The name mechado is derived from the Spanish verb mechar, meaning "to stuff" or, in this case, "to lard", i. e., inserting strips of fatback into the pieces of beef.

[1] The term was adopted as mitsa in accordance with Filipino orthographic conventions, though the spelling mitsado for the dish is unorthodox and rarely seen.

The traditional version of the dish is done by inserting strips of pork fatback into thick cuts of inexpensive beef (specifically the chuck) to provide both succulence and flavor.

They are then quickly browned on all sides in hot oil and then braised in the marinade with the addition of beef broth, onions, and bay leaves until tender, the liquid reducing to a thick gravy.

[2] Over the years, the name of the dish has increasingly come to encompass variations that use thinner slices or even bony cuts of beef and that have dispensed with the larding process altogether.