Barreado (Slow-Cooked Beef Stew from Paraná)
In short: Beef chuck, bacon, onion and cumin sealed in a pot and cooked for hours until it falls apart, eaten with cassava flour, banana and orange. It takes about 4 h 55 min in total and makes 8 servings.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 4 h 30 min
- Resting
- 1 h
- Total
- 4 h 55 min
- Servings
- 8
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 545 kcal
Barreado is the signature stew of the Paraná coast. Beef, bacon, onion and cumin are cooked for many hours in a sealed pot, traditionally a clay one closed with a ring of cassava dough, until the meat falls apart in a rich broth. At the table each person stirs toasted cassava flour into the broth to make a thick mash, then eats it with slices of banana and orange.
Instructions
- Toss the beef with the garlic, cumin, pepper, salt and lime juice. Cover and rest at room temperature for 1 hour.
- Heat the oven to 150°C (300°F). In a heavy ovenproof pot, fry the bacon over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add the onions and cook for 5 minutes until soft.
- Add the beef, tomatoes, bay leaves and water and stir. Cover with a sheet of foil, then press the lid on firmly so steam cannot escape.
- Cook in the oven for 4 to 4 1/2 hours, until the beef falls apart. Check once after 3 hours and add a little hot water if the pot looks dry.
- Shred the beef roughly in the pot with two forks, leaving some chunks. Rest for 15 minutes.
- Serve in bowls with the broth. Each person stirs in a few spoonfuls of cassava flour to make a thick, mash-like paste, and eats it with banana and orange slices.
Tips
- No clay pot needed. A heavy cast-iron pot with foil under the lid seals in the steam. A slow cooker on low for 8 hours also works, using only 100 ml of water.
- Use bananas that are ripe but still firm. Plantains also work if they are yellow with some black spots.
Questions and answers
Why is barreado sealed while it cooks?
Traditionally the lid of the clay pot is sealed with cassava dough so the steam stays inside. At home, foil under a tight lid does the same job.
How do you eat barreado?
Spoon beef and broth into a bowl, stir in cassava flour until it forms a thick mash, and eat it with banana and orange slices. The fruit balances the rich meat.
Can I make barreado faster?
A pressure cooker will cook it in 60 to 70 minutes at high pressure. The flavor is a little less deep than the long, slow version.
How long does it take to make Barreado (Slow-Cooked Beef Stew from Paraná)?
About 4 h 55 min in total: 25 min of preparation and 4 h 30 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Barreado (Slow-Cooked Beef Stew from Paraná)?
About 545 kcal per serving, with 40 g of protein, 37 g of carbohydrates and 26 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 545 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 40 g |
| Carbohydrates | 37 g |
| Fat | 26 g |
| Fiber | 4 g |
| Sugar | 8 g |
| Sodium | 1000 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
