Seco de Carne

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This seco de carne was the Sunday stew in my household growing up. Tender chuck roast slowly cooked with a cilantro-based marinade, beer and potatoes. Serve this alongside Papa a la Huancaina and cold glasses of Chicha Morada for the most delicious Peruvian dinner.

Seco de Carne in a bowl.

This stew was designed for a cold Sunday. I recommend putting on a pair of big, warm socks and prepping this thing in the late morning, sticking it in the oven and forgetting about it for a few hours. When you return, the flavors will be all combined, rich and delicious, and the meat will be so soft you won’t even need a knife. Just a fork will do.

I grew up with Peruvian food being the go-to cuisine. My mom taught me everything and this dish was one of the first I learned, alongside Lomo Saltado and Pollo a la Brasa.

Bunch of cilantro.

What is Peruvian Seco de Carne exactly?

Seco is the spanish word for “dry,” which is funny because this dish isn’t dry at all. I honestly don’t know how the dish got its name.

Cubes of meat.

How to Make Seco de Carne

  1. Sear the meat. I like to use ground chuck. This is a humble piece of meat that braises up deliciously.
  2. Make the marinade. To a blender, add the cilantro, peppers and broth.
  3. Cook up the onions and garlic.
  4. Deglaze the pan. This recipe includes a good-quality lager beer. This is very traditional and gives the seco de carne its signature flavor.
  5. Pour the marinade over the meat and braise for 2-3 hours.
  6. Add in the potatoes and squash. And braise for an additional 30 minutes.
  7. Serve over a bed or rice.
Ingredients on a cutting board.

Recipe Tip for Seco de Carne

Other cuts of meat. Many Peruvians also make this using lamb. If you’d like to, feel free to use lamb and cube it up. You’ll most likely need less time (I’d say 1 hour and 30 minutes) until the lamb is braised tender.

Ají Amarillo. I love using ají amarillo paste in this dish. I call for serrano peppers for ease but feel free to substitute the Peruvian paste in this. Two tablespoons will give it good flavor.

Cilantro marinade being added to the pot for Seco de Carne.
Seco de Carne in a bowl.

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Seco de Carne

Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 2 hours
Total: 2 hours 10 minutes
Servings: 4
This seco de carne was the Sunday stew in my household growing up. Tender chuck roast slowly cooked with a cilantro-based marinade, beer and potatoes. Serve this alongside Papa a la Huancaina and cold glasses of Chicha Morada for the most delicious Peruvian dinner.

Equipment

  • 1 large Dutch oven or oven-proof pot with a lid

Ingredients 

  • 1 1/2 pounds stew meat (such as ground chuck) , cut into 1-inch cubes
  • kosher salt
  • Olive oil
  • 1 yellow onion, diced
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground pepper
  • 1 teaspoon ground paprika
  • 1 large bunch cilantro, leaves picked and stems discarded
  • 3 serrano peppers, deseeded and chopped
  • 1 1/2 cup beef or chicken stock, (homemade chicken stock or store-bought), divided
  • 1 cup lager beer , (like Heineken or Beck's)
  • 4 small potatoes, cubed
  • 4 small winter squash, cubed

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 325F. Sprinkle the cubes of meat liberally with salt.
  • In a large pot, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and heat over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the meat in one layer, being sure to not overcrowd the pot (you may have to brown the meat in 2 batches – I did!). Cook meat on both sides for about 30 seconds or so. Remove the meat from the pan and transfer it to a bowl. Set aside.
  • To the jar of a blender, add the cilantro leaves, 3 chopped serrano peppers and 1/4 cup of chicken stock. Blend until smooth – the mixture will resemble a pesto. Set aside.
  • In the same pot, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and add the onions; cook until translucent, about 5-7 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, an additional minute. Stir in the cumin, pepper, paprika and 1 teaspoon of salt. (Note: If you’re not using low-sodium chicken broth, I’d recommend adding 1/2 teaspoon of salt.)
  • Pour in the beer and deglaze the bottom of the pot, scraping the brown bits as the beer foams up and steams. Add the meat and its juice back to the pot (it will release some juice as it sits), along with the cilantro mixture and remaining 1 1/4 cup of chicken stock.
  • Cover the pot with its lid and transfer it to the oven. Allow to gently simmer for 1 1/2-2 hours, until the meat is tender. Check on it at the 1 hour mark and add any additional chicken stock if liquid is running low (I added about 1/2 cup over 2 hours). At the 1 1/2 hour mark, check the meat – depending on the quality of meat, it might still be tough. If needed, cook for an additional hour, adding any liquid if necessary. Fold in the potatoes and squash. Cook for an additional 30 minutes, until potatoes are tender.
  • Before serving, adjust salt and pepper to taste. Serve over a bed of warm rice, couscous or quinoa. Garnish with a sprinkling of cilantro.

Nutrition

Calories: 23kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 0.4g | Saturated Fat: 0.1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Sodium: 4mg | Potassium: 102mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 306IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 25mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American, Peruvian
Like this Recipe? Please Rate & comment below!

This post was originally published on November 30th, 2012. It has been since updated with new information and formatting.

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60 Comments

  1. Great recipe I will definetely try this one out soon. Maybe even twist it a little and make my own. I really like your blog I hope you can give me some advice on how to improve mine. Thank you.
    Jorge Boris
    www.chefboris.com