón criollo standing at the stove, straight from the skillet, and called it “quality control.” Venezuelan shredded beef in a sweet, savory tomato sauce with crispy edges is dangerous in the best way. Add rice, black beans, and sweet plantains, and you’ll forget your phone exists.

Here’s the Deal With Pabellón Criollo

Pabellón criollo is the national dish of Venezuela, and it’s basically four best friends sharing one plate. You get tender shredded beef in tomato sauce, creamy black beans, fluffy rice, and caramelized sweet plantains.

What makes this Venezuelan shredded beef special is the double cook. The flank steak gets pressure cooked until fork-tender, then it hits a hot skillet with a homemade spice blend so some pieces turn deep brown and crispy. After that, it simmers in a thick tomato sauce. Soft meets crunchy. Yes, please.

Here’s the best part. This is one of those easy venezuelan recipes at home that looks like you worked all day. In reality, you’re juggling a few pots while the pressure cooker does the heavy lifting. Your kitchen will smell so good the neighbors might start knocking.

Pabellón Criollo Ingredients (With a Few Honest Notes)

Everything is grouped by part of the plate, so you can gather it all before the chaos starts. Yes, it’s a longer list. No, it’s not complicated. Most of it is pantry stuff you already own.

Part of the Plate	Ingredients
Shredded Beef	1 1/2 pounds flank steak, cut into 3 1/2-inch squares 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon adobo seasoning 5 cloves garlic, crushed 1 white onion, cut into eighths 1 bay leaf
Tomato Sauce	1 (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes 1 (14-ounce) can tomato sauce 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 2 tablespoons ketchup Kosher salt, to taste
Skillet Finish	4 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil 1 batch Abuela Chabe’s Seasoning (below)
Abuela Chabe’s Seasoning	1 teaspoon garlic powder 1 teaspoon onion powder 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1 teaspoon ground annatto (optional) 1/4 teaspoon curry powder
Black Beans	1 tablespoon canola or vegetable oil 1/2 medium onion, chopped 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1 teaspoon curry powder 2 teaspoons adobo seasoning (or adobo with sazón) 4 cloves garlic, chopped 1 (14-ounce) can black beans, undrained Kosher salt, to taste
Rice	1 teaspoon canola or vegetable oil 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1 clove garlic, crushed 1 cup basmati or other long-grain rice 1 3/4 cups water
Plantains	2 (11-ounce) packages frozen maduros (fried plantains), cooked according to package directions

Notes on the Key Ingredients

Flank steak is the star. It’s lean, beefy, and shreds into gorgeous long strands after pressure cooking. Cutting it into squares of about 3 1/2 inches helps it cook evenly, so you don’t end up with tough bits next to mushy bits.

Abuela Chabe’s Seasoning is the secret handshake of this pabellón criollo. It’s just garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, a touch of curry powder, and optional annatto. Somehow it makes the beef taste like it came out of someone’s grandmother’s kitchen.

Annatto adds earthy color, so use it if you can find it. If you can’t, the beef will still be delicious. Make extra seasoning, too. It’s great on chicken, pork, rice, vegetables, and grains.

Yes, there’s curry powder in the beans. Trust me, it adds a warm background note you can’t quite name but will absolutely miss if you skip it. Using adobo with sazón? Even better, it adds extra color and punch.

Frozen maduros are the shortcut that keeps this Venezuelan shredded beef plate weeknight-friendly. You get sweet, sticky, caramelized edges without standing over a pan of hot oil.

And the ketchup? A little stirred in at the end rounds out the sauce with a gentle sweetness. Don’t knock it until you try it.

How to Make Pabellón Criollo, Step by Step

Here’s the game plan. Start the beef first, make the sauce while it cooks, then build the beans and rice while the beef simmers. Once you get into the rhythm, it all lands on the table at about the same time.

Mix Abuela Chabe’s Seasoning

Stir the garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, annatto (if using), and curry powder together in a small bowl. That’s it. It makes about 1 tablespoon, and you’ll use it in the skillet in a few minutes.

Pressure Cook the Pabellón Criollo Beef

Put the flank steak in a pressure cooker or Instant Pot. Season both sides with 1 tablespoon of the adobo, then wedge the garlic and onion around the beef. Add enough water to cover.

Lock the lid and cook on high pressure for 15 minutes. If you’re using an Instant Pot, around 13 minutes on high does the trick. Let the pressure release naturally. Patience here means tender, juicy beef.

Make the Tomato Sauce

While the beef cooks, blend the diced tomatoes until you can’t see a single chunk, then pour them into a medium saucepan. Add the tomato sauce, bay leaf, and a small pinch of salt. Whisk it all together.

Cook over medium heat, whisking now and then, until thickened, about 30 minutes. Fish out the bay leaf and stir in the Worcestershire sauce. Your kitchen is about to smell unreal.

Shred the Beef

Take the beef out of the pressure cooker and shred it into large chunks with two forks. Don’t go too fine. Tiny shreds fall apart in the sauce, and you want those hearty strands. Discard whatever is left in the pressure cooker.

Crisp the Venezuelan Shredded Beef in the Skillet

Heat 3 tablespoons of the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Mix Abuela Chabe’s Seasoning with the remaining 1 teaspoon adobo, add it to the oil, and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. It smells amazing.

Add the shredded beef and toss to coat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until some of it turns darker brown and slightly crispy, about 5 minutes. If the skillet gets dry, add the last tablespoon of oil. Trust me, don’t skip this part. The crispy bits are everything.

Simmer the Beef in the Sauce

Pour in the thickened tomato sauce, stir to combine, and bring it to a gentle simmer. Cook for 20 to 30 minutes, depending on how thick you like it. Saucier is great for spooning over rice. Thicker is great for scooping.

Stir in the ketchup at the end, then taste. Add more salt if it needs it. Now try to stop yourself from eating it straight from the pan. I’ll wait.

Cook the Black Beans

Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, stir the cumin, curry powder, and adobo together in a small bowl.

Add the garlic to the pan and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the spice blend and cook for another minute. Pour in the beans with their liquid and cook for 5 to 8 minutes, depending on how thick you like them. Taste and add salt if needed.

Cook the Rice

Combine the water, oil, garlic, and salt in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Add the rice, stir a couple of times, and reduce the heat to medium-high.

Keep boiling until small holes form on the surface, 8 to 10 minutes. Then cover, drop the heat to medium-low, and cook for 8 minutes. Take it off the heat and keep it covered until you’re ready to serve.

Cook the Maduros and Plate It Up

Cook the frozen maduros according to the package directions. Then divide the beef, rice, beans, and maduros equally onto individual plates. That’s your pabellón criollo, done and ready for compliments.

Pro Tips, Variations, and Fixes for Pabellón Criollo

Pro Tips

Don’t over-shred. Big, chunky strands hold up in the sauce and give you better texture. Think pulled, not powdered.

Give the beef room in the skillet. Crispy edges need contact with hot oil. If the pan is crowded, cook the beef in two batches.

Multitask smartly. The sauce, beans, and rice all need a bit of attention at different times. Set a timer for each so nothing sneaks up on you. This is how easy venezuelan recipes at home stay stress-free.

Fun Variations

Make it a caballo. Top the whole plate with a fried egg and let the yolk run into the beans. Breakfast-for-dinner energy, but better.

Swap the plantains. No maduros? Fried tostones or fresh sweet plantains work nicely, too. You’ll get the same sweet-salty contrast.

Try other proteins. No pressure cooker? Simmer the flank steak covered in a Dutch oven until fork-tender, which takes a couple of hours. Then follow the skillet steps as written.

Turn it into a bowl. Pile the Venezuelan shredded beef over rice, scoop on the beans, and tuck the plantains on the side. Same flavor, fewer plates to wash.

Troubleshooting

Beef still tough? It needs more time. Pressure cook it a few extra minutes, or simmer it in the sauce a little longer.

Sauce too thin? Simmer it uncovered for another 10 minutes, stirring often. It’ll thicken as it reduces.

Sauce too sharp? A pinch of salt or a touch more ketchup mellows the acidity from the tomatoes.

Rice gummy? Make sure you boil until those little holes form before covering. Also, keep the lid on and resist peeking.

Beef not crispy? Your skillet probably wasn’t hot enough, or the beef was too wet. Let it sit undisturbed for a minute or two between stirs.

Storing and Reheating Pabellón Criollo

Get leftovers into the fridge within two hours of cooking. Store each part in its own airtight container so the rice stays fluffy and the beef sauce doesn’t turn everything pink. Here’s how long each component lasts.

Component	Refrigerator	Freezer
Shredded beef in sauce	3 to 4 days	Up to 3 months
Black beans	3 to 4 days	Up to 3 months
Rice	3 to 4 days	Up to 1 month
Maduros	2 to 3 days	Not recommended

Reheating Tips

Reheat the beef and beans in a saucepan over medium-low heat with a splash of water, stirring often. You can also microwave them, covered, in short bursts. The USDA recommends reheating leftovers to 165°F.

For the rice, sprinkle on a spoonful of water, cover, and steam it in the microwave until hot. Warm the maduros in a skillet or oven for a few minutes to bring back those sticky, caramelized edges.

Want more on the basics? This guide from Michigan State University Extension on storing leftovers safely is a handy read.

No-Waste Ideas for Leftover Venezuelan Shredded Beef

Stuff it in arepas or tuck it into warm tortillas for a quick taco night. The tomato sauce keeps everything juicy.

Spoon it over a baked potato. Or pile it on toasted bread with melted cheese for a ridiculous sandwich.

Make a breakfast scramble. Fold leftover beef and beans into eggs and call it brunch.

If you’re in a beefy mood all week, these red curry beef broth bowls are a cozy next step. For another weeknight winner, try this sweet potato ground beef recipe.

Frequently Asked Questions

Final Thoughts on Pabellón Criollo

Pabellón criollo is the kind of meal that turns a regular Tuesday into a mini celebration. Crispy-edged Venezuelan shredded beef, creamy beans, fluffy rice, and sweet plantains all on one plate? That’s a win.

If you love a cozy beef dinner, you might also like this Guinness pie. But start here first.

Give this recipe a try and save it on Pinterest so you can find it next time the craving hits. Then tell me how it turned out in the comments. Did you go full a caballo with the egg? I need to know.