Seco de Carne

Step 1

First, it is very important to pick the right cut of meat. Although you can choose from many cuts, it’s best to select lean meat. Make sure it’s firm but tender. Our choice is top sirloin, and we prefer to cut it at home to make sure that all meat cubes have a similar size, ideally with cubes of 1.5 to 2 cm. After cutting the meat, rinse and dry with a dish towel

Step 2

With the help of a mortar, grind the garlic with the peppercorns, salt and cumin. Crush to get a paste of similar consistency. Next, season the meat with the mixture, rubbing well for a few minutes. Marinate for about thirty minutes in a container covered in the refrigerator.

Step 3

Put a deep iron pot or saucepan over medium high heat and add two tablespoons of corn oil. When the pot beings to get very hot, add the cubes of meat little by little, one next to the other, so that all the cubes are in contact with the hot surface of the pot. Cook the cubes on all sides, carefully seal the meat. This will ensure that the flesh has a golden tone and remains juicy inside. When the meat begins to release its juices, add the tomato finely cut into cubes, and the yellow pepper. Cook for a few minutes and add the potato cubes. Try to make the potato cube sizes similar to that of meat cubes.

Step 4

Add the purple onion, garlic, and aji amarillo paste to the pot. Stir until soft.

Step 5

Stir fry the potatoes. Expect five to ten more minutes of cooking, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, put the cilantro in the blender with the water and blend for about 3 minutes. Authentic Seco de Carne uses culantro/cilantro, but if you cannot find it, coriander is a fine substitute. You can also replace one or two cups of water with cups of beer. (note: these are regional variations of Seco de Carne). This recipe is more traditional.

Step 6

Cook the covered meat for a half hour to 45 minutes, or until the meat is soft. If you notice that the stew is drying up a lot, add one more cup of water. A few minutes before removing from heat, add the peas. Don’t cook the delicate peas for more than five minutes. We use fresh peas, but with the frozen peas it works the same. Let the Seco de Carne rest about ten minutes before serving.

Step 7

Add an accompaniment. Among the most common are: white rice flavored with sweet chili, boiled yucca, white bean stew or fried plantain. You could also add a few slices of avocado and purple onion as a garnish when presenting the dish.